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1、TheRhythmofLifeandOtherEssaysTheRhythmofLifeandOtherEssays1TheRhythmofLifeandOtherEssaysTHERHYTHMOFLIFEIflifeisnotalwayspoetical,itisatleastmetrical.Periodicityrulesoverthementalexperienceofman,accordingtothepathoftheorbitofhisthoughts.Distancesarenotgauge
2、d,ellipsesnotmeasured,velocitiesnotascertained,timesnotknown.Nevertheless,therecurrenceissure.Whatthemindsufferedlastweek,orlastyear,itdoesnotsuffernow;butitwillsufferagainnextweekornextyear.Happinessisnotamatterofevents;itdependsuponthetidesofthemind.Dise
3、aseismetrical,closinginatshorterandshorterperiodstowardsdeath,sweepingabroadatlongerandlongerintervalstowardsrecovery.Sorrowforonecausewasintolerableyesterday,andwillbeintolerabletomorrow;todayitiseasytobear,butthecausehasnotpassed.Eventheburdenofaspiritua
4、ldistressunsolvedisboundtoleavethehearttoatemporarypeace;andremorseitselfdoesnotremain--itreturns.Gaietytakesusbyadearsurprise.Ifwehadmadeacourseofnotesofitsvisits,wemighthavebeenonthewatch,andwouldhavehadanexpectationinsteadofadiscovery.Noonemakessuchobse
5、rvations;inallthediariesofstudentsoftheinteriorworld,therehavenevercometolighttherecordsoftheKeplerofsuchcycles.ButThomaseKempisknewoftherecurrences,ifhedidnotmeasurethem.Inhiscellalonewiththeelements--'Whatwouldstthoumorethanthese?foroutofthesewereallthin
6、gsmade'--helearntthestaytobefoundinthedepthofthehourofbitterness,andtheremembrancethatrestrainsthesoulatthecomingofthemomentofdelight,givingitamoreconsciouswelcome,butpresagingforitaninexorableflight.And'rarely,rarelycomestthou,'sighedShelley,nottoDelightm
7、erely,buttotheSpiritofDelight.Delightcanbecompelledbeforehand,called,andconstrainedtoourservice--Arielcanbeboundtoadailytask;butsuchartificialviolencethrowslifeoutofmetre,anditisnotthespiritthatisthuscompelled.THATflitsuponanorbitellipticallyorparabolicall
8、yorhyperbolicallycurved,keepingnomanknowswhattrystswithTime.ItseemsfitthatShelleyandtheauthoroftheIMITATIONshouldbothhavebeenkeenandsimpleenoughtoperceivetheseflights,andtoguess2TheRhythmofLifeandOtherEssaysa