connection and the separation that New York provides for its inhabitants。 My only connection with Fred Stone was that I saw him in The Wizard of Oz around the beginning of the century。 But our waiter felt the same stimulus from being close to a man from Oz； and after Mr。 Stone left the room the waiter told me that when he （the waiter） was a young man just arrived in this country and before he could understand a word of English； he had taken his girl for their first theater date to The Wizard of Oz。 It was a wonderful show； the waiter recalled—a man of straw； a man of tin。 Wonderful！（And still only eighteen inches away。 ） “Mr。 Stone is a very hearty eater。” said the waiter thoughtfully； content with this fragile participation in destiny； this link with Oz。。 最好的txt下载网
这里是纽约（4）
New York blends the gift of privacy with the excitement of participation； and better than most dense munities it succeeds in insulating the individual （if he wants it； and almost everybody wants or needs it） against all enormous4 and violent and wonderful events that are taking place every minute。 Since I have been sitting in this miasmic air shaft； a good many rather splashy events have occurred in town。 A man shot and killed his wife in a fit of jealousy。 It caused no stir outside his block and got only small mention in the papers。 I did not attend。 Since my arrival； the greatest air show ever staged in all the world took place in town。 I didn’t attend and neither did most of the eight million other inhabitants； although they say there was quite a crowd。 I didn’t even hear any planes except a couple of westbound mercial airliners that habitually use this air shaft to fly over。 The biggest oceangoing ships on the North Atlantic arrived and departed。 I didn’t notice them and neither did most other New Yorkers。 I am told this is the greatest seaport in the world； with 650 miles of waterfront； and ships calling here from many exotic lands； but the only boat I’ve happened to notice since my arrival was a small sloop tacking out of the East River night before last on the ebb tie when I was walking across the Brooklyn Bridge。 I heard the Queen Mary blow one midnight； though； and the sound carried the whole history of departure and longing and loss。 The Lions have been in convention。 I’ve seen not one Lion。 A friend saw one and told me about him。 （He was lame； and was wearing a bolero。） At the ballgrounds and horse parks the greatest sporting spectacles have been enacted。 I saw no ballplayer； no race horse。 The governor came to town。 I heard the siren5 scream； but that was all there was to that—an eighteen…inch margin again。 A man was killed by a falling cornice。 I was not a party to the tragedy； and again the inches counted heavily。
I mention these merely to show that New York is peculiarly constructed to absorb almost anything that es along （whether a thousand…foot liner out of the East or a twenty…thousand…man convention out of the West） without infliction the event on its inhabitants； so that every event is； in a sense； optional； and the inhabitant is in the happy position of being able to choose his spectacle and so conserve his soul。 In most metropolises； small and large； the choice is often not with the individual at all。 He is thrown to the Lions。 The Lions are overwhelming； the event is unavoidable。 A cornice falls； and it hits every citizen on the head； every last man in town。 I sometimes think that the only event that hits every New Yorker on the head is the annual St。 Patrick’s Day parade； which is fairly penetrating—the Irish are a hard race to tune out； and there are 500；000 of them in residence。 txt小说上传分享
这里是纽约（5）
The quality in New York that insulates its inhabitants from life may simply weaken them as individuals。 Perhaps it is healthier to live in a munity where； when a cornice falls； you feel the blow； where； when the governor passes； you see at any rate his hat。
I am not defending New York in this regard。 Many of its settlers are probably here merely to escape； not face； reality。 But whatever it means； it is a rather rare gift； and I believe it has a positive effect on the creative capacities of New Yorker—for creation is in part merely the business of forgoing the great and small distractions。
Although New York often imparts a feeling of great forlornness or forsakenness； it seldom seems dead or unresourceful； and you always feel that either by shifting your location ten blocks or by reducing your fortune by five dollars you can experience rejuvenation。 Many people who have no real independence of spirit depend on the city’s tremendous variety and sources of excitement for spiritual sustenance and maintenance of morale。 In the country there are a few chances of sudden rejuvenation—a shift in weather； perhaps； or something arriving in the mail。 But in New York the chances are endless。 I think that although many persons are here from some excess of spirit （which caused them to break away from their small town）； some； too； are here from a deficiency of spirit； who find in New York a protection； or an easy substitution。
There are roughly three New Yorks。 There is； first； the New York of the man or woman who was born here； who takes the city for granted and accepts its size and its turbulence as natural and inevitable。 Second； there is the New York of the muter—the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night。 Third； there is the New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something。 Of these three trembling cities tile greatest is the last—the city of final destination； the city that is a goal。 It is this third city that accounts for New York’s light…strung disposition； its poetical deportment6； its dedication to the arts； and its inparable achievements。 muters give the city its tidal restlessness； native give it solidity and continuity； but the settlers give it passion。 And whether it is a farmer arriving from Italy to set up a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors； or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with a manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart； it makes no difference： each absorbs New York with the fresh eyes of an adventurer； each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison pany。
The muter is the queerest bird of all。 The suburb he inhabits has no essential vitality of its own and is a mere roost where he es at day’s end to got to sleep。 Except in rare cases； the man who lives in Mamaroneck or Little Neck or Teaneck and works in New York； discovers nothing much about the city except the time of arrival and departure of trains and buses； and the path to a quick lunch。 He is desk… bound； and has never； idly roaming in the gloaming； stumbled suddenly on Belvedere Tower in the Park； seen the ramparts rise sheer from the water of the pond； and the boys along the shore fishing for minnows； girls stretched out negligently on the shelves of the rocks； he has never e suddenly on anything at all in New York as a loiterer； because he has had no time between trains。 He has fished in Manhattan’s wallet and dug out coins but has never listened t