英文雖然不是我們中國的母語，但卻是世界上通用的語言，所以我們要好好的去學習掌握這一門語言。下面是小編整理收集的英文短篇美文三篇，歡迎閲讀參考！
Of Love
The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.
You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.
It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.
It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.
By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom.
This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends.
I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures.
There is in man's nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.
Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.
The Hand
A Thanksgiving Day editorial(社論)in the newspaper told of a school teacher who asked her class of first graders to draw a picture of something they were thankful for. She thought of how little these children from poor neighborhoods actually had to be thankful for. But she knew that most of them would draw pictures of turkeys or tables with food. The teacher was taken aback(吃驚；驚訝)with the picture Douglas handed in… a smile childishly drawn hand.
But whose hand? The class was captivated(迷惑；困惑)by the abstract(抽象的)image. “I think it must be the hand of God that brings us food,” said one child. “A farmer,” said another, “because he grows the turkeys.” Finally when the others were at work, the teacher bent(彎腰；屈身)over Douglas’s desk and asked whose hand it was. “It’s your hand, Teacher,” he mumbled(咕噥；含糊地説).
She recalled that frequently at recess(課間休息)she had taken Douglas, a scrubby(身材矮小的)forlorn(孤獨的)child by the hand. She often did that with the children. But it meant so much to Douglas. Perhaps this was everyone’s Thanksgiving, not for the material things given to us but for the chance, in whatever small way, to give to others.
Frankness
You must study to be frank with the world:frankness is the child of honesty and courage. Say just what you mean to do, on every occasion. If a friend asks a favor, you should grant it, if it is reasonable; if not, tell him plainly why you cannot. You would wrong him and wrong yourself by equivocation of any kind.
Never do a wrong thing to make a friend or keep one. The man who requires you to do so is dearly purchased at a sacrifice. Deal kindly but firmly with all your classmates. You will find it the policy which wears best. Above all, do not appear to others what you are not.
If you have any fault to find with any one, tell him, not others, of what you complain. There is no more dangerous experiment than that of undertaking to do one thing before a man's face and another behind his back. We should say and do nothing to the injury of any one. It is not only a matter of principle, but also the path of peace and hornor.
By Robert E. Lee
擴展閲讀：英文簡介
英文（English）是印歐語系-日耳曼語族下的語言，由26個字母組合而成，英文字母淵源於拉丁字母，拉丁字母淵源於希臘字母，而希臘字母則是由腓尼基字母演變而來的。英文是國際指定的官方語言（作為母語），也是世界上最廣泛的第一語言，也是歐盟以及許多國際組織以及英聯邦國家的官方語言，擁有世界第三位的母語使用者人數，僅次於漢語和西班牙語母語使用者人數。
英文由古代從丹麥等斯堪的納維亞半島以及德國、荷蘭及周邊移民至不列顛羣島的盎格魯、撒克遜以及朱特部落的白人所説的語言演變而來，並通過英國的殖民活動傳播到了世界各地。由於在歷史上曾和多種民族語言接觸，它的詞彙從一元變為多元，語法從“多屈折”變為“少屈折”，語音也發生了規律性的變化。在19至20世紀，英國以及美國在文化、經濟、軍事、政治和科學在世界上的.領先地位使得英文成為一種國際語言。如今，許多國際場合都使用英文做為溝通媒介。
英文也是與電腦聯繫最密切的語言，大多數程式語言都與英文有聯繫，而且隨着網絡的使用，英文的使用更普及。英文是聯合國的工作語言之一。 蘇格蘭語、低地撒克遜語、丹麥語、德語、荷蘭語、南非荷蘭語和英文也很接近。擁有法國血統的諾曼人於11世紀征服英格蘭王國，帶來數萬法語詞彙和拉丁語詞彙，很大程度地豐富了英文詞彙外，相對也驅使不少原生的語彙作廢。
文萃咖
