亨利·大卫·梭罗/HenryDavidThoreau
亨利·大卫·梭罗（1817—1862），杂文家、诗人、自然主义者、改革家和哲学家。生于马萨诸塞州的康科德，毕业于哈佛大学，曾担任中学校长。1846年7月，梭罗居住在瓦尔登湖边时，当地的警官找到他，让他支付投票税，尽管数年来他已经行使了这项权利，但是梭罗拒绝支付税款。当夜，警官把他关在康科德的监狱里。第二天，梭罗的姨母帮他缴清税款，他便获释了。不过，他表明了他的观点：他不能向一个容许奴隶制存在并且侵略他国（墨西哥）的政府交税。他于1849年发表了有引起什么反响。但是到了19世纪末，这篇文章却成为公认的经典之作，并赢得国际性的声誉。列夫·托尔斯泰、圣雄甘地、马丁·路德·金等人都对它推崇备至。
AcetheHole
Uandthesenewwordsbeforeyoureadthisarticle.
1.systeatically[?s?st???t?k?l?]adv.有组织地；有计划地；有条不紊地
2.expedient[,?n?kspi:di:?nt]adj.不妥当的；不适当的；不明智的
3.san[s??k??n]n.批准，认可
4.onarchy[?n?ki]n.君主统治，君主制度；君主国
Iheartilyaepttheotto,“Thatgovernntisbestwhichgover”,andIshouldliketoseeitacteduptoorerapidlyandsysteatically.Carriedout,itfallyaountstothis,whichalsoIbelieve,“Thatgovernntisbestwhichgovernsnotatall”,andwhennarepreparedforit,thatwillbethekdofgovernntwhichthewillhave.Governntisatbestbutanexpedient;butostgovernntsareually,andallgovernntsaresotis,expedient.Theobjeswhichhavebeenbroughtagastastandgary,andtheyareanyay,anddeservetoprevail,ayalsoatstbebroughtagastastandggovernnt.Thestandgaryisonlyanarofthestandggovernnt.Thegovernntitself,whiutetheirwill,isequallyliabletobeabedandpervertedbeforethepeopleactthroughit.WithepresentMexiwar,theworkofparativelyafewdividualsgthestandggovernntastheirtool;fortheoutset,thepeoplewouldnothaveedtothisasure.
ThisArigovernnt—whatisitbutatradition,thougharetone,eotransititselfunipairedtoposterity,buteachstantlosgsoofitstegrity?Ithasnotthevitalityandforceofasglelivgan;forasgleanbendittohiswill.Itisasortofwoodenguntothepeopletheselves.Butitisnotthelessnecessaryforthis;forthepeoplethavesoplicatedacheryorother,andhearitsd,tosatisfythatideaofgovernntwhiellent,wetallallow.Yetthisgovernntneverofitselffurtheredaerprise,butbytheacritywithwhichitgotoutofitsway.Itdoesnotkeeptheuntryfree.ItdoesnotsettletheWest.Itdoesnoteducate.ThecharacterherenttheArihnwouldfasueedlettgoneanotheralone;and,ashasbeensaid,whenitisostexpedient,thegovernedareostletalonebyit.Tradeandrce,iftheywerenotadeofIndianRubber,wouldneveraobounceoverobstacleswhichlegistorsarentuallyputtgtheirway;andifoojudgethesenwhollybytheeffectsoftheirasandnotpartlybytheirtentions,theywoulddeservetobecssedandpunishedwiththoseischieviopersonswhoputobstrontherailroads.
But,tospeakpracticallyandasacitizen,uhosewhocalltheselvesnoovernntn,Iaskfor,notatonenogovernnt,butatonceabettergoverneveryanakeknownwhatkdofgovernntwouldandhisrespect,andthatwillbeoeptowardobtagit.
Afterall,thepracticalreasonwhy,whenthepowerisohehandsofthepeople,aajorityareperitted,andforalongperiodoruleisnotbecaetheyareostlikelytobetheright,norbecaethisseesfairesttotheority,butbecaetheyarephysicallythestro.Butagovernntwhichtheajorityruleallcasesotbebasedonjtice,evenasfarasnuandit.therenotbeagovernntwhichtheajoritiesdonotvirtuallydeciderightandwrong,butnsitizeneverforaont,ortheleastdegree,resignhisothelegistor?Whyhaseveryanahen?Ithkthatweshouldbenfirst,andsubjectsafterward.Itisnotdesirabletocultivatearespectforthew,souchasfortheright.TheonlyobligationwhichIhavearighttoassuistodoatanytiwhatIthkright.
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Theauthorityofgovernnt,evensuchasIawillgtosubitto—forIwillcheerfullyobeythosewhoknowanddobetterthanI,andanythgseventhosewhoherknownordosowell—isstillanipureoobestrictlyjt,itthavethesanandofthegoverhavenopurerightoverypersonandpropertybutwhatIoit.Theprogressfroanabsotetoaliitedonarchy,froaliitedonarchytoadeocracy,isaprogresstowardatruerespectforthedividual.EventheChesephilosopherwaswiseenoughtardthedividualasthebasisoftheepire.Isadeocracy,suchasweknowit,thestiproventpossiblegovernnt?Isitnotpossibletotakeastepfurthertowardsregnizgandanizgtherightsofan?TherewillneverbeareallyfreeandenlighteateuntiltheStateesthedividualasahigheranddepepower,frowhichallitsownpowerandauthorityarederived,andtreatshialy.IpleaseyselfwithiaggaStateatstwhichaffordtobejttoalln,andtotreatthedividualwithrespectasaneighbor;whichevenwouldnotthkitnsistentwithitsownreposeifafewweretolivealooffroit,notddlgwithit,norebracedbyit,whofulfilledallthedutiesofneighborsandfellown.AStatewhichborethiskdoffruit,andsufferedittodropoffasfastasitripened,wouldpreparethewayforastilloreperfedglorioState,whichIhavealsoiaged,butnotyetanywhereseen.