英文
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.
中文
七月二十日
你劝我跟公使到×地去的想法，我还不打算同意。我不大喜欢听人差遣，加之此公又是位众所周知的讨厌的人。你信上说，我母亲希望看见我有所作为。这使我感到好笑。难道我眼下不也是在做事么？归根到底，不管我是摘豌豆还是摘扁豆，不也一样么？世界上的一切事情，说穿了全都无聊。一个人要是没有热情，没有需要，仅仅为了他人的缘故去逐利追名，苦苦折腾，这个人便是傻瓜。
