Letter from E.B. White

This is the letter that Mr. White(美国当代著名散文家、评论家，著有《精灵鼠小弟》）、《夏洛的网》等) wrote before his death about his three books for children:

Dear Reader:

I receive many letters from children and can't answer them all -- there wouldn't be time enough in a day. That is why I am sending you this printed reply to your letter. I'll try to answer some of the questions that are commonly asked.

Where did I get the idea for Stuart Little（精灵鼠小弟） and for Charlotte's Web（夏洛特的网）? Well, many years ago I went to bed one night in a railway sleeping car, and during the night I dreamed about a tiny boy who acted rather like a mouse. That's how the story of Stuart Little got started.

As for Charlotte's Web, I like animals and my barn is a very pleasant place to be, at all hours. One day when I was on my way to feed the pig, I began feeling sorry for the pig because, like most pigs, he was doomed to die. This made me sad. So I started thinking of ways to save a pig's life. I had been watching a big grey spider at her work and was impressed by how clever she was at weaving. Gradually I worked the spider into the story that you know, a story of friendship and salvation on a farm. Three years after I started writing it, it was published. (I am not a fast worker, as you can see.)

Sometimes I'm asked how old I was when I started to write, and what made me want to write. I started early -- as soon as I could spell. In fact, I can't remember any time in my life when I wasn't busy writing. I don't know what caused me to do it, or why I enjoyed it, but I think children often find pleasure and satisfaction is trying to set their thoughts down on paper, either in words or in pictures. I was no good at drawing, so I used words instead. As I grew older, I found that writing can be a way of earning a living.

Some of my readers want me to visit their school. Some want me to send a picture, or an autograph, or a book. And some ask questions about my family and my animals and my pets. Much as I'd like to, I can't go visiting. I can't send books, either -- you can find them in a bookstore or a library. Many children assume that a writer owns (or even makes) his own books. This is not true -- books are made by the publisher. If a writer wants a copy, he must buy it. That's why I can't send books. And I do not send autographs -- I leave that to the movie stars. I live most of the year in the country, in New England. From our windows we can look out at the sea and the mountains. I live near my married son and three grandchildren.

Are my stories true, you ask? No, they are imaginary tales, containing fantastic characters and events. In real life, a family doesn't have a child who looks like a mouse; in real life, a spider doesn't spin words in her web. In real life, a swan doesn't blow a trumpet. But real life is only one kind of life -- there is also the life of the imagination. And although my stories are imaginary, I like to think that there is some truth in them, too -- truth about the way people and animals feel and think and act.

Yours sincerely,

E.B. White

相关单词：web

web解释：n.网，蛛丝，蹼，织物，圈套，卷筒纸；vi.生蹼，形成网；vt.织蜘蛛网于，使落入圈套

web例句：

The spider weaves a web.蜘蛛织网。

You mean the World Wide Web?你是说国际互联网？

相关单词：barn

barn解释：n.谷仓，饲料仓，牲口棚

barn例句：

That big building is a barn for keeping the grain.那幢大房子是存放粮食的谷仓。

The cows were driven into the barn.牛被赶进了牲口棚。

相关单词：doomed

doomed解释：命定的

doomed例句：

The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。

A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

相关单词：weaving

weaving解释：v.编，织，织成( weave的现在分词 )；编排；杜撰；（把…）编成

weaving例句：

Weaving and knitting are traditional cottage industries. 编织和针织是传统的家庭手工业。

traditional crafts like basket-weaving 像编篮子之类的传统工艺

相关单词：gradually

gradually解释：adv.逐渐地

gradually例句：

The roaring sea gradually calmed down.咆哮的大海逐渐平静下来。

Gradually he became silent.渐渐地他变得沉默寡言了。

相关单词：salvation

salvation解释：n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

salvation例句：

Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。

Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

相关单词：autograph

autograph解释：n.亲笔，自署，亲笔签名；vt.自署于，亲笔签名于，亲笔写

autograph例句：

I asked the author to autograph my book.我请作者在书上亲笔签名。

I'll be able to get you their autograph if you like.如果你喜欢，我会让他们给你签名的。

相关单词：assume

assume解释：vt.假装；假定，设想；承担；呈现，采取

assume例句：

I assume that he won't cheat you.想来他是不会骗你的。

We can't assume anything in this case.在这种情况下我们不可能做出假设。

相关单词：autographs

autographs解释：n.亲笔签名( autograph的名词复数 )；亲笔稿，手迹v.在…上亲笔签名( autograph的第三人称单数 )；亲笔书写

autographs例句：

The film fans gathered around him and asked for his autographs. 影迷围上来要他签名留念。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

I have got lots of famous footballers' autographs. 我有许多著名足球运动员的亲笔签名。 来自《简明英汉词典》

相关单词：grandchildren

grandchildren解释：n.孙子；孙（女），外孙（女）( grandchild的名词复数 )

grandchildren例句：

He left a bequest to each of his grandchildren. 他给他的孙辈每人留下一笔遗产。

His grandchildren afforded him his greatest pleasure in his old age. 他的孙子和孙女们在晚年的时候给了他最大的欢乐。 来自《简明英汉词典》

相关单词：imaginary

imaginary解释：adj.想象中的，假想的，虚构的，幻想的；虚数的

imaginary例句：

All the characters in this book are imaginary.此书中的所有人物都是虚构的。

The boy's fears were only imaginary.这小孩的恐惧只是一种想象。

相关单词：spin

spin解释：v./n.纺，（使）快速旋转；旋转，旋转运动

spin例句：

A man cannot spin and weave at the same time.[谚]一心不能二用。

We can go for a spin on a bicycle on campus.我们可以骑自行车在校园里兜一圈。

相关单词：swan

swan解释：n.天鹅；vi.闲荡，游荡

swan例句：

A swan has white feathers and a long thin neck.天鹅长着白色的羽毛和长而细的脖子。

Swan Lake is the name of a famous ballet.天鹅湖是一出著名的芭蕾舞剧。

相关单词：trumpet

trumpet解释：n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘

trumpet例句：

He plays the violin, but I play the trumpet.他拉提琴，我吹喇叭。

The trumpet sounded for battle.战斗的号角吹响了。