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塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯:自助论·摘录 125

塞缪尔·斯迈尔斯《自助论》· Self-Help · 领导

The late John Brown, the eminent English geologist, was, like Miller, a stonemason in his early life, serving an apprenticeship to the trade at Colchester, and afterwards working as a journeyman mason at Norwich. He began business as a builder on his own account at Colchester, where by frugality and industry he secured a competency. It was while working at his trade that his attention was first drawn to the study of fossils and shells; and he proceeded to make a collection of them, which afterwards grew into one of the finest in England. His researches along the coasts of Essex, Kent, and Sussex brought to light some magnificent remains of the elephant and rhinoceros, the most valuable of which were presented by him to the British Museum. During the last few years of his life he devoted considerable attention to the study of the Foraminifera in chalk, respecting which he made several interesting discoveries. His life was useful, happy, and honoured; and he died at Stanway, in Essex, in November 1859, at the ripe age of eighty years.

出处: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/935
定位:Excerpt 125 · 核对日期:2026-10-19 · 核验:短摘录

白话

英国著名地质学家约翰·布朗早年像米勒一样是石匠,在科尔切斯特当学徒,后来在诺里奇做帮工。他靠节俭和勤奋在科尔切斯特自己开建筑生意,攒下家业。正是做石匠时,他开始注意化石和贝壳,动手收集,后来成了英格兰最好的收藏之一。他在埃塞克斯、肯特和苏塞克斯海岸考察,发现大象和犀牛的珍贵遗骸,把最有价值的捐给大英博物馆。晚年他研究白垩中的有孔虫,做出几项有趣发现。他的一生有用、快乐、受人尊敬,1859年11月去世,享年八十岁。

上下文

斯迈尔斯《自助》中讲约翰·布朗(约1779—1859)从石匠到地质学家的经历,强调手艺人的自学和积累。

今日一问

你现在的日常工作里,有没有可以顺手积累成专业兴趣的素材?

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