Iwasalwaysfondofvisitingnewscenes,andobservingstrangecharactersandmanners.EvenwhenamerechildIbeganmytravels,andmademanytoursofdiscoveryintoforeignpartsandunknownregionsofmynativecity,tothefrequentalarmofmyparents,andtheemolumentofthetown-crier.AsIgrewintoboyhood,Iextendedtherangeofmyobservations.Myholidayafternoonswerespentinrambleaboutthesurroundingcountry.Imademyselffamiliarwithallitsplacesfamousinhistoryorfable.Ikneweveryspotwhereamurderorrobberyhadbeencommitted,oraghostseen.Ivisitedtheneighboringvillages,andaddedgreatlytomystockofknowledge,bynotingtheirhabitsandcustoms,andconversingwiththeirsagesandgreatmen.Ievenjourneyedonelongsummer’sdaytothesummitofthemostdistanthill,whenceIstretchedmyeyeovermanyamileofterraincognita,andwasastonishedtofindhowvastaglobeIinhabited.我总喜爱游览新奇美景,观赏奇风异俗。幼年之时,我便四处漫游,走过不少地方,深入故土的穷乡僻壤,作一番探索。为此,父母常感惊恐,不过公告传报员[1]却受益不少。及至少年,观察范围更趋广泛。每逢假日下午,我便畅游四周。由此,历史上或传说中的著名地方,我无不知晓。哪里有过凶杀抢劫,哪里出现过幽灵,我均能一一告知。我去邻近的村庄,观察其风俗习惯,与贤明之士和不凡人物交谈,从而知识大增。在一个漫长的夏日,我甚至远走他乡,爬上一座高山,极目远眺,凝视尚未去过的陌生地带。目睹我所居住的地球广阔无垠,我惊叹不已。余素喜览新景,察异人,观奇俗。年当总角,余已多所游历;足涉本城之异域秘土,幽僻罕境,而时有发见。常行无迹,数累父母忧,散资倩人布告于镇。及长成,见察愈广也。每俟假日午后,便于近村消闲漫游。其地或名彰青史、或子虚乌有者,余渐熟稔。但有谋杀劫余乃至生见妖魔处,亦复谙于心。借览邻里,录其风俗,访其圣哲伟人,以广我见识知闻。彼夏煌煌,一旦悠长,余远涉高岗,登顶骋怀,极目而望。由是得览无数未睹失考之新天地,惊悟所居之方圆巨大也。