培根散文隨筆集中英對照，通過閱讀文學(xué)名著學(xué)語言，是掌握英語的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語，又能享受文學(xué)之美，一舉兩得，何樂不為？
對于喜歡閱讀名著的讀者，這是一個最好的時代，因為有成千上萬的書可以選擇；這又是一個不好的時代，因為在浩繁的卷帙中，很難找到適合自己的好書。而培根的散文隨筆，濃縮的不僅僅是文學(xué)，還是智慧。相信對閱讀和寫作都有很好的幫助。

36 Of Ambition 論野心

Ambition is like choler; which is an humour, that maketh men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped. But if it be stopped, and cannot have his way, it becometh adust, and thereby malign and venomous. So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters, with an evil eye; and are best pleased, when things go backward; which is the worst property, in a servant of a prince or state. Therefore it is good for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so, as they be still progressive, and not retrograde: which because it cannot be without inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all. For if they rise not with their service, they will take order to make their service fall with them. But since we have said, it were good not to use men of ambitious natures, except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak in what cases they are of necessity.
野心有如膽汁，它是一種令人積極、認真、敏速、好動的體液——假如它不受到阻止的話，但是假如它受了阻止，不能自由發(fā)展的時候，它就要變?yōu)榻乖铮瑥亩蔀閻憾镜牧恕ｎ惔耍幸靶牡娜耍绻麄冇X得升遷有路，并且自己常在前進的話，他們與其說是危險，不如說是忙碌的；但是如果他們底欲望受了阻撓，他們就要變?yōu)樾膽言箲崳慈丝词露加靡桓秲囱邸２⑶以谥魃系字T事受挫折的時候最為高興；這在一位帝王底或一個共和國底臣仆方面乃是最惡劣的品性。因此，為君主者，如果用有野心的人，須要調(diào)度得使他們常在前進而不后退，方為有益；這種辦法既不能沒有不便之處，因此最好不要用有這種天性的人。因為如果他們本身與他們所從事的職務(wù)不同時并進的話，他們定將設(shè)法使他們底職務(wù)與己身一同墮落的。可是，我們既已說過，頂好是不用天性中有野心的人，除非不得已，那么我們就應(yīng)該說一說，在什么樣的情形中，這樣的人是不得不用的。

Good commanders in the wars must be taken, be they never so ambitious: for me use of their service dispenseth with the rest; and to take a soldier without ambition, is to pull off his spurs. There is also great use of ambitious men, in being screens to princes, in matters of danger and envy: for no man will take that part, except he be like a seeled dove, that mounts and mounts, because he cannot see about him. There is use also of ambitious men, in pulling down the greatness of any subject that overtops: as Tiberius used Macro in the pulling down of Seianus. Since therefore they must be used, in such cases, there resteth to speak how they are to be bridled, that they may be less dangerous. There is less danger of them, if they be of mean birth, than if they be noble: and if they be rather harsh of nature, than gracious and popular: and if they be rather new raised, than grown cunning, and fortified in their greatness. It is counted by some a weakness in princes, to have favourites: but it is, of all others, the best remedy against ambitious great-ones. For when the way of pleasuring and displeasuring lieth by the favourite, it is impossible any other should be over- great. Another means to curb them, is to balance them by others as proud as they. But then, there must be some middle counsellors, to keep things steady: for without that ballast, the ship will roll too much. At the least, a prince may animate and inure some meaner persons, to be, as it were, scourges to ambitious men.
在戰(zhàn)爭中必須要用良將，不管他們是如何地有野心；因為他們底功勞底用處是可以抵償其他的一切的。用一個沒有野心的軍人是和解除他底刺馬輪一樣的。有野心的人還有一件大用處，就是為君王在危難或受嫉之中替他作屏障，因為沒有人會愿意擔(dān)任這種角色的，除非他象一只縫了眼的鴿子，它一上又一上地往高處飛，因為它看不見它底周圍。有野心的人也可以用他們來拆毀任何有與君主爭長之勢的臣民底權(quán)勢，如泰比瑞亞斯用馬克羅以顛覆西亞努斯之事是也。有野心的人既然在類此的情形中是非用不可的，我們就還得說一說這些人應(yīng)當(dāng)如何駕馭，好讓他們稍減其危險性。這樣的人，假如是出身微賤，就比出身貴族的人危險性少；如果是天性暴厲，就比仁愛而得人心的人危險性少；若是新被擢升，就比一向有勢，從而變?yōu)榻器锷品赖娜宋ｋU性少。有些人以為作帝王者若有了寵幸之臣便算是一種弱點；但是這種事可算是一切對付權(quán)勢甚大而有野心的人底方法中最好的一種。因為當(dāng)賞罰是出自寵臣的時候，除了這般人以外，不會有任何人權(quán)勢過大的。還有一個制裁這種人的方法，就是用和他們一般驕傲的人與之對抗。但是如果用這種辦法就必須有些中立的大臣，好使他們穩(wěn)健；因為若沒有壓艙物，則船底顛簸將過于厲害。至少，一位做君王的也可以鼓勵并造就幾個微賤之人使他們成為有野心的人底一種對頭。

As for the having of them obnoxious to ruin, if they be of fearful natures, it may do well: but if they be stout, and daring, it may precipitate their designs, and prove dangerous.
至于使有野心的人們常有覆滅之可能的辦法，如果這些人是天性畏怯的人，那么這種辦法也許是很能生效的；但是如果這些人是堅強有勇氣的，那么這種辦法也許會激進他們底圖謀，反成為一種很危險的辦法的。
 
As for the pulling of them down, if the affairs require it, and that it may not be done with safety suddenly, the only way is the interchange continually of favours, and disgraces; whereby they may not know what to expect; and be, as it were, in a wood.
至于要顛覆野心過盛的人的這層，如果國事或王事需要這樣做而又不能突然有所舉動，恐有不測的時候，唯一的方法是不停地賞罰交施；使那些人不知道作何期望，如在林中一樣。

Of ambitions, it is less harmful, the ambition to prevail in great things, than that other, to appear in everything; for that breeds confusion, and mars business. But yet, it is less danger to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in dependencies. He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men, hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers, is the decay of an whole age. Honour hath three things in it: the vantage ground to do good: the approach to kings, and principal persons: and the raising of a man's own fortunes. He that hath the best of these intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man: and that prince that can discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a wise prince. Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers, as are more sensible of duty, than of rising; and such as love business rather upon conscience, than upon bravery: and let them discern a busy nature, from a willing mind.
說到各種的野心，其目的專要在大事上出風(fēng)頭的那種野心比那要事事顯身手的那種野心為害較小；因為后者滋生混亂，擾害事務(wù)也。然而使一個有野心的人忙于事務(wù)，比使他擁有廣大的從眾是危險較少的。那要在能干的人們之中出風(fēng)頭的人是給自己出難題作的，但是那總是于公眾有利的。但是那圖謀想在一切的零號中為唯一的數(shù)目字的人，則是一世人底毀滅者。崇爵高位，其中有三事；有為善底好機會；能接近帝王與要人；能提高一個人自己底富貴。一個人在希冀之中，若其居心是上述三種中最上的，那么他就是一個誠實君子；而那能在有所希冀的人底心里看出他有這種居心的君王，乃是賢主。一般言之，帝王和共和國最好在選擇大臣的時候，選用那些責(zé)任之感敏于升擢之感，為良心而愛作事而非為顯揚而愛作事的人們；他們并且還應(yīng)當(dāng)把喜事的天性與愿意服務(wù)的心性辨別出來。
 

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