f　a　circle。　It　is　easy　to　get　angry　or　to　spend　money—anyone　can　do　that。　But　to　act　the　right　way　toward　the　right　person；　in　due　proportion；　at　the　right　time；　for　the　right　reason；　and　in　the　right　manner—this　is　not　easy；　and　not　everyone　can　do　it。

Therefore　he　who　aims　at　the　mean　should　make　it　his　first　care　to　keep　away　from　that　extreme　which　is　more　contrary　than　the　other　to　the　mean。。。　For　one　of　the　two　extremes　is　always　more　erroneous　than　the　other。　And　since　hitting　the　mean　exactly　is　difficult；　one　must　take　the　next　best　course；　and　choose　the　least　of　the　evils　as　the　safest　plan。。。

We　should　also　take　notice　of　the　errors　into　which　we　naturally　tend　to　fall。　They　vary　in　each　individual’s　case；　and　we　will　discover　ours　by　the　pleasure　or　pain　they　give　us。　Having　discovered　our　errors；　we　must　force　ourselves　off　in　the　opposite　direction。　For　we　shall　arrive　at　the　mean　by　moving　away　from　our　failing；　just　as　if　we　were　straightening　a　bent　piece　of　wood。　But　in　all　cases　we　should　guard　most　carefully　against　what　is　pleasant；　and　pleasure　itself；　because　we　are　not　impartial　judges　of　it。。。

This　much；　then；　is　plain：　in　all　our　conduct；　the　mean　is　the　most　praiseworthy　state。　But　as　a　practical　matter；　we　must　sometimes　aim　a　bit　toward　excess　and　sometimes　toward　deficiency；　because　this　will　be　the　easiest　way　of　hitting　the　mean；　that　is；　what　is　right。

童 年（1）

＇俄國＇列夫·托爾斯泰

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列夫·托爾斯泰（1828—1910），1