第8部分(第2/7 页)

　learned　philosophers　of　our　race；　who　lived　and　flourished　long　before　my　time；　that　this　vast　world；　the　Moulin　Joly；　could　not　itself　subsist　more　than　eighteen　hours；　and　I　think　there　was　some　foundation　for　that　opinion；　since；　by　the　apparent　motion　of　the　great　luminary　that　gives　life　to　all　nature；　and　which　in　my　time　has　evidently　declined　considerably　towards　the　ocean　at　the　end　of　our　earth；　it　must　then　finish　its　course；　be　extinguished　in　the　waters　that　surround　us；　and　leave　the　world　in　cold　and　darkness；　necessarily　producing　universal　death　and　destruction。　I　have　lived　seven　of　those　hours；　a　great　age；　being　no　less　than　four　hundred　and　twenty　minutes　of　time。　How　very　few　of　us　continue　so　long！　I　have　seen　generations　born；　flourish；　and　expire。　My　present　friends　are　the　children　and　grandchildren　of　the　friends　of　my　youth；　who　are　now；　alas；　no　more！　And　I　must　soon　follow　them；　for；　by　the　course　of　nature；　though　still　in　health；　I　cannot　expect　to　live　above　seven　or　eight　minutes　longer。　What　now　avails　all　my　toil　and　labor　in　amassing　honey…dew　on　this　leaf；　which　I　cannot　live　to　enjoy！　What　political　struggles　I　have　been　engaged　in　for　the　good　of　my　patriot　inhabitants　of　this　bush　of　my　philosophical　studies　for　the　benefit　of　our　race　in　general！　For　in　politics　what　can　laws　do　without　morals？　Our　present　race　of　ephemerae　will　in　a　course　of　minutes　bee　corrupt；　like　those　of　other　and　older　bushes；　and　consequently　as　wretched。　An