Mark Twain's View on Courage

馬克•吐溫(Mark Twain, 1835-1910)是美國文學中最具代表性的作家，其作品以幽默諷刺著稱，著有名著《湯姆歷險記》(The Adventures of Tom Sawyer)與《頑童歷險記》(Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)等。

這篇演說是在一場餐會上所發表的，來聽聽馬克•吐溫對『勇氣』的看法吧。(演說內容從影片片段0:38 ~ 2:05)

In the matter of courage we all have our limits.

There never was a hero who did not have his bounds. I suppose it may be said of Nelson and all the others whose courage has been advertised that there came times in their lives when their bravery knew it had come to its limit.

I have found mine a good many times. Sometimes this was expected─often it was unexpected. I know a man who is not afraid to sleep with a rattlesnake, but you could not get him to sleep with a safety-razor.

I never had the courage to talk across a long, narrow room. I should be at the end of the room facing all the audience. If I attempt to talk across a room I find myself turning this way and that, and thus at alternate periods I have part of the audience behind me. You ought never to have any part of the audience behind you; you never can tell what they are going to do.

I’ll sit down.