培根經典散文隨筆閱讀

弗朗西斯·培根是英國文藝復興時期最重要的散文家、哲學家。他不但在文學、哲學上多有建樹，在自然科學領域裏，也取得了重大成就。他的第一部重要著作《隨筆》最初發表於1597年，以後又逐年增補。該書文筆言簡意賅、智睿奪目，它包含許多洞察秋毫的經驗之談，其中不僅論及政治而且還探討許多人生哲理。下面本站小編爲大家帶來培根經典散文隨筆閱讀，希望大家喜歡!

　　培根經典散文隨筆閱讀：論幸運

It cannot be denied, but outward accidents conduce much to fortune, favour, opportunity, death of others, occasion fitting virtue. But chiefly, tile mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.(Faber quisque fortunae suae; saith the poet )

一方面，幸運與偶然性有關一例如長相漂亮、機緣湊巧等;但另一方面，人之能否幸運又決定於自身。正如古代詩人所說：“人是自身幸福的設計師。

And the most frequent of external causes is, that the folly of one man is the fortune of another. For no man prospers so suddenly, as by others' errors. Serpens nisi serpenterm comederit non fit draco. Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise; but there be secret and hidden virtues, that bring forth fortune; certain deliveries of a man's self, which have no name. The Spanish name, desemboltura, partly expresseth them: when there be not stonds, nor resdveness in a man's nature; but that the wheels of his mind keep way with the wheels of his fortune. For so Livy (after he had described Cato Major, in these words; in ilh viro, tanturn robur corporis et animi fiit, ut quocwique loco natus esset ,fortunarus sibi facturs videretur) falleth upon that, that he had versatile ingenium Therefore, if a man look sharply, and attentively, he shall see fortune: for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible.

有的時候，一個人的愚蠢恰是另一個人的幸運，一方的錯誤恰好促成了另一方的成功。正如諺語所說：“蛇吃蛇，能成龍。”炫耀於外表的才幹徒然令人讚羨，而深藏未露的才幹則能帶來幸運。這需要一種難以言傳的自制力。西班牙人把這叫做“潛能”。一個人具有優良的素質，能在必要時發揮這種素質從而推動幸運的車輪轉動，這就叫“潛能”。歷史學家李維曾這樣形容老加圖說：“他的精神與體力都是那樣優美博大，因此無論他出身於什麼家庭，都一定可以爲自己開闢出一條道路。”因爲加圖具有多方面的才能。這話說明，只要對一個人深入觀察，是可以發現對他是否可以期望幸運的。因爲幸運之神雖然是盲目的，卻並非無形的。

The way of fortune is like the Milken Way in the sky; which is a meeting or knot of a number of small stars; not seen asunder, but giving light together. So are there a number of little, and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate.

幸運的機會好像銀河，他們作爲個體是不顯眼的，但作爲整體卻光輝燦爛。同樣，一個人若具備許多細小的優良素質，最終都可能成爲帶來幸運的機會。

The Italians note some of them, such as a man would little think. When they speak of one that cannot do amiss, they will throw in, into his other conditions, that he hath poco di motto. And certainly, there be not two more fortunate properties; than to have a little of the fool; and not too much of the honest. Therefore, extreme lovers of their country, or masters, were never fortunate, neither can they be. For when a man placeth his thoughts without himself, he goeth not his own way. An hasty fortune maketh an enterpriser, and remover (the French hath it better, entrepreneur, or remuamt), but the exercised fortune maketh the able man. Fortune is to be honoured, and respected, and it be but for her daughters, Confidence, and Reputation. For those two felicity hreedeth: the first within a man's self; the latter, in others towards him.

意大利人在談論精明的人時，除了誇讚他別的優點，有時會說表面上帶一點“傻氣”。是的，有一點傻氣，但並不是呆氣，再沒有比這對人的更幸運的了。然而迷信愚妄的人是不會幸運的。他們把思考權交付給了他人，就不會走自己的路了。意外的幸運會使人冒失、狂妄，然而經過磨練的幸運卻使人成爲偉器。幸運是令人尊敬的，至少這是爲了他的兩個女兒一一位叫自信，位叫名譽。他們都是幸運所產生的。前者產生於人良身的心中，後者產生於他人的心中。

All wise men, to decline me envy of their own virtues, use to ascribe them to providence and fortune; for so they may the better assume them: and besides, it is greatness in a man, to be the care of me higher powers. So Caesar said to me pilot in the tempest, Caesarem portas, etfortunam ene. So Sulla chose the name of Felix, and not of Magnus. And it hath been noted, that those that ascribe openly too much to their own wisdom, and policy, end unfortunate. It is written, that

古代的智者，爲避免招人嫉恨，很少對自己的幸運進行誇耀，他們把一切歸功於“神”。事實上，也只有偉大人物才能得到神的護佑。凱撒對大風浪中的水手說：“鎮靜，有凱撒坐在你的船上!”而蘇拉則不敢自稱爲“偉大”，只稱自己爲“有幸的”。從歷史可以看到，凡把成功完全歸於自己的人，常常得到不幸的終局。

Timotheus the Athenian, after he had, in the account he gave to the state of his government, often interlaced this speech, 'and in mis fortune had no part', never prospered in anything he undertook afterwards. Certainly, mere be, whose fortunes are like Homer's verses, that have a slide, and easiness, more than the verses of other poets: as Plutarch sailh of Timoleon's fortune, in respect of that of Agesilaus, or Epaminondas. And that this should be, no doubt it is much in a man's self.

例如，雅典人泰摩索斯總把他在政治上的成就說成：“這決非幸運所賜，而是因爲本人高明。”結果他以後再做什麼事卻很少成功了。世間確有一些人，他們的幸運，流暢得有如荷馬的詩句。例如普魯塔克就曾把泰摩列昂的好運氣與阿蓋西勞斯和埃帕米農達的運氣相對比但這種幸運成功的果實，最終也還要到他們的德性中去找原因呵!

　　培根經典散文隨筆閱讀：論放債

Many have made witty invectives against usury. They say, that it is pity, the devil should have God's part, which is the tithe. That the usurer is me greatest Sabbath breaker, because his plough goeth every Sunday. That the userer is the drone, that Virgil speaketh of: ignavum fucos pecus a praesepibus arcent.

許多人都曾經說過巧妙的罵放債的話。他們說，人類應給上帝的貢獻是每人底收入底十分之一，而現在這上帝應得的一部竟被魔鬼佔了，真是一件可悲的事。又說，放債的人乃是最大的破壞安息日的人，因爲他底犁耙是每個安息日都在工作的。又說放債的人就是委吉爾所說的雄蜂。

That the usurer breaketh the first law that was made for mankind, after the fall; which was, in sudore vultus tui comedes panem tuum; not, in sudore vultus aliem. That usurers should have orange-tawny bonnets, because they do Judaise. That it is against nature, for money to beget money; and the like. I say this only, that usury is a concessum propter duritiem cads', for since there must be borrowing and lending, and men are so hard of heart as they will not lend freely, usury must be permitted. Some others have made suspicious and cunning propositions of banks, discovery of men's estates, and other inventions. But few have spoken of usury usefully. It is good to set before us the incommodides, and commodities of usury; that the good may be either weighed out, or culled out; and warily to provide, that while we make forth to that which is better, we meet not with that which is worse.

他們把那些雄蜂(一羣偷懶的東西)從蜂房中驅逐出去了。又說放債的人把人類自失樂園以後的第一條法律破壞了。這第一條法律就是“你將汗流滿面然後得食”，而放債的人卻是“借他人面上的汗而得食”的。又說放債的人應該戴薑黃色的帽子，因爲他們是變了猶太人了。又說錢生錢是有悖天道的，諸如此類。我只有這句話可說，就是，放債是“因爲人心太硬而始蒙上帝允許的一種事”。因爲既然借與貸是免不了的，而且人底心腸是硬得不肯白借錢給人的，那麼放債的事情便非准許不可了。又有些人也曾經關於銀行及財產呈報和其他的辦法作過多疑而巧妙的建議，但是很少有關於放債這件事說過有用的話的。把放債的利與害列舉在我們眼前，以便我們酌量採擇其利，並且小心辦理，庶幾我們在走向改良之途的時候不要遇見比現在更壞的事情，這是好的。

The discommodities of usury are: first, that it makes fewer merchants. For were it not for this lazy trade of usury, money would not lie still, but would, in great part, be employed upon merchandising; which is the vena porta of wealth in a state. The second, that it makes poor merchants. For as a fanner cannot husband his ground so well, if he sit at a great rent; so the merchant cannot drive his trade so well, if he sit at great usury. The third is incident to the other two; and that is, the decay of customs of kings or states, which ebb or flow with merchandising. The fourth, that it bringeth the treasure of a realm or state into a few hands. For the usurer being at certainties, and others at uncertainties, at the end of the game; most of the money will be in the box; and ever a state flourisheth, when wealth is more equally spread. The fifth, that it beats down the price of land: for the employment of money is chiefly, either merchandising, or purchasing; and usury waylays both. The sixth, that it dolh dull and damp all industries, improvements, and new inventions, wherein money would be stirring, if it were not for this slug. The last, that it is the cancer and ruin of many men's estates; which in process of time breeds a public poverty.

放債底害處：第一它使商人底數目減少。因爲要是沒有放債這種懶惰生意，金錢是不會靜止不動的，反之，大部分的金錢將被用在商業上，而商業乃是國家底財富底“門靜脈”。第二，放債使商人性質變劣。因爲，一個農人，假如他住在一個租價很大的田地上他就不能夠好好地經營他底地土;類此，假如一個商人不得不靠高利貸的話，他就不能好好地進行他底生意。第三件害處是附屬於上述的兩件害處的，就是帝王或國家底稅收之減少，稅收原是隨着貿易漲落的。第四件害處是放債把一國底財富都聚在少數人之手。因爲放債的人是拿得穩的，而別的生意人是不能拿得穩的，所以到這場戲快結束的時候大多數的錢都進了放債爲生的人底箱子了。然而一個國家總是在財富分配得最爲平均的時候最爲興盛的。第五件害處是放債之舉把土地的價值打低了;因爲金錢底用處，主要是在做生意或購置田產，而放債卻把這兩種事業都路劫了。第六件害處是，放債把一切的工業、改良、和新的發明都挫折，壓抑了，因爲假如沒有放債這種事業阻撓的話，在上述的種種事業中自會有金錢活動的。最末的一件害處是，放債是蠹害許多人底財產的東西，而這種行爲經過了相當時間之後是會引起一種共同的貧乏的。

On the other side, the commodities of usury are. First, that howsoever usury in some respect hindereth merchandising, yet in some other it advanceth it: for it is certain, that the greatest part of trade is driven by young merchants, upon borrowing at interest: so as if the usurer either call in, or keep back his money, there will ensue presently a great stand of trade. The second is, that were it not for this easy borrowing upon interest, men's necessities would draw upon them a most sudden undoing; in that they would be forced to sell their means (be it lands or goods) far under foot; and so, whereas duty doth but gnaw upon them, bad markets would swallow them quite up.

在另一方面，放債底益處是，第一，無論放債之舉在某種情形是多麼阻撓商業的，然而在別的方面它卻是助長商業的;因爲商業底最大部分是由年輕的商人靠着借有利息的債而經營的，這是無疑的。如果放債的人把他底錢收回或者不放出去，馬上就會發生商業上的大停滯。第二件益處是，要沒有這樣容易的用利息借債的辦法，人們底需要將使他們驟然陷於沒落;因爲他們將不得不被迫而賣掉他們賴以爲生的資產(無論是田產或貨物)而且賣得價值遠不及這些資產底真正價值。所以，放債的行爲固然是蠹蝕這些人，但是若沒有放債的行爲，則壞的市面將把他們整個吞噬了。

As for mortgaging, or pawning, it will lime mend the matter, for either men will not take pawns without use; or if they do, they will look precisely for the forfeiture. I remember a cruel moneyed man, in the country, that would say; the devil take this usury, it keeps us from forfeitures of mortgages and bonds. The third and last is; that it is a vanity to conceive that there would be ordinary borrowing without profit; and it is impossible to conceive the number ofinconveniencies that will ensue, if borrowing be cramped.

至於抵押或典當之舉，那也是無補於事的：因爲，不是人們不肯無利息地收受抵押和典當;就是，如果他們肯這樣做，他們必定會眼睛專注在沒收那些資產上面的。記得有一位鄉下的狠心富翁，他常說，“鬼把這種放債的舉動拿去纔好，它使得我們不能夠沒收抵押的產業和證券”。第三而第末的益處是，設想能有不帶利息的一般借貸乃是虛妄的;並且，如果借貸之事一受拘束，將發生的不便之處其數目之多是不能想象的。

Therefore, to speak of the abolishing of usury is idle. All states have ever had it, in one kind or rate, or other. So as that opinion must be sent to Utopia.

因此要廢止放債業的話是空話。所有的國家都有過這種生意的，不過種類與利率的不同罷了。所以這種意見只好送到烏托邦裏去了。

To speak now, of the reformation and reiglement of usury; how the discommodities of it may be best avoided, and the commodities retained. It appears by the balance of commodities and discommodities of usury, two things are to be reconciled. The one, that the tooth of usury be grinded, that it bite not too much: the other, that there be left open a means, to invite moneyed men to lend to the merchants, for the continuing and quickening of trade. This cannot be done, except you introduce two several sorts of usury; a less, and a greater. For if you reduce usury to one low rate, it will ease the common borrower, but the merchant will be to seek for money. And it is to be noted that the trade of merchandise, being the most lucrative, may bear usury at a good rate; other contracts not so.

現在且一談改良並管理放債業之道;如何可以避免它底害處而保持它底益處。從放債業底利害相權看來，有兩件事是應當調和的。一件是，放債業底牙齒應當磨得鈍一點，使它不至於咬人咬得太厲害;另一件是，應當留一個門戶，可以鼓勵有錢的人放債給商家，以便商業能夠繼續並活動。這件事情除非你創立兩種大小不同的放債，是辦不到的。因爲，假如你把放債業全減到一個低利率上去，這種辦法對一般的借債者將要容易一點而商人將不容易找到錢了。並且我們也應當注意，商品交易的事業，因爲獲利最厚，所以能擔負高利貸，而別的事業則不如此。

To serve both intentions, the way would be briefly thus. That there be two rates of usury, the one free, and general for all; the other under licence only, to certain persons, and in certain places of merchandising. First therefore, let usury, in general, be reduced to five in the hundred; and let that rate be proclaimed to be free and current; and let the state shut itself out, to take any penalty for the same.

要把上述的兩種目的都達到，其方法略如下。要有兩種利率;一種是自由而且公開的;另一種是受統治的，唯有某種人並且在某種商業地域纔可以得到允許的。因此第一，應當使普通放債底利率減到百分之五;這種利率應當公佈爲自由的通行的利率;並且國家應當擔承對於這種的利率不加以罪。

This will preserve borrowing from any general stop or dryness. This will ease infinite borrowers in the country. This will, in good part, raise the price of land, because land purchased at sixteen years purchase will yield six in the hundred, and somewhat more, whereas this rate of interest yields but five. This, by like reason, will encourage and edge industrious and profitable improvements; because many will rather venture in that kind, than take five in the hundred, especially having been used to greater profit Secondly, let there be certain persons licensed to lend, to known merchants, upon usury at a higher rate; and let it be with the cautions following.

這個辦法可使借貸之舉免於停止或枯竭，也可以便利國內無數的借款人。並且，這個辦法，在大體上，將提高田地底價值，因爲以十六年交清買款爲期買來的地一年之中可以產生百分之六或稍高的利息，而這種放債底利率則只能產生百分之五的利息也。以同樣的理由，這種辦法也將鼓勵並激刺工業和有益的改良，因爲許多人將寧願投資於這些事業而不願收百分之五的利益，尤其是收慣了較高的利息的人更要如此。第二，應該讓一部分人得到允許，可以用較高的利率放債給知名的商人;這種事並且還得有如下的預防。

Let the rate be, even with the merchant himself, somewhat more easy, than that he used formerly to pay: for, by that means, all borrowers shall have some ease by this reformation, be he merchant, or whosoever. Let it be no rank or common stock, but every man be master of his own money: not that I altogether mislike banks, but they will hardly be brooked, in regard of certain suspicions. Let me state be answered, some small matter, for the licence, and the rest left to the lender: for if the abatement be but small, it will no whit discourage the lender. For he, for example, that took before ten or nine in the hundred, will sooner descend to eight in the hundred, than give over his trade of usury, and go from certain gains, to gains of hazard.

這種利率，即在那些商人底方面，也應該比他從前慣付的利率較爲輕一點;因爲由這種方法，所有的借款人都可以得到一點便利，無論他是商人或是任何人。放債的人不可是銀行或公司，而每個人都應當是他自己底錢底主人。這並不是我完全憎惡銀行，而是因爲他們爲了某種嫌疑的原故是很難受一般人底信任的。國家爲了所發的允許證應當使放債人負責繳納一筆小捐稅，其餘的利益則應當歸之於放債的人;因爲假如這種捐稅底數目很小的話，它是決不會使放債的人灰心的。舉例來說，那原先收百分之十或百分之九的利息的人是寧可降到百分之八而不肯放棄他底放債事業，撇下拿得穩的利益跑去求冒險的利益的。

Let these licenced lenders be in number indefinite, but restrained to certain principal cities and towns of merchandising: for then they will be hardly able to colour other men's monies in the country: so as the licence of nine will not suck away the current rate of five: for no man will send his monies far off, nor put them into unknown hands.

這些持有允許證的放債者其數目可以不必限定，不過他們營業的地點卻應當限於某幾個商業的城市;因爲這樣他們就不能掩飾國中他人底錢財：持有特許證可以放百分之九的利率的債的人就不會把那一般流行的百分之五的利率的錢吸收盡了;因爲沒有人肯把錢放到遠處，或放在不相識的人底手裏的。

If it be objected that this doth, in a sort, authorise usury, which before was, in some places, but permissive: the answer is; mat it is better to mitigate usury by declaration, than to suffer it to rage by connivance.

如果有人反對說，以前放債的事業不過是在某種地方受容忍，而我底辦法差不多要使它成爲合法的營業了;我的答語是用公開承認的辦法補救放債底害處比默認其存在而使它橫行的好一點。