他所造成的许多变化已经产生了没有预料到的后果。谁能料到，扔掉一株加拿大水草会使英国的一半水路阻塞十年之久？谁又能料到，为那些移民们的寂寞的妻子提供一盆仙人掌会使澳大利亚东部的霸王树林蔓延成灾？谁能预示，砍去亚德里亚海滨或中非某些地区的森林会使泥土流失，剩 下光秃秃的岩石，使良田变成半沙漠？谁想得到，改进交通竟也会传播疾病--使昏睡症传入了东非，麻疹传入了大洋洲，古希腊的疟疾很可能也是别处传入的--从而改变了历史的发展。
这都是些令人瞩目的例子，规模较小的例子则到处可见。我们为某些稀有鸟类设立了自然保护区，规定保障全部物种的绝对安全； 其结果却可能是一些普通而又易生存的鸟类大量繁殖，逐出了我们真正感兴趣的珍贵品种。我们看到，由于现代文明带来的某些小变化，使英国处处出现了成群结队的燕八哥。我们提高了牛的生育能力，现在却发现它们耗竭了过去足以养活那些对生存条件不那么苛求的牲畜的牧场。我们得意地着手捕杀危害家畜的食肉动物，攫食家禽及野味的苍鹰，但发现这样做却使啃噬农民收益的老鼠和其他啮齿动物无限制地繁殖起来。
Night in the Open World
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Night is a dead and monotonousmonotonous period under a roof； but in the open world it passes lightly， with its stars and dews and perfumes， and the hours are marked by changes in the face of Nature. What seems a kind of temporal death to people choked between walls and curtains is only a light and living slumber to the man who sleeps afield. All night long he can hear Nature breathing deeply and freely； even as she takes her rest she turns and smiles； and thee is onestirring hour， unknown to those who dwell in houses， when a wakeful influence goes abroad over the sleeping hemisphere， and all the outdoor world are on their feet. It is then that the cock first crows， not this time to announce the dawn， but like a cheerful watchman speeding the course of night， cattle awake on the meadows； sheep break their fast on dewy hill-sides， and change to a new lair among the ferns； and houseless men， who have lain down with the fowls， open their dim eyes and behold the beauty of the night.
From Travels with a Donkey
露天世界的夜晚
罗伯特·路易斯·斯蒂文森
在室内，夜是死气沉沉、单调乏味的时刻。但是在露天世界里，有星星，有露珠，还有芬芳的香气；黑夜轻快地流逝，而大自然的面貌却在夜里时刻变化着。禁锢在室内和帘后的人们觉得夜似乎是短暂的死亡；而露宿野外的人却觉得夜只是一场充满生机的微睡。他整夜能听见大自然深沉的、自由自在的呼吸。大自然即使在休息时也在转动和微笑。当沉睡着的半球出现苏醒迹象的时候，室外的万物都起来了，那种忙碌的时刻是居住在室内的人所不知道的。雄鸡最先啼鸣，这时不是报晓而是像欢乐的更夫在催黑夜快走。草地上牛群醒来；露珠晶莹的山坡上羊群在进早餐，并且在羊齿植物丛中改换新的羊窝；与禽鸟共眠的无家可归的人们睁开了惺忪的双眼，观赏美丽的夜色。
Night
by Nathanial Hawthorne
Night has fallen over the country. Though the trees rises the red moon， and the stars are scarcely seen. In the vast shadow of night the coolness and the dews descend. I sit at the open window to enjoy them； and hear only the voice of the summer wind. Like black hulks， the shadows of the great trees ride at anchor on the billowy sea of grass. I cannot see the red and blue flowers， but I know that they are there. Far away in the meadow gleams the silver Charles. The tramp of horses’ hoofs sounds from the wooden bridge. Then all is still save the continuous wind of the summer night. Sometimes I know not if it be the wind or the sound of the neighboring sea. The village clock strikes； and I feel that I am not aloneHow different it is in the city！ It is late， and the crowd is gone. You step out upon the balcony， and lie in the very bosom of the cool， dewy night as if you folded her garments about you. Beneath lies the public walk with trees， like a fathomless， black gulf， into whose silent darkness the spirit plunges， and floats away with some beloved spirit clasped in its embrace. The lamps are still burning up and down the long street. People go by with grotesque shadows， now foreshortened， and now lengthening away into the darkness and vanishing， while a new one springs up behind the walker， and seems to pass him revolving like the sail of a windmill. The iron gates of the park shut with a jangling clang. There are footsteps and loud voices； -a tumult； -a drunken brawl； -an alarm of fire； -then silence again. And now at length the city is asleep， and we can see the night. The belated moon looks over the roofs， and finds no one to welcome her. The moonlight is broken. It lies here and there in the squares， and the opening of the streets-angularangular like blocks of white marble
夜
纳撒尼尔·霍桑
夜幕已笼罩着乡间。一轮红月正从树林后面冉冉升起，天上几乎看不到星星。在这苍茫的夜色中，寒气与露水降下来了。我坐在敞开的窗前欣赏着这夜色，耳边只听到那夏天的风声。大树的阴影像黑色的大船停泊在波浪起伏的茫茫草海上。虽然我见不到红色和蓝色的花朵，但我知道它们在那儿。在远处的草地上，银色的查尔斯河闪闪发光。木桥边传来了踢嗒踢嗒的马蹄声。接着，一片寂静，留下的只是那夏夜不断的风声。有时，我根本辨别不出它究竟是风声，还是邻近的海涛声。村子里的时钟敲起来了，于是我觉得并不孤独。
城市的夜晚可是多么不同呀！夜深了，人群已经散去。你走到阳台上，躺在凉快和露水弥漫的夜幕中，仿佛你用它作为外衣裹住了你的身子。阳台下面是栽着树木的人行道，像一条深不可测的黑色海湾，飘忽的精灵就投入了这漆黑沉静的海湾，拥抱着某个所爱的精灵随波荡漾而去。漫长的大街上，街灯依然到处亮着。人们从灯下走过，拖着各种各样奇形怪状的影子，影子时而缩短，时而伸长，最后消失在黑暗中；同时，一个新的影子又突然出现在那个行路人的身后，这影子似乎像风车上的翼板一样，转到他身体的前方去了。公园的铁门当啷一声关上了。耳边可以听见脚步声和响亮的说话声；--一阵喧闹；--一阵酒醉后的吵架声；--一阵火灾的报警声；--接着，又是一片寂静。于是，城市终于沉睡，我们终于能看到夜的景色。姗姗来迟的月亮从屋顶后面探出脸来，发觉没有人在欢迎她。破碎的月光东一块，西一块地撒落在各个广场上和各条大街的开阔处--像一块块白色的大理石一样棱角分明。
An October Sunrise
by Richard D. Blackmore
I was up the next morning before the October sunrise， and away through the wild and the woodland. The rising of the sun was noble in the cold and warmth of it； peeping down the spread of light， he raised his shoulder heavily over the edge of gray mountain and wavering length of upland. Beneath his gaze the dew-fogs dipped and crept to the hollow places， then stole away in line and column， holding skirts and clinging subtly at the sheltering corners where rock hung over grass-land， while the brave lines of the hills came forth， one beyond other glidingThe woods arose in folds， like drapery of awakened mountains， stately with a depth of awe， and memory of the tempests. Autumn‘s mellow hand was upon them， as they owned already， touched with gold and olives and their joy towards the sun was less to a bridegroom than a fatherYet before the floating impress of the woods could clear itself， suddenly the gladsome light leaped over hill and valley， casting amber， blue， and purple， and a tint of rich red rose， according to the scene they lit on， and the curtain flung around； yet all alike dispelling fear and the cloven hoof of darkness， all on the wings of hope advancing， and proclaiming， “God is here！” Then life and joy sprang reassured from every crouching hollow； every flower and bud and bird had a fluttering sense of them， and all the flashing of God’s gaze merged into soft beneficence.
So， perhaps， shall break upon us that eternal morning， when crag and chasm shall be no more， neither hill and valley， nor great unvintaged ocean； when glory shall not scare happiness， neither happiness envy glory； but all things shall arise， and shine in the light of the Father‘s countenance， because itself is risen
