《少年维特的烦恼·第一部·1771 年 5 月至 9 月》第30节
JULY 20. I cannot assent to your proposal that I should accompany the ambassador to ———. I do not love subordination; and we all know that he is a rough, disagreeable person to be connected with. You say my mother wishes me to be employed. I could not help laughing at that. Am I not sufficiently employed? And is it not in reality the same, whether I shell peas or count lentils? The world runs on from one folly to another; and the man who, solely from regard to the opinion of others, and without any wish or necessity of his own, toils after gold, honour, or any other phantom, is no better than a fool.
注释摘要
这封信极短，却准确地标出了维特此刻与外部世界之间的那堵墙。威廉建议他陪某位大使前往某地，这显然是一个实际的、能让他进入体面职业的提议。他母亲也希望他谋一份差事。这些声音来自那个讲究等级、声望与稳定收入的市民社会，而这个社会的运作逻辑，维特现在已经完全听不进去了。 他对这提议的回应不是讨论职位本身，而是直接攻击那个体系的根基：我不喜欢受人支配，那位大使粗暴又…