培根散文隨筆集第38章:論人的天性 Of Nature in Men
of Nature in Men
論人的天性Nature is often hidden; sometimes overcome; seldom extinguished. Force maketh nature more violent in me return: doctrine and discourse maketh nature less importune: but custom only doth alter and subdue nature. He that seeketh victory over his nature, let him not set himself too great, nor too small tasks: for the first will make him dejected by often failings; and the second will make him a small proceeder, though by often prevailings.
天性常常是隱而不露的，有時可以壓伏，而很少能完全熄滅的。壓力之於天性，使它在壓力減退之時更烈於前；但是習慣卻真能變化氣質，約束天性。凡是想征服自己底天性的人，不要給自己設下過大或過小的工作；因爲過大的工作將因爲常常失敗的原故而使他灰心；而過小的工作，雖然能使他常常成功，但是將使他成爲一個進步甚小的人。And at the first, let him practise with helps, as swimmers do with bladders, or rushes: but after a time, let him practise with disadvantages, as dancers do with thick shoes. For it breeds great perfection, if the practice be harder then the use. Where nature is mighty, and therefore the victory hard, the degrees had need be; first to stay and arrest nature in time; like to him, that would say over the four and twenty letters, when he was angry: then to go less in quantity; as if one should, in forbearing wine, come from drinking healths, to a draught at a meal: and lastly, to discontinue altogether. But if a man have the fortitude, and resolution, to enfranchise himself at once, that is the best; optimus ille animi vindex, laedentia pectus vmcula qui rupit, dedoluitque semel.
還有，在起始的時候他應當用些幫忙的事務來練習，就好象學游泳的人用浮胞和葦筏一樣；但是過了些時候以後，他應當與困難相搏以爲練習，就好象舞蹈家之穿着厚鞋練習一樣。因爲，假如練習比實用還難，那麼其結果就更爲完美了。凡是天性甚強，因之不容易克服的地方，其克服的工夫就必須如此方可：第一，在時間方面要阻止天性，不要放縱，就好象有的人在生氣的時候默誦24個字母底名字以抑怒氣的一樣；這段工夫做到了，然後在量底方面應該減少，就好象要戒酒的人，從引觴互祝減到每餐一飲一樣；最後，纔可以完全戒絕，但是假如一個人有那種毅力和決心，能夠一舉而解放自己，那是最好的：最能堅持靈魂底自由的人，就是那掙斷磨胸的鎖鏈，一舉而永免受罪的人。
Neither is the ancient rule amiss, to bend nature as a wand, to a contrary extreme, whereby to set it right: understanding it, where the contrary extreme is no vice.
還有古人底遺訓說應當把天性屈到相反的另一極端去，好象一根杆杖似的，以便它再反過來的時候可以適中，這句話也是不錯的；不過我們須要明白，此處所謂的另一極端當然要不是惡德才行。Let not a man force a habit upon himself, with perpetual continuance, but with some intermission. For both the pause reinforceth the new onset; and if a man that is not perfect be ever in practice, he shall as well practise his errors, as his abilities; and induce one habit of both: and there is no means to help this, but by seasonable intermissions.
一個人不可強給自己加上一種不斷的繼續的習慣，而應當稍有間歇。因爲一則這種休息或間歇可以援助新的嘗試；二則，假如一個德行不完全的人永遠繼續練習的話，他不僅練習了他底優點，連謬誤也一定要練習了，並且使優點與謬誤將同具一種習慣。這種情形，沒有別的補救之策，除了用合時的間歇和休止。But let not a man trust his victory over his nature too far, for nature will lay buried a great time, and yet revive, upon the occasion or temptation. Like as it was with Aesop's damsel, turned from a cat to a woman; who sat very demurely, at the board's end, till a mouse ran before her. Therefore let a man either avoid the occasion altogether, or put himself often to it, that he may be little moved with it A man's nature is best perceived in privateness, for there is no affectation; in passion, for that puttefh a man out of his precepts; and in a new case or experiment, for there custom leaveth him.
但是一個人也不可過於相信他對於自己底天性底勝利，因爲天性能夠長期潛伏着，而到有了機會或誘惑的時候復活起來。就好象《伊索寓言》中的貓變的女子一樣，她坐在餐桌底一頭，坐得端端正正地，可是有一隻小鼠在她面前跑過的時候，她就不如此了。因此一個人應當或者完全躲避這種機會，或者常常與這種機會接觸，以便少被牽動。人底天性在私生活裏最易看出，因爲在那種生活裏是沒有虛飾的；在熱情裏也最易看出，因爲熱情使人把平日的教訓忘了；在一種新的事情或嘗試之中也最易看出，因爲在這種情形裏是無慣例可援的。They are happy men, whose natures sort with their vocations; otherwise they may say, multum incola fuit aruma mea, when they converse in those things, they do not affect In studies, whatsoever a man commandeth upon himself, let him set hours for it: but whatsoever is agreeable to his nature, let him take no care for any set times: for his thoughts will fly to it of themselves; so as the spaces of other business, or studies, will suffice. A man's nature runs either to herbs, or weeds; therefore let him seasonably water the one, and destroy the other.
凡是天性與職業適合的人是有福的人；反之，那些從事於他們本不想做的事業的人，他們可以說：“我底靈魂曾久與天性不合之事物周旋”。在學問方面，一個人對於與他底天性不合而勉強去學的學科，應當有固定的時間；但是凡是與天性相合的學科，那就不必有什麼規定的時間；因爲他底思想會自己作主，飛到那方面去的；只要別的事情或學科所剩下來的時間足夠研究這些學問就行。一個人底天性不長成藥草，就長成莠草；所以他應當以時灌溉前者而芟除後者。
