A writer's life is a highly vulnerable, almost naked activity. We don't have to weep about that. The writer makes his choice and is stuck with it. But it is true to say that you are open to all the winds, some of them icy indeed. You are out on your own, out on a limb. You find no shelter, no protection — unless you lie — in which case of course you have constructed your own protection and, it could be argued, become a politician.

成功的衡量标准不仅仅是利润，还包括积极的影响。

臣民对主权者的义务，只要主权者能保护他们，就持续存在，否则就不再存在。

没有社会进步的经济增长会让大多数人仍然处于贫困之中，而少数特权阶层则享受日益增长的丰裕。

译文：奢侈无度可以让家业衰败，过于吝啬也可以让家业衰败；过于愚笨可以坏事，精明过于也可以坏事。赏析：挥霍无度，浪费钱财，过分追求物质享受，再多的家产也可以被败光，而过分吝啬，不懂得散财，不懂得让金钱为我所用，再多的家产都无法产生价值。只会赚钱，不会用钱，金钱将失去意义；只会用钱，不会赚钱，金钱无处可来。人如果愚钝不开，就不会明白世间的道理，做事毫无章法，自然难以成事；而人过于精明，不懂得收敛锋芒，处处要占上风，处处算计别人，做事也难以成功。