假如给我三天光明（10）Intheafternoonofthatfirstseeingday?IshouldtakealongwalkinthewoodsandintoxicatemyeyesonthebeautiesoftheworldofNature?tryingdesperatelytoabsorbinafewhoursthevastsplendorwhichisconstantlyunfoldingitselfthewayhomefrommywoodlandjauntmypathwouldlienearafarmsothatImightseethepatienthorsesploughinginthefield(perhapsIshouldseeonlyatractor!)andtheserenecontentofmenlivingclosetothesoil.AndIshouldprayforthegloryofacolorfulsunset.Whenduskhadfallen?IshouldexperiencethedoubledelightofbeingabletoseebyartificiallightwhichthegeniusofmanhascreatedtoextendthepowerofhissightwhenNaturedecreesdarkness.Inthenightofthatfirstdayofsight?Ishouldnotbeabletosleep?sofullwouldbemymindofthememoriesoftheday.TheSecondDayThenextday—theseconddayofsight—Ishouldarisewiththedawnandseethethrillingmiraclebywhichnightistransformedintoday.Ishouldbeholdwithawethemagnificentpanoramaoflightwithwhichthesunawakensthesleepingearth.ThisdayIshoulddevotetoahastyglimpseoftheworld?pastandpresent.Ishouldwanttoseethepageantofman'sprogress?thekaleidoscopeoftheages.Howcansomuchbecompressedintooneday?Throughthemuseums?ofcourse.OftenIhavevisitedtheNewYorkMuseumofNaturalHistorytotouchwithmyhandsmanyoftheobjectsthereexhibited?butIhavelongedtoseewithmyeyesthecondensedhistoryoftheearthanditsinhabitantsdisplayedthereanimalsandtheracesofmenpicturedintheirnativeenvironment;giganticcarcassesofdinosaursandmastodonswhichroamedtheearthlongbeforemanappeared?withhistinystatureandpowerfulbrain?toconquertheanimalkingdom;realisticpresentationsoftheprocessesofdevelopmentinanimals?inman?andintheimplementswhichmanhasusedtofashionforhimselfasecurehomeonthisplanet;andathousandandoneotheraspectsofnaturalhistory.Iwonderhowmanyreadersofthisarticlehaveviewedthispanoramaofthefaceoflivingthingsaspicturedinthatinspiringmuseum.Many?ofcourse?havenothadtheopportunity?butIamsurethatmanywhohavehadtheopportunityhavenotmadeuseofit.There?indeed?isaplacetouseyoureyes.Youwhoseecanspendmanyfruitfuldaysthere?butIwithmyimaginarythreedaysofsight?couldonlytakeahastyglimpse?andpasson.MynextstopwouldbetheMetropolitanMuseumofArt?forjustastheMuseumofNaturalHistoryrevealsthematerialaspectsoftheworld?sodoestheMetropolitanshowthemyriadfacetsofthehumanspirit.Throughoutthehistoryofhumanitytheurgetoartisticexpressionhasbeenalmostaspowerfulastheurgeforfood?shelter?andprocreation.Andhere?inthevastchambersoftheMetropolitanMuseum?isunfoldedbeforemethespiritofEgypt?Greece?andRome?asexpressedintheirart.IknowwellthroughmyhandsthesculpturedgodsandgoddessesoftheancientNile?land.IhavefeltcopiesofParthenonfriezes?andIhavesensedtherhythmicbeautyofchargingAthenianwarriors.ApollosandVenusesandtheWingedVictoryofSamothracearefriendsofmyfingertips.Thegnarled?beardedfeaturesofHomeraredeartome?forhe?too?knewblindness.