No young man believes he shall ever die. It was a saying of my brothers, and a fine one. There is a feeling of Eternity1 in youth, which makes us amend2 for everything. To be young is to be as one of the Immortal3 Gods. One half of time indeed is flown-the other half remains4 in store for us with all its countless5 treasures; for there is no line drawn6, and we see no limit to our hopes and wishes. We make the coming age our own-
The vast, the unbounded prospect7 lies before us.
Death. old age. are words without a meaning. that pass by us like the idea air which we regard not. Others may have undergone, or may still be liable to them-we bear a charmed life, which laughs to scorn all such sickly fancies. As in setting out on delightful8 journey, we strain our eager gaze forward-
Bidding the lovely scenes at distance hail!
And see no end to the landscape, new objects presenting themselves as we advance; so, in the commencement of life, we set no bounds to our inclinations9. nor to the unrestricted opportunities of gratifying them. we have as yet found no obstacle, no disposition10 to flag; and it seems that we can go on so forever. We look round in a new world, full of life, and motion, and ceaseless progress; and feel in ourselves all the vigor11 and spirit to keep pace with it, and do not foresee from any present symptoms how we shall be left behind in the natural course of things, decline into old age, and drop into the grave. It is the simplicity12, and as it were abstractedness of our feelings in youth, that identifies us with nature, and deludes13 us into a belief of being immortal like it. Our short-lives connection with existence we fondly flatter ourselves, is an indissoluble and lasting14 union-a honeymoon15 that knows neither coldness, jar, nor separation. As infants smile and sleep, we are rocked in the cradle of our wayward fancies, and lulled16 into security by the roar of the universe around us0we quaff17 the cup of life with eager haste without draining it, instead of which it only overflows18 the more-objects press around us, filling the mind with their magnitude and with the strong of desires that wait upon them, so that we have no room for the thoughts of death.
青年不相信自己会死。这是我哥哥的话，可算得一句妙语。青春有一种永生之感它能弥补所有。人在年轻人年代仿佛一尊永生的神明。诚然，生命的一半已以消逝，但蕴藏着不尽财富的另一半还有所保留，大家对它也抱着无穷的期望和幻想。将来的年代完全是大家
无限辽阔的远景在大家面前展示
死亡，老年，不过是空话，毫无意义；大家听了，只耳边风，全不放在心上。这类事，其他人或许历程过，或者可能要承受，但大家自己，在灵符护佑下度日，对于诸这样类脆弱的念头，统统付之轻蔑的一笑。像是刚刚走上愉快的旅程，极目远眺
向远方的美景欢呼！
此时，但觉好风光应接不暇，而且，前程更有美不胜收的新鲜景致。在这生活的开端，大家听任我们的志趣驰骋，放下给它们所有满足的机会。到此为止，大家还没碰上过什么障碍，也没感觉到什么疲惫，因此感觉还可以一直如此向前走去，直到永远。大家看到四周一派新天地生机盎然，变动不居，日新月异；大家感觉自己活力充盈，精神饱满，可与宇宙并驾齐驱。而且，眼前也无任何迹象可以证明，在大自然的进步过程中，大家自己也会落伍，衰老，进入墓地。因为青年纯真无邪单纯，可以说是茫然无知，因而将自己跟大自然划上等号；并且，因为经验少而感情盛，误以为自己也能和大自然一样永世长存。大家一厢情愿，痴心妄想，竟把自己在世上的暂时栖身，当作千古不变、万事长存的结合，仿佛没冷淡、争执、离别的密月。像婴儿携带微笑入睡，大家躺在用自己编织成的摇篮里，让大千世界的万籁之声催哄大家安然入梦；大家急切切，兴冲冲地畅饮生命之杯，如何也不会饮干，反而仿佛永远是满满欲溢；森罗万象纷至沓来，各种欲望随之而生，使大家腾不出工夫想死亡。
