What Is an American ? (by Michel-Guillaume de Crevecoeur)
Michel-Guillaume de Crevecoeur (1735-1813) was born in France and came to the American colonies as a military in the French army. He became a naturalized American and settled down to farming. Between 1765 and 1780 he wrote on American life. He returned to France in 1780, came back to America in 1783, and became French consul in New York. In 1790 he went back to France where he lived the rest of his life.
I wish I could be acquainted with the feelings and thought which must agitate the heart and present themselves to the mind of an enlightened Englishman, when he first lands on this continent. He must greatly rejoice, that he lived at a time to see this fair country discovered and settled; he must necessarily feel a share of national pride, when he views the chain of settlements which embellishes these extended shores. When he says to himself, this is the work of my countrymen who, when convulsed by factions, afflicted by a variety of miseries and wants, restless and impatient, took refuge here. They brought along with them their national genius, to which they principally owe what liberty they enjoy, and what substance they possess. Here he sees the industry of his native country, displayed in a new manner, and traces in their works the embryos of all the arts, sciences, and ingenuity which flourish in Europe. Here he beholds fair cities, substantial villages, extensive fields, an immense country filled with decent houses, good roads, orchards, meadows, and bridges, where a hundred years ago all was wild, woody, and uncultivated !
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After a foreigner from any part of Europe is arrived, and become a citizen; let him devoutly listen to the voice of our great parent, which says to him, “Welcome to my shores, distressed European; bless the hour in which thou didst see my verdant fields, my fair navigable rivers, and my green mountains ! - If thou wilt work, I have bread for thee; if thou wilt be honest, sober and industrious, I have greater rewards to confer on thee - ease and independence. I will give thee fields to feed and clothe thee; a comfortable fire-side to sit by, and tell thy children by what means thou hast prospered; and a decent bed to repose on. I shall endow thee, beside, with the immunities of a freeman. If thou wilt carefully educate thy children, teach them gratitude to God, and reverence to that government, that philanthropic government, which has collected here so many men and made them happy, I will also provide for thy progeny: and to every good man this ought to be the most holy, the most powerful, the most earnest wish he can possibly form, as well as the most consolatory prospect when he dies. Go thou, and work and till; thou shalt prosper, provided thou be just, grateful and industrious.”
注释：
settle, (移民)定居，安家;agitate使激动，刺激;enlightened, 开明的;fair, 美丽的;embellish，装饰，装点;factions: (宗教)的派系;thou=you, thy= your, thee为you的宾语。-st为动词词尾(现代英语中已不用);navigable, 可通航的;immunities (豁免)特权。
何为美国人?
作者简介： 米居奎维古尔(1734-1831)生于法国，随法军进入北美殖民地，取得美国国籍后定居务农。1765-1780年间执笔评论美国人的生活。1780年返回法国，1783年又到美国，并成为法国驻纽约领事。1790年回法国渡过晚年。
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但愿我也象一位初次登上北美大陆的英国开明人士那样，曾经体会到那种使人心潮澎湃、浮想联翩的思想感情。他一定欣喜若狂，庆幸自己有生之年能亲眼看到人们发现这块美丽的国土并在此定居下来。当他看到连绵不断的人群来到这里，用一座座居所使这漫长的海岸线锦上添花的时候，他怎能不享有一份民族骄傲感呢!他自然会想到，这些杰作都出自我的同胞之手，他们为教派迫害而震惊，受尽了苦难和贫穷，是在焦躁不安的情况下来这里避难的。他们带来了民族天赋，所以才会享受现在的自由，才会拥有现在的财产。在这里，可以看到故国的勤劳展现出了新的姿态，在其杰作中可以找到那些盛行于欧洲的所有的艺术、科学和创造的萌芽。在这里，他看到了美丽的城镇，富饶的村庄，广阔的田野，看到了一片汗漫无边的国土，其间有典雅的建筑，通达的道路，有果园，草地，桥梁;而这里在100年前还是一片荒蛮，草木丛生，不见农田!…
一个人无论来自欧洲何处，当他到达这里并成为公民以后，就让他虔诚地聆听我们伟大祖国的声音吧。这声音说，“欢迎你登上我的海岸，不幸的欧洲人。铭记这一神圣的时刻吧!此刻，你看到了我碧绿的田野，美丽的河道和苍翠的群山!如果你愿意劳动，我为你准备了面包;如果你正直、朴实、勤劳，我要给你更大的报偿——安逸与自主。我将给你土地供你丰衣足食;给你舒适的壁炉供你取暖，并让你在炉火边告诉你的后代你如何得以成功;我还要给你体面堂皇的床铺供你栖身;还要赐给你一个自由人的特权。如果你愿精心教育子女，教他们感激上帝、尊重政府，尊重这个使如此之多的人聚集在这里并得到幸福的慈善的政府，我也将为供给你的后代。这对任何善良的人来说都应该是他所能怀有的最神圣、最强烈、最殷切的希望，也是人弥留之际最大的慰藉。去吧，去劳动，去耕耘，只要你公正守法、知恩图报、勤奋努力，你必将兴旺、富强。”
It is odd to watch with what feverish ardor the Americans pursue prosperity and how they are ever tormented by the shadowy suspicion that they may not have chosen the shortest route to get it.
Americans cleave to the things of this world as if assured that they will never die, and yet are in such a rush to snatch any that come within their reach, as if expecting to stop living before they have relished them. They clutch everything but hold nothing fast, and so lose grip as they hurry after some new delight.
An American will build a house in which to pass his old age and sell it before the roof is on; he will plant a garden and rent it just as the trees are coming into bearing; he will clear a field and leave others to reap the harvest; he will take up a profession and leave it, settle in one place and soon go off elsewhere with his changing desires. If his private business allows him a moment’s relaxation, he will plunge at once into the whirlpool of politics. Then, if at the end of a year crammed with work he has a little spare leisure, his restless curiosity goes with him traveling up and down the vast territories of the United States. Thus he will travel five hundred miles in a few days as a distraction from his happiness.
Death steps is in the end and stops him before he has grown tired of this futile pursuit of that complete felicity which always escapes him.
参考译文：
1 美国人以疯狂的热情追求繁荣，却又常常拿不准自己是否真正选中了求富贵的最佳捷径，因此深受其苦。见到美国人如此生活，旁观者真是百思不解。
美国人紧紧抓住尘世中的东西不放，好像深信他们永远也不会死似的。可一旦利益近在咫尺，美国人却又追求得如此迫不及待，好像人生短促，岂能不及时行乐。他们什么都抓在手里，却又什么都抓不紧，因此为求新欢乐，常常便在匆忙中丢了旧爱好。
一个美国人会为安度晚年去兴建一幢房子，却又会在房顶还没架上屋梁时就把它卖掉;他会在花园里植树栽花，却又会在花园快要硕果累累时把它租给别人;他会在农田中播种耕耘，却又会把收获让给他人;他会热衷于一门专业，却又会马上将其放弃;他会在某处安家落户，却又会情移念转，另寻安身之地。如果管理自家店铺后仍有片刻闲暇，美国人会一头栽进政治纷争的旋涡之中。时值岁尾年首，终年忙碌的美国人竟会见缝插针，不忘休闲。于是他那永不休止的好奇之心，会与他一起同游美国辽阔的大地，几日内纵横数百里河山，聊以消遣，暂将快乐置于一旁。
终于，死亡来临了。死亡阻止了他，在他求欢乐兴致仍浓之际。他没有达到目的，极致的快乐总是与他擦肩而过。
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