第7章 快乐不必认真The Importance of Doing Things Badly2(第1页)
第7章快乐不必认真TheImportangThingsBadly(2)
Isahplayingsupremelyristantpradappli?AgainsttheprofessionalplayerIsaynothing;heisapublitertaiher,andbyhisskillinhisparticularsportheatleastfulfillsthefirstsocialdutyofman—thathimselfandhisfamilybyhisoweexertions。Butwhatistobesaidofthecrackamateur?Tomeheseemsoptibleofmankind。Heeardevoteshimself,forthemereselfishpleasureofthething,tosomegame,whichheplaysdayindayout;hebreaksdowarydistiheamateurandtheprofessiouallyhisskilldesertshim,andheleavesbehindhimnothingthatisofservicetohisfellowmen—notabrihed,en,notevenafamilysupportedaedbyhislabor。
Itistruethathehasprovidedeforaumberofpersons,buthehashepluithimselftothetestbywhichwedemaertainershouldjustifyhischoiceofag—thedemonstratiohatthepubliciswillingtopayhimforhise。And,whenhisdayisover,whatisleft,heworld,buttohimself?Nothingbutaisatotten,orisrememberedbystoutgentlemeninclubs。Theplayiainly,isathingwhiwell。Butthatdoesisnatall,astheproverbwould,byimpli,persuadeus。Thereisnreeableandsalutarythanplayingagamewhielikes,aangitbadlyihepleasureofeeofanypastime。
Themanwhomihewinsissman—whichobservatioheruleitimpliesisseldomobserved,andparativelyfewpeoplereallyplaygamesforthesheereheplaying。Isthisheprevalendpopularityofhandicaps?Whyshouldweexpecttobegivenpoibethatiherthanourownskill?“Ah!but,”myreadermaysay,“thelayerwantstoretsihemaygivethestroergame。”Really,Idohatisso。Possible,sometimes,astrongandvaingloriousplayermaywishtogivepoints,ihisviaybethemoreIdonotthihisisthetrueexplanation。That,Isuspect,wasgiveherdaybythesecretaryofalawour,inwhichIplayed。“Whyallthisnonsenseofhandicaps?
Whyusbesquarelybeate?”Iaskedhim。“Because,”Hereplied,“ifwedidnotgivehandieofthelessgoodplayerswouldehatnotathatthemajorityofushavebothrealizedthetruevaluedoingatrivialthingbadly,foritsowneedshaveourmindsbuoyedaoafalsesenseofexce?Moreoveritisnotonlysusicallytrivialthingsasgamesthatarewbadly。Thisisatruthwhich,oddlyefreelyofsomethings—butnotofothers—andasathingwhichwearequitettodowillletmeiing。Ag,atitsbest,beagreatart,athingwsupremelywell,