| 林语堂精选的心斋,所写的生活漫笔，并译。中文名篇与英文名译对照，珠联璧合。
不得已而谀之者，宁以口，毋以笔；不可耐而骂之者，亦宁以口，毋以笔。
曰：但恐未必能自主耳。
曰：上句立品，下句立德。
曰：匪惟立德，亦以免祸。
曰：今人笔不谀人，更无用笔之处矣。心斋（上句的作者）不知此苦，还是唐宋以上人耳。
曰：古笔铭曰：“毫毛茂茂，陷水可脱，陷文不活。”正此谓也。亦有诌以笔而实讥之者，亦有骂以笔而若誉之者，总以不笔为高。
if one has to praise someone, rather do it by word of mouth than by pen; if there are persons that must be castigated, also do it by word of mouth rather than in writing.
-- you have no control over it sometimes.
-- the first half of the sentence helps one's intergrity, the second half one's character.
-- it not only helps character, but saves one from getting into trouble.
-- there are writers today who find no other use for their pen except writing eulogies. shingstai (the author) is not aware of the circumstances which force them to do it. he lives mentally in the golden age.
-- an ancient inscription on a pen says, "the little hair-brush. you can get out when dipped in water, but when you get into writing, you may be crushed." there are eulogies with tongue-in-cheek sarcasms and apparent denunciations which cover real praise. but the best thing is not to commit it to paper at all.
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