of love(论爱情）
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.
By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth
not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet’s
relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted
the gifts of Juno and Pallas.
For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches
and wisdom. This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which
are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been
less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent,
and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they
cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from
their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with
business, it troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men, that they can noways
be true to their own ends. I know not how, but martial men are given to
love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly
ask to be paid in pleasures. There is in man’s nature, a secret inclination
and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some
one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men
become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.
Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love
corrupteth, and embaseth it.
Of Envy(论嫉妒）
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.
Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious.
For he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can, to
impair another’s; except these defects light upon a very brave, and heroical
nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in
that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters;
affecting the honor of a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus
and Tamberlanes, that were lame men.
全部回复（8 ）
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xinyuxbg
沙发
论嫉妒
2006-04-09 09:22:09
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xinyuxbg
板凳
Of Envy(论嫉妒）
2006-04-09 09:21:09
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加载更多世人历来注意到，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。
宦官、老人、残疾者和私生子都好嫉妒，因没法弥补自身缺陷的人总要干方百计给别人也造成缺陷，除非有上述缺陷者具有勇敢无畏的英雄气概，有志把自身的固有缺陷变成其荣誉之一部分。这样人们就会说：某宦官或瘸子竟创下如此殊勋伟业；正如宦官纳西斯以及瘸子阿偈西劳和帖木儿曾努力求得奇迹般的荣誉一样①。
在大苦大难后升迁的人也好嫉妒，因为他们就像时代的落伍者似的，以为别人受到伤害就可补偿自己曾经历的苦难。
那些因其轻薄和自负而想在各方面都胜过他人者亦常嫉妒，因为他们绝不会缺少嫉妒的对象，在他们想争胜的诸多方面之某一方面，不可能没有许多人会胜过他们。罗马皇帝哈德良就是这种嫉妒者，他善诗画和工艺，因此他非常嫉妒真正的诗人、画家和技师。
最后还有同族亲友、官场同僚和少时伙伴，这些人在平辈人升迁时更容易产生嫉妒。因为对他们来说，平辈的升迁不啻是在批评自己的身份，是在对自己进行指责。这种升迁会更经常地进入他们的记忆，同样也会更多地引起旁人的注意，而旁人对这种升迁的传扬往往会令嫉妒者妒意更浓。该隐对其弟亚伯的嫉妒之所以更为卑鄙邪恶，就因为亚伯的供奉被上帝悦纳时并没有旁人看见。①关于好嫉妒之人暂且就说到这里。
接下来笔者要谈谈那些或多或少会遭嫉妒的人的情况。首先，有大德者步入老年后较少遭人嫉妒，因为他们的幸运已显得不过是他们应得的报偿，而对应得的报偿谁也不会嫉妒，世人只嫉妒过于慷慨的奖赏和施舍。另一方面，嫉妒常产生在与人攀比之时，可以说没有攀比就没有嫉妒，故此为君者不会被其他人妒忌，除非妒忌者亦是君王。不过应该注意到，卑微之人在发迹之初最遭人妒忌，其后妒忌会逐渐减弱；但与此相反，品质优秀者则是在他们的好运赓续不断时遭妒最甚，因此时他们的优点虽依然如故，但已不如当初那样耀眼，后起之秀已使其黯然失色
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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.
Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious.
For he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can, to
impair another’s; except these defects light upon a very brave, and heroical
nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in
that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters;
affecting the honor of a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus
and Tamberlanes, that were lame men.
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