英语经典美文诵读100篇：022.science and art

[00:04.07]022. Science and Art [00:13.61]I beg leave to thank you for the extremely kind and appreciative manner in which you have received the toast of Science. [00:21.18]It is the more grateful to me to hear that toast proposed in an assembly of this kind, [00:26.72]because I have noticed of late years a great and growing tendency among those who were once jestingly [00:32.87]said to have been born in a pre-scientific age to look upon science as an invading and aggressive force, [00:40.89]which if it had its own way would oust from the universe all other pursuits. [00:46.35]I think there are many persons who look upon this new birth of our times [00:51.19]as a sort of monster rising out of the sea of modern thought with the purpose of devouring the Andromeda of art. [01:00.13]And now and then a Perseus, equipped with the shoes of swiftness of the ready writer, [01:05.82]with the cap of invisibility of the editorial article, and it may be with the Medusahead of vituperation, [01:13.75]shows himself ready to try conclusions with the scientific dragon. Sir, I hope that Perseus will think better of it; [01:23.56]first, for his own sake, because the creature is hard of head, strong of jaw, [01:29.30]and for some time past has shown a great capacity for going over and through whatever comes in his way; [01:36.44]and secondly, for the sake of justice, for I assure you, of my own personal knowledge that if left alone, [01:44.21]the creature is a very debonair and gentle monster. As for the Andromeda of art, [01:51.32]he has the tenderest respect for that lady, and desires nothing more than to see her happily settled [01:59.70]and annually producing a flock of such charming children as those we see about us. [02:04.27]But putting parables aside, I am unable to understand how any one with a knowledge of mankind [02:11.50]can imagine that the growth of science can threaten the development of art in any of its forms. [02:19.84]If I understand the matter at all, science and art are the obverse and reverse of Nature’s medal; [02:25.76]the one expressing the external order of things, in terms of feeling, the other in terms of thought. [02:33.28]When men no longer love nor hate; when suffering causes no pity, and the tale of great deeds ceases to thrill, [02:42.26]when the lily of the field shall seem no longer more beautifully arrayed than Solomon in all his glory, [02:48.82]and the awe has vanished from the snow-capped peak and deep ravine, [02:53.55]then indeed science may have the world to itself, but it will not be because the monster has devoured the art, [03:01.80]but because one side of human nature is dead, [03:05.25]and because men have lost the half of their ancient and present attributes.

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