植白(bai)：数日不(bu)(bu)见，思(si)子(zi)为劳，想同之(zhi)(zhi)也。仆(pu)少小好为文(wen)章，迄至于(yu)(yu)(yu)今(jin)，二十有五年矣！然(ran)今(jin)世(shi)作者，可略而言也。昔仲宣独步(bu)于(yu)(yu)(yu)汉(han)南，孔璋鹰扬于(yu)(yu)(yu)河朔(shuo)，伟长擅(shan)名于(yu)(yu)(yu)青土，公干振藻于(yu)(yu)(yu)海(hai)隅(yu)，德琏发迹于(yu)(yu)(yu)此魏(wei)，足下高视于(yu)(yu)(yu)上京；当此之(zhi)(zhi)时，人人自(zi)(zi)谓握灵蛇之(zhi)(zhi)珠(zhu)，家(jia)(jia)家(jia)(jia)自(zi)(zi)谓抱荆(jing)山之(zhi)(zhi)玉(yu)。吾(wu)(wu)王于(yu)(yu)(yu)是设天网以(yi)该之(zhi)(zhi)，顿八吰(hu)以(yi)掩之(zhi)(zhi)，今(jin)悉集兹(zi)国(guo)矣。然(ran)此数子(zi)，犹复不(bu)(bu)能飞轩绝迹，一举千里(li)也。以(yi)孔璋之(zhi)(zhi)才，不(bu)(bu)闲于(yu)(yu)(yu)辞赋，而多自(zi)(zi)谓能与(yu)司马长卿同风，譬画虎不(bu)(bu)成反为狗也。前有书嘲之(zhi)(zhi)，反作论盛道(dao)仆(pu)赞(zan)其文(wen)。夫(fu)锺其不(bu)(bu)失听，于(yu)(yu)(yu)今(jin)称之(zhi)(zhi)。吾(wu)(wu)亦不(bu)(bu)能妄叹者，畏后世(shi)之(zhi)(zhi)嗤(chi)余也。
世(shi)(shi)人(ren)之(zhi)著述(shu)，不能无病。仆常好人(ren)讥弹其文，有(you)不善者，应时改定。昔丁敬(jing)礼尝作小(xiao)文，使(shi)仆润饰之(zhi)。仆自(zi)以才不过若人(ren)，辞不为也。敬(jing)礼谓(wei)仆：「卿(qing)何所疑难，文之(zhi)佳(jia)恶(e)，吾(wu)(wu)自(zi)得之(zhi)，后世(shi)(shi)谁相(xiang)知定吾(wu)(wu)文者邪(xie)！」吾(wu)(wu)常叹此(ci)达言，以为美谈！
昔(xi)尼(ni)父之(zhi)文辞(ci)，与人通流；至(zhi)于(yu)(yu)制(zhi)春秋，游夏(xia)之(zhi)徒，乃(nai)(nai)不(bu)能措一辞(ci)。过(guo)此而(er)言不(bu)病(bing)者，吾未之(zhi)见也。盖有(you)南威(wei)之(zhi)容，乃(nai)(nai)可(ke)(ke)以论(lun)于(yu)(yu)淑媛(yuan)；有(you)龙渊(yuan)之(zhi)利(li)，乃(nai)(nai)可(ke)(ke)以议于(yu)(yu)断割。刘季绪才不(bu)能逮(dai)于(yu)(yu)作者，而(er)好诋(di)诃(he)文章，掎摭利(li)病(bing)。昔(xi)田巴毁五帝，罪三(san)王，訾五霸(ba)于(yu)(yu)稷下，一旦而(er)服千人；鲁(lu)连(lian)一说，使终身杜口。刘生之(zhi)辩，未若田氏；今之(zhi)仲连(lian)，求之(zhi)不(bu)难(nan)，可(ke)(ke)无息(xi)乎？人各有(you)好尚：兰茝(chai)荪蕙(hui)之(zhi)芳，众人之(zhi)所好，而(er)海畔有(you)逐臭夫(fu)；咸池、六(liu)茎之(zhi)发，众人所共乐(le)，而(er)墨翟有(you)非之(zhi)之(zhi)论(lun)：岂(qi)可(ke)(ke)同哉(zai)！
今往仆少小(xiao)所(suo)著辞赋(fu)一(yi)相与。夫街谈(tan)巷说，必有可采；击辕之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)歌，有应(ying)风雅。匹夫之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)思，未易轻弃(qi)也(ye)。辞赋(fu)小(xiao)道(dao)，固未足以揄扬(yang)大(da)义，彰示来世也(ye)。昔(xi)扬(yang)子(zi)(zi)云先(xian)朝(chao)执(zhi)戟之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)臣耳，犹(you)称壮(zhuang)夫不为(wei)(wei)也(ye)。吾(wu)虽(sui)德薄，位为(wei)(wei)蕃侯，犹(you)庶几戮力上国(guo)，流惠下民，建永世之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)业，留金石之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)功(gong)；岂(qi)徒以翰(han)墨为(wei)(wei)勋绩，辞赋(fu)为(wei)(wei)君子(zi)(zi)哉！若吾(wu)志(zhi)未果，吾(wu)道(dao)不行，则(ze)将采庶官(guan)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)实录，辩时(shi)俗之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)得失，定仁义之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)衷，成一(yi)家之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)言。虽(sui)未能藏之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)于名山，将以传之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)于同好(hao)。非要之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)皓(hao)首，岂(qi)今日(ri)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)论乎？其言之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)不惭，恃(shi)惠子(zi)(zi)之(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)知我(wo)也(ye)！明早(zao)相迎，书(shu)不尽怀！植白。
【校注(zhu)】此(ci)篇(pian)不见于原(yuan)本《古文观止(zhi)》。校以《四部丛刊(kan)》影宋本《六臣注(zhu)文选(xuan)》卷四十二。