索罗（Henrv David Thoreau）在他的《华尔登》（Walden）的第一篇里，曾有过几段
激烈批评老年人的文字，它们的神韵与气势是会被翻译毁坏的：
what old people say you cannot do you try and find that you can。Old deeds
for old people，and new deeds for new。
Age is no better，hadlly so well，qualified for an instructor as youth，for
it has not profited so much as it has lost.
Practically，the old have no very important advice to give the young.their
own experience has been so partial,and their lives have been such miserable
failures,for private reasons,as they ymust believe；and it may be that they have
some faith left which belies that experience,and they are only less young than
they were。
老头子们说你不能做这个不能做那个，可是你试一下，你就会发现你能。老的一套只该
适合老家伙，新人该有新的一套。
一大把年纪很难构成做青年老师的好条件，因为它得不偿失、功不补患。
实际一点说，老年人不会有什么很重要的意见给青年人，他们自己的经验是那样支离破
碎，他们的生活又那样惨败，他们必须知道这些都是咎由自取，也许他们还保留一些与经验
并不符合的自信心，可是他们已经不够年轻了。
他更激烈地否定老年人：
I have lived some thirty years on this planet,and lhave yet to hear the
first syllable of valuableor even earnest advice from my seniors.They have told