Francis Bacon. (1561–1626)

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of envy
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<br>THERE be none of the affections, which have been noted to fascinate or bewitch, but love and envy.  They both have vehement wishes; they frame themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions; and they come easily into the eye, especially upon the present of the objects; which are the points that conduce to fascination, if any such thing there be.  We see likewise, the Scripture calleth envy an evil eye; and the astrologers, call the evil influences of the stars, evil aspects; so that still there seemeth to be acknowledged, in the act of envy, an ejaculation or irradiation of the eye.Nay, some have been so curious, as to note, that the times when the stroke or percussion of an envious eye doth most hurt, are when the party envied is beheld in glory or triumph; for that sets an edge upon envy: and besides, at such times the spirits of the person envied, do come forth most into the outward parts, and so meet the blow. But leaving these curiosities (though not unworthy to be thought on, in fit place), we will handle, what persons are apt to envy others; what  persons are most subject to be envied themselves; and what is the difference between public and private envy.A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others.  For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune. A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious.  For to know much of other men's matters, cannot be because all that ado may concern his own estate; therefore it must needs be, that he taketh a kind of play-pleasure, in looking upon the fortunes of others.  Neither can he, that mindeth but his own business, find much matter for envy.  For envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets, and doth not keep home: Non est curiosus, quin idem sit malevolus. Men of noble birth, are noted to be envious towards new men, when they rise.  For the distance is altered, and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on, they think themselves, go back.
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<br>论嫉妒\r<br>世人历来注意到，所有情感中最令人神魂颠倒着莫过于爱情和嫉妒。这两种感情都会激起强烈的欲望，而且均可迅速转化成联想和幻觉，容易钻进世人的眼睛，尤其容易降到被爱被妒者身上；这些便是导致蛊惑的要点，如果世间真有蛊惑的话。我们同样可以见到，《圣经》中把嫉妒称为“毒眼”①，占星术上则把不吉之星力叫作“凶象”③，以致世人似乎至今还承认，当嫉妒行为发生时，嫉妒者会眼红或曰红眼。而且有人更为明察秋毫，竟注意到红眼最伤人之际莫过于被嫉妒者正踌躇满志或春风得意之时，因为那种得意劲儿会使炉火燃得更旺。另外在这种时候，被嫉妒者的情绪最溢于言表，因此最容易遭受打击。但暂且不谈这些蹊跷之处（虽说这些蹊跷并非不值得在适当的场合思量思量），笔者在此只想探讨一下哪些人好嫉妒他人，哪些人会遭受嫉妒，以及公众的嫉妒和私人间的嫉妒有何不同。自身无德者常嫉妒他人之德，因为人心的滋养要么是自身之善，要么是他人之恶，而缺乏自身之善者必然要摄取他人之恶，于是凡无望达到他人之德行境地者便会极力贬低他人以求得平衡。好管闲事且好深隐私者通常都好嫉妒，因为劳神费力地去打探别人的事情绝非是由于那些事与打探者的利害有关，所以其原因必定是打探者在旁观他人祸福时能获得一种视剧般的乐趣。而一心只管自家事的人无甚嫉妒的由来，因为嫉妒是一种爱游荡的感情，它总在街头闲逛，不肯呆在家里，所以古人说：“好管闲事者必定没安好心。”出身贵族者在新人晋爵时常生妒意，因为两者之间的差距缩短；而且这就像是看朱成碧，明明是别人上升，他们却看成是自己下降。\r<br>
<br>of love
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<br>THE stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man.  For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.  You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion.  You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.  It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis  magnum  alter  alteri  theatrum  sumus;  as   if man,  made  for  the  contemplation  of   heaven,   and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel be- fore a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.   It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love.  Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more.  For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of him self, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise.  Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque.  For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.
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<br>    舞台上的爱情比生活中的爱情要美好得多。因为在舞台上，爱情只是喜剧和悲剧的素材。而在人生中，爱情却常常招来不幸。它有时像那位诱惑人的魔女，有时又像那位复仇的女神。你可以看到，一切真正伟大的人物（无论是古人、今人，只要是其英名永铭于人类记忆中的），“没有一个是因爱情而发狂的人：因为伟大的事业抑制了这种软弱的感憎。只有罗马的安东尼和克劳底亚是例外。前者本性就好色荒淫，然而后者却是严肃多谋的人。所以爱情不仅会占领开旷坦阔的胸怀，有时也能闯入壁垒森严的心灵－－假如守御不严的话。    埃皮克拉斯曾说过一句笑话：“人生不过是一座大戏台。”似乎本应努力追求高尚事业的人类，却只应像玩偶奴隶般地逢场作戏似的。虽然爱情的奴隶并不同于那班只顾吃喝的禽兽，但毕竟也只是眼目色相的奴隶－－而上帝赐人以眼睛本来是更高尚的用途的。过度的爱情追求，必然会降低人本身的价值。例如，只有在爱情中，才永远需要那种浮夸诌媚的词令。而在其他场合，同样的词令只能招人耻笑。古人有一句名言：“最大的奉承，人总是留给自己的”。－－只有对情人的奉承要算例外。因为甚至最骄傲的人，也甘愿在情人面前自轻自贱。所以古人说得好：“就是神在爱情中也难保持聪明。”情人的这种弱点不仅在外人眼中是明显的，就是在被追求者的眼中也会很明显——除非她（他）也在追求他（她）。所以，爱情的代价就是如此，不能得到回爱，就会得到一种深藏于心的轻蔑，这是一条永真的定律。\r<br>
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