The Endless Missing
本傑明·富蘭克林致赫伯德小姐
Benjamin Franklin to Miss E.Hubbard
本傑明·富蘭克林（1706—1790），美國著名的政治家、社會活動家、科學家、發明家。作為政治家，在美國和世界曆史上，他與許多重要事件有關。他在北美獨立戰爭中起了重大作用，是美國的創建人之一，參與起草了《獨立宣言》和美國憲法。
本篇是富蘭克林在弟弟約翰逝世之後，寫給約翰第二任妻子與前夫所生的女兒赫伯德小姐的信。
I condole with you. We have lost a most dear and valuable relation. But it is the will of God and nature，that these mortal bodies be laid aside，when the soul is to enter real life. This is rather an embryo state，a preparation for living.
A man is not completely born until he is dead. Why then should we grieve，that a new child is born among the immortals，a new member added to their happy society？ We are spirits. That bodies should be lent to us，while they can afford us pleasure，assist us in acquiring knowledge，or in doing good to our fellow creatures，is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes，and afford us pain instead of pleasure，instead of an aid become an encumbrance，and answer none of the intentions for which they were given，it is equally kind and benevolent，that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves，in some cases，prudently choose a partial death. A mangled painful limb，which cannot be restored，we willingly cut off. He who plucks out a tooth，parts with it freely，since the pain goes with it； and he，who quits the whole body，parts at once with all pains and possibilities of pains and diseases which it was liable to，or capable of making him suffer.
Our friend and we were invited abroad on a party of pleasure，which is to last for ever. His chair was ready first，and he has gone before us. We could not all conveniently start together； and why should you and I be grieved at this，since we are soon to follow，and know where to find him？
Adieu，
B. Franklin
Philadelphia，
February 23，1756
我對令堂的逝世深表哀悼。我們失去了一位非常可愛、可貴的親人。這是上帝和自然的旨意，當靈魂進入天堂的時候，軀體就要置入黃土。或者說它是胚胎的發育期，是新生命的準備階段。
一個人在死的那一刻才算得到真正的誕生。既然不朽的天堂誕生了一名新生兒，他們的幸福社會裏又增加了一名新成員，我們為什麼還要悲傷呢？我們都是精靈。無比仁慈智慧的上帝行善施恩，賜予我們軀體，讓我們享受快樂的生活；幫助我們獲取知識，讓我們造福於人類。當我們的軀體無法適應這些目的——不能提供給我們快樂，反而讓我們痛苦；不能給我們幫助，反而成為我們的累贅——當它們無法完成上帝當初托付的使命時，依然恩惠仁慈的上帝準備了一個辦法，讓我們擺脫軀體。死亡就是上帝所準備的解脫辦法。我們自己有時也會明智地選擇一種局部的死亡。受傷疼痛的手腳，已經無法複原，我們會心甘情願地把它切除。要拔牙的人，也會毅然跟它分手，因為拔掉之後痛苦就會隨之消失。一個人如果完全脫離軀殼，就會立刻解脫掉一切痛苦以及引發痛苦和疾病的根源。