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"What an excellent thing is knowledge，" said a little man， to one who was much older than himself. "Knowledge is an excellent thing，" repeated he. "My boys know more at six and seven years old than I did at twelve. They can read all sorts of books， and talk on all sorts of subjects. The world is a great deal wiser than it used to be. Everybody knows something of everything now. Do you not think， sir， that knowledge is an excellent thing？"

"Why， sir，" replied the old man， looking grave1）， "that depends entirely upon the use to which it is applied. It may be a blessing or a curse. Knowledge is only an increase of power， and power may be a bad， as well as a good thing." "That is what I cannot understand，" said the little man. "How can power be a bad thing？"

"I will tell you，" meekly2） replied the old man； and thus he went on： "When the power of a horse is under restraint3）， the animal is useful in bearing burdens， drawing loads， and carrying his master； but when that power is uncontrolled， the horse breaks his bridle4）， dashes to pieces the carriage that he draws， or throws his rider." "I see！" said the little man.

"When the water of a large pond is properly conducted by trenches5）， it makes the fields around fertile； but when it bursts through its banks， it sweeps everything before it and destroys the crops of the fields." "I see！" said the little man， "I see！"

"When the ship is steered6） aright7）， the sail that she hoists8） enables her sooner to get into port； but if steered wrong， the more sail she carries the further will she go out of her course." "I see！" said the little man， "I see clearly！"

"Well， then，" continued the old man， "if you see these things so clearly， I hope you can see， too， that knowledge， to be a good thing， must be rightly applied." "I see！ I see！" said the little man， "I see！"

1. grave [ɡre?v] adj. 認真的，嚴肅的

2. meekly [mi?kli] adv. 和藹地，親切地

3. restraint [r??stre?nt] n. 控制，限制

4. bridle [?bra?dl] n. 馬勒

5. trench [trent?] n. 溝渠

6. steer [st??（r）] vt. 為（船舶）操舵

7. aright [??ra?t] adv. 正確地；恰當?shù)?/p>

8. hoist [h??st] vt. （用繩索、滑輪裝置、起重機等）升起；吊起endprint