Трое в лодке не считая собаки

           Itislumber,man—alllumber! Throwitoverboard. Itmakestheboatsoheavytopull,younearlyfaintattheoars. Itmakesitsocumbersomeanddangeroustomanage,youneverknowamoment’sfreedomfromanxietyandcare,nevergainamoment’srestfordreamylaziness—notimetowatchthewindyshadowsskimminglightlyo’ertheshallows,ortheglitteringsunbeamsflittinginandoutamongtheripples,orthegreattreesbythemarginlookingdownattheirownimage,orthewoodsallgreenandgolden,orthelilieswhiteandyellow,orthesombre-wavingrushes,orthesedges,ortheorchis,ortheblueforget-me-nots. 

           Throwthelumberover,man! Letyourboatoflifebelight,packedwithonlywhatyouneed—ahomelyhomeandsimplepleasures,oneortwofriends,worththename,someonetoloveandsomeonetoloveyou,acat,adog,andapipeortwo,enoughtoeatandenoughtowear,andalittlemorethanenoughtodrink;forthirstisadangerousthing. 

           Youwillfindtheboateasiertopullthen,anditwillnotbesoliabletoupset,anditwillnotmattersomuchifitdoesupset;good,plainmerchandisewillstandwater. Youwillhavetimetothinkaswellastowork. Timetodrinkinlife’ssunshine—timetolistentotheAEolianmusicthatthewindofGoddrawsfromthehumanheart-stringsaroundus—timeto— 

           Ibegyourpardon,really.Iquiteforgot. 

           Well,weleftthelisttoGeorge,andhebeganit. 

           "Wewon’ttakeatent,suggestedGeorge;"wewillhaveaboatwithacover. Itiseversomuchsimpler,andmorecomfortable." 

           Itseemedagoodthought,andweadoptedit. IdonotknowwhetheryouhaveeverseenthethingImean.