風行草偃

I had no lock nor bolt but for the desk which held my papers, not even a nail to put over my latch or windows. I never fastened my door night or day, though I was to be absent several days; not even when the next fall I spent a fortnight in the woods of Maine. And yet my house was more respected than if it had been surrounded by a file of soldiers. The tired rambler could rest and warm himself by my fire, the literary amuse himself with the few books on my table, or the curious, by opening my closet door, see what was left of my dinner, and what prospect I had of a supper. Yet, though many people of every class came this way to the pond, I suffered no serious inconvenience from these sources, and I never missed anything but one small book, a volume of Homer, which perhaps was improperly gilded, and this I trust a soldier of our camp has found by this time. I am convinced, that if all men were to live as simply as I then did, thieving and robbery would be unknown. These take place only in communities where some have got more than is sufficient while others have not enough. The Pope's Homers would soon get properly distributed.

"Nec bella fuerunt,
Faginus astabat dum scyphus ante dapes."
"Nor wars did men molest,
When only beechen bowls were in request."

"You who govern public affairs, what need have you to employ punishments? Love virtue, and the people will be virtuous. The virtues of a superior man are like the wind; the virtues of a common man are like the grass; the grass, when the wind passes over it, bends."


《論語．顏淵》

季康子問政於孔子曰：“如殺無道，以就有道，何如？”孔子對曰：“子為政，焉用殺？子欲善，而民善矣。君子之德風，小人之德草。草上之風，必偃。”

不患寡而患不均是梭羅的思想，他認為如果每個人都生活的像他在樹林時這麼簡樸，根本就不會有偷盜發生；那種事情只會發生在有些人所得超過必需而有些人卻不足的社會。現在大概沒有人會相信這種事情。有些人即使所得已經很足夠了，他還是要偷盜。我在東西德統一之後不久曾到過東德，有機會到一個動物園管理員家中作客。那天，他帶著我和另一位研究鳥類的台灣朋友，跟著他做日常的餵養和管理工作。晚上，他在小小的居室點起暖爐，沒有多餘的傢俱，只是牆壁上排滿著書。三個人吃著很簡單的食物，也許談到孔子的學生顏淵，以前的東德。他大概也不認為共產主義的社會合乎人性，但卻對過去人與人的關係充滿懷念。

如果在上位者都爭著去富豪家的婚宴作客，要人民不跟從也難。你們拿著人民的錢，制定了法律，要求人民不可學你們這樣；但是只要努力打拼，總有一天，總有一天，等賺夠了錢，有了足夠的身份地位，那也能像你們這樣。那些沒有能力，也沒有祖上庇蔭的人，應該安份守己，等你們吃飽喝足了，也許還會剩下一些排翅鮑魚，可以讓他們嚐嚐，作作夢也好。