24．控制自己的幻想

控制自己的幻想。有时你必须纠正幻想，有时你要促进幻想。这件事关系到我们是否幸福、是否理智。人的幻想可能横行霸道，并不满足于冷眼旁观，而会影响并统治我们的生活。幻想能带给我们欢乐，也会成为我们的负担。这取决于它将我们引向何种荒谬。它可让我们知足，也会让我们对自己不满。对某些人来说，幻想是不断的惩罚，是让愚蠢之人苦修的鞭带；对另一些人来说，幻想以快乐的错觉来承诺幸福和奇遇。它什么都能做，除非你能通过最谨慎的克制，而成为它的主人。

24．Keep the imagination under control

Keep the imagination under control; sometimes correcting, sometimes assisting it. For it is all-important for our happiness, and even sets the reason right. It can tyrannize, and is not content with looking on, but influences and even often dominates life, causing it to be happy or burdensome according to the folly to which it leads. For it makes us either contented or discontented with ourselves. Before some it continually holds up the penalties of action, and becomes the mortifying lash of these fools. To others it promises happiness and adventure with blissful delusion. It can do all this unless the most prudent self-control keeps it in subjection.