写作的乐趣（3）Andspeakingoffreedomisnottheauthorfree?asfewmenarefree?Ishenotsecure?asfewmenaresecure?Thetoolsofhisindustryaresocommonandsocheapthattheyhavealmostceasedtohavecommercialvalue.Heneedsnobulkypileofrawmaterial?noelaborateapparatus?noserviceofmenoranimals.Heisdependentforhisoccupationuponnoonebuthimself?andnothingoutsidehimthatmatters.Heisthesovereignofanempire?self?supporting,self?onecanseqonecandeprivehimofhisstockintrade;noonecanforcehimtoexercisehisfacultyagainsthiswill;noonecanpreventhimexercisingitashechooses.Thepenisthegreatliberatochainscanbind?nopovertycanchoke?notariffcanrestrictthefreeplayofhismind?andeventhe“Times"BookClubcanonlyexertamoderatelydepressinginfluenceuponhisrewards.Whetherhisworkisgoodorbad?solongashedoeshisbestheishappy.Ioftenfortifymyself***dtheuncertaintiesandvexationsofpoliticallifebybelievingthatIpossessalineofretreatintoapeacefulandfertilecountrywherenorascalcanpursueandwhereoneneedneverbedulloridleoreverwhollywithoutpower.Itisthen?indeed?thatIfeeldevoutlythankfultohavebeenbornfondofwriting.Itisthen?indeed?thatIfeelgratefultoallthebraveandgenerousspiritswho?ineveryageandineveryland?havefoughttoestablishthenowunquestionedfreedomofthepen.AndwhatanoblemediumtheEnglishlanguageis.Itisnotpossibletowriteapagewithoutexperiencingpositivepleasureattherichnessandvariety?theflexibilityandtheprofoundnessofourmother?tongue.IfanEnglishwritercannotsaywhathehastosayinEnglish?andinsimpleEnglish?dependuponit—itisprobablynotworthsaying.WhatapityitisthatEnglishisnotmoregenerallystudied.IamnotgoingtoattackonewhohastheslightestpretensiontoliterarytastescanbeinsensibletotheattractionofGreeceandRome.ButIconfessourpresenteducationalsystemexcitesinmymindgravemisgivings.Icannotbelievethatasystemisgood?orevenreasonable?whichthrustsuponreluctantanduncomprehendingmultitudesoftreasureswhichcanonlybeappreciatedbytheprivithevastmajorityofboyswhoattendourpublicschoolsaclassicaleducationisfrombeginningtoaninglessrigmarole.IfIamtoldthatclassesarethebestpreparationforthestudyofEnglish?Ireplythatbyfarthegreaternumberofstudentsfinishtheireducationwhilethispreparatorystageisstillincompleteandwithoutderivinganyofthebenefitswhicharepromisedasitsresult.