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1、ASeasonforHymningandHawingFrankTrippettTechnically,itbeginsnextweek.Actually,itbeganwiththeepicsighofreliefthatcouldbesensedallovertheU.S.rightafterLaborDay.Evenbeforeitarrives,Americansalwaysmanagetogetintoautumn.Andnowonder.Itiseasilythemosthabitableseasonoftheyear.Indeed,autumndeserves
2、ahymn—andithasreceivedfarlesstributethanitdeserves.True,somemixednoticeshavecomeinoverthecenturies.Horaceslanderedautumnasa“dread”period—“harvest-seasonoftheGoddessofDeath.”Hewasdeadwrong,ofcourse,forasOvidnoted,oncehegothismindoffsex,autumnis“cumformossisimusannus”—”thefairestseasonofthe
3、year.”Hadhelivedalittlelater,HoracemighthavefoundoutfromtheU.S.CensusBureauthatthedeathrateisusuallylowerinautumnthaninwinterandspring.Why?Sciencedoesn’tknow,butitisquitepossiblethatthewilltoliveisstrongerinthefall.Conversely,thewilltomayhemweakens:nobodyhaseverworriedaboutaLongHotAutumn.
4、Soautumnisablatantlyvitalseason,contrarytotheallegationsofsorrowfulpoetswhomisconstruethemessageofdyingleaves.Amorerealisticpoet,ArchibaldMacLeish,saysthat“AutumnistheAmericanseason.InEuropetheleavesturnyelloworbrownandfall.Heretheytakefireonthetreesandhangthereflaming.Life,too,wethink,is
5、capableoftakingfireinthiscountry;ofcreatingbeautyneverseen.”Autumnisalsotheauthenticseasonofrenewal.YaleLecturerWilliamZinsserhitthenailsquarely:“ThewholenotionofNewYear’sDayasthetimeoffreshstartsandboldresolutionsisfalse.”Intruththattimeisautumn.Popularpleasureshowsitselfinthosehastening
6、stepsandbrightenedsmilesencounteredastheairgrowsnippier.Somepsychiatristshavepatientswhogrowalmostalarmedathowcongenialtheysuddenlyfeel.Autumnisafriendliertime.Therejuvenatingambienceofautumnisimmeasurablymoreancientthaneventhecalendar.TheCreationitselfwasachievedintheautumn,accordingtoat
7、raditionofJudaism—whencetheJewishNewYear,RoshHashanah,atsummer’sendorthestartoffall.ThesuspicionthatevenGodispartialtoautumnhasoverwhelmedothers,includingJohnDonne,whoenthused:“InHeaven,itisalwaysAutumn.”No,autumnisnotalwaysheavenonearth.Theseasondoesinduceaquickeni