培根美文赏析-of friendship 论 友 谊
IT HAD been hard for him that spake it to have put more truth and untruth together in few words, than in that speech, Whatsoever is delighted in solitude, is either a wild beast or a god. For it is most true, that a natural and secret hatred, and aversation towards society, in any man, hath somewhat of the savage beast; but it is most untrue, that it should have any character at all, of the divine nature; except it proceed, not out of a pleasure in solitude, but out of a love and desire to sequester a man's self, for a higher conversation: such as is found to have been falsely and feignedly in some of the heathen; as Epimenides the Canadian, Numa the Roman, Empedocles the Sicilian, and Apollonius of Tyana; and truly and really, in divers of the ancient hermits and holy fathers of the church. But little do men perceive what solitude is, and how far it extendeth. For a crowd is not company; and faces are but a gallery of pictures; and talk but a tinkling cymbal, where there is no love. The Latin adage meeteth with it a little: Magna civitas , magna solitudo; because in a great town friends are scattered; so that there is not that fellowship, for the most part, which is in less neighborhoods. But we may go further, and affirm most truly, that it is a mere and miserable solitude to want true friends; without which the world is but a wilderness; and even in this sense also of solitude, whosoever in the frame of his nature and affections, is unfit for friendship, he taketh it of the beast, and not from humanity. A principal fruit of friendship, is the ease and discharge of the fulness and swellings of the heart, which passions of all kinds do cause and induce. We know diseases of stoppings, and suffocations, are the most dangerous in the body; and it is not much otherwise in the mind; you may take sarza to open the liver, steel to open the spleen, flowers of sulphur for the lungs, castoreum for the brain; but no receipt openeth the heart, but a true friend; to whom you may impart griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions, counsels, and whatsoever lieth upon the heart to oppress it, in a kind of civil shrift or confession. 友谊底主要效用之一就在使人心中的愤懑抑郁之气得以宣泄弛放,这些不平之气是各种的情感都可以引起的。闭塞之症于人底身体最为凶险,这是我们知道的;在人底精神方面亦复如此:你可以服撒尔沙以通肝,服钢以通脾,服硫华以通肺,服海狸胶以通脑,然而除了一个真心的朋友之外没有一样药剂是可以通心的。对一个真心的朋友你可以传达你底忧愁、欢悦、恐惧、希望、疑忌、谏净,以及任何压在你心上的事情,有如一种教堂以外的忏悔一样. It is a strange thing to observe, how high a rate great kings and monarchs do set upon this fruit of friendship, whereof we speak: so great, as they purchase it, many times, at the hazard of their own safety and greatness. For princes, in regard of the distance of their fortune from that of their subjects and servants, cannot gather this fruit, except (to make themselves capable thereof) they raise some persons to be, as it were, companions and almost equals to themselves, which many times sorteth to inconvenience. The modern languages give unto such persons the name of favorites, or privadoes; as if it were matter of grace, or conversation. But the Roman name attaineth the true use and cause thereof, naming them participes curarum; for it is that which tieth the knot.And we see plainly that this hath been done, not by weak and passionate princes only, but by the wisest and most politic that ever reigned; who have oftentimes joined to themselves some of their servants; whom both themselves have called friends, and allowed other likewise to call them inthe same manner; using the word which is received between private men. L. Sylla, when he commanded Rome, raised Pompey (after surnamed the Great) to that height, that Pompey vaunted himself for Sylla's overmatch. For when he had carried the consulship for a friend of his, against the pursuit of Sylla, and that Sylla did a little resent thereat, and began to speak great, Pompey turned upon him again, and in effect bade him be quiet; for that more men adored the sun rising, than the sun setting. With Julius Caesar, Decimus Brutus had obtained that interest as he set him down in his testament, for heir in remainder, after his nephew. And this was the man that had power with him, to draw him forth to his death. For when Caesar would have discharged the senate, in regard of some ill presages, and specially a dream of Calpurnia; this man lifted him gently by the arm out of his chair, telling him he hoped he would not dismiss the senate, till his wife had dreamt a better dream. And it seemeth his favor was so great, as Antonius, in a letter which is recited verbatim in one of Cicero's Philippics, calleth him venefica, witch; as if he had enchanted Caesar. Augustus raised Agrippa (though of mean birth) to that height, as when he consulted with Maecenas, about the marriage of his daughter Julia, Maecenas took the liberty to tell him, that he must either marry his daughter to Agrippa, or take away his life; there was no third way, he had made him so great. With Tiberius Caesar, Sejanus had ascended to that height, as they two were termed, and reckoned, as a pair of friends. Tiberius in a letter to him saith,Haec pro amicitia nostra non occultavi; and the whole senate dedicated an altar to Friendship, as to a goddess, in respect of the great dearness of friendship, between them two. The like, or more, was between Septimius Severus and Plautianus. For he forced his eldest son to marry the daughter of Plautianus; and would often maintain Plautianus, in doing affronts to his son; and did write also in a letter to the senate, by these words: I love the man so well, as I wish he may over-live me.Now if these princes had been as a Trajan, or a Marcus Aurelius, a man might have thought that this had proceeded of an abundant goodness of nature; but being men so wise, of such strength and severity of mind, and so extreme lovers of themselves, as all these were, it proveth most plainly that they found their own felicity (though as great as ever happened to mortal men) but as an half piece, except they mought have a friend, to make it entire; and yet, which is more, they were princes that had wives, sons, nephews; and yet all these could not supply the comfort of friendship. 苏拉,当他为罗马底独裁者的时候,把庞拜(即后来被人称为“伟大的”庞拜者)擢升到很高的地位以至庞拜自诩为苏拉所不及。因为有一次庞拜为他底一位朋友争执政官之职,与苏拉所推举之人竞选,竟而获胜。在苏拉对此表示不满而开始争吵的时候,庞拜简直反唇相向,叫他不要多言,“因为拜朝日的人多过拜夕阳的人”。在恺撒则有代西玛斯·布鲁塔斯,其影响之巨,竟使恺撒在遗嘱中立他为次承继人,仅次于恺撒底孙外甥。而这人也就是有能力诱致恺撒于死地的人。因为在恺撒为了一些不祥的预兆,尤其是克尔坡尼亚底一场噩梦的原故而想使参议院先行散会,改期再开的时候,布鲁塔斯拉着他底胳膊,轻轻地把他从椅子上拉了起来,并告诉他说,他希望恺撒不要叫参议院散会,等恺撒底夫人做一场好一点的梦之后再行开会。安东尼在一封信里(这封信在西塞罗底攻击演说之一中曾经一字不移地引用过)曾呼代西玛斯·布鲁塔斯为“妖人”,好像他用邪术迷惑了恺撒似的,他底得宠之深可见矣。阿葛瑞帕虽然出身微贱,但是奥古斯塔斯却把他升到很高的地位,以致后来当奥古斯塔斯以他底女儿玖利亚底婚事问麦西那斯的时候,麦西那斯竟敢说“他必须把女儿嫁给阿葛瑞帕,否则就必须把阿葛瑞帕杀了。再没有第三条路可走,因为他把阿葛瑞帕已造就得如此之伟大了”。在泰比瑞亚斯一方面西亚努斯升到很高的位置,竟至他们二人被称并被认为一双朋友。泰比瑞亚斯在致西亚努斯的一封信里写道:“为了我们底友谊的原故,我没有把这些事对你隐瞒”,并且整个的参议院给“友谊”特造了一座杂坛(就好像“友谊”是一位女神一样)以表扬他们二人之间的很亲爱的友谊。此类或胜乎此的例子又可于塞普谛米亚斯·塞委拉斯与普劳梯亚努斯底友谊中见之。因为塞委拉斯竟强迫他底儿子娶普劳梯亚努斯之女为妻;并且往往袒护普劳梯亚努斯种种欺凌皇子的行为;他并且以这样的言辞下诏于参议院:“朕爱其人如此之深,愿其能后朕而死也”。假如这些君王是图拉真或马喀斯·奥瑞利亚斯一流的,那末我们可以认为像上述的举动乃是出自十分良善的心田的;但是这些君王都是很有智谋,精神强健而严厉,并且是极端爱己的,然而他们竟然如此,这就可以证明他们底幸福虽然已达人间之极峰,但是他们对之,仍不满意,觉得若无朋友使之圆满,则这种幸福终是残缺不全也。犹有甚者,这些君主都是有妻有子有甥侄的人,然而这些人竟不能使他们有朋友之乐.
友谊底第二种功用就在它能卫养并支配理智,有如第一种功用之卫养并支配感情一样。因为友谊在感情方面使人出于烈风暴雨而入于光天化日,而在理智方面又能使人从黑暗和乱想入于白昼也。这不仅指一个人从朋友处得来的忠谏而言;即在得到这个之前,任何心中思虑过多的人,若能与旁人通言并讨论,则他底心智与理解力将变为清朗而有别;他底思想底动作将更为灵活;其排列将更有秩序;他可以看出来把这些思想变成言语的时候它们是什么模样;他终于变得比以往的他聪明,而要达到这种情形,一小时底谈话比一天底沉思为效更巨——这些都是没有疑义的。塞密斯陶克立斯对波斯王的话说得极是。他说:“言语有如张挂展览的花毡,其中的图形都是显明的;而思想则有如卷折起来的花毡”。友谊底这第二种功用(就是启发理智),也不限于那些能进忠言的朋友(他们当然是最好的朋友了),即令没有这样的朋友,一个人也能借言谈底力量自己增长知识,把自己底思想使之明白表现,并且把自己底机智磨厉得更为锋利,如磨刃于石,刃锐而石固不能割也。简言之,一个人,与其使他底思想窒息而灭,毋宁向雕像或图画倾诉一切之为愈也。 Add now, to make this second fruit of friendship complete, that other point, which lieth more open, and falleth within vulgar observation; which is faithful counsel from a friend. Heraclitus saith well in one of his enigmas, Dry light is ever the best. And certain it is, that the light that a man receiveth by counsel from another, is drier and purer, than that which cometh from his own understanding and judgment; which is ever infused, and drenched, in his affections and customs.So as there is as much difference between the counsel, that a friend giveth, and that a man giveth himself, as there is between the counsel of a friend, and of a flatterer. For there is no such flatterer as is a man's self; and there is no such remedy against flattery of a man's self, as the liberty of a friend. Counsel is of two sorts: the one concerning manners, the other concerning business. For the first,the best preservative to keep the mind in health, is the faithful admonition of a friend. The calling of a man's self to a strict account, is a medicine, sometime too piercing and corrosive. Reading good books of morality, is a little flat and dead. Observing our faults in others, is sometimes improper for our case. But the best receipt (best, I say, to work, and best to take) is the admonition of a friend. It is a strange thing to behold, what gross errors and extreme absurdities many (especially of the greater sort) do commit, for want of a friend to tell them of them; to the great damage both of their fame and fortune: for, as St. James saith, they are as men that look sometimes into a glass, and preently forget their own shape and favor. As for business, a man may think, if he win, that two eyes see no more than one; or that a gamester seeth always more than a looker-on; or that a man in anger, is as wise as he that hath said over the four and twenty letters; or that a musket may be shot off as well upon the arm, as upon a rest; and such other fond and high imaginations, to think him self all in all. But when all is done, the help of good counsel, is that which setteth business straight. And if any man think that he will take counsel, but it shall be by pieces; asking counsel in one business, of one man, and in another business, of another man; it is well (that is to say, better, perhaps, than if he asked none at all); but he runneth two dangers: one, that he shall not be faithfully counselled; for it is a rare thing, except it be from a perfect and entire friend, to have counsel given, but such as shall be bowed and crooked to some ends, which he hath, that giveth it. The other, that he shall have counsel given, hurtful and unsafe (though with good meaning), and mixed partly of mischief and partly of remedy; even as if you would call a physician, that is thought good for the cure of the disease you complain of, but is unacquainted with your body; and therefore may put you in way for a present cure, but overthroweth your health in some other kind; and so cure the disease, and kill the patient. But a friend that is wholly acquainted with a man's estate, will beware, by furthering any present business, how he dasheth upon other inconvenience. And therefore rest not upon scattered counsels; they will rather distract and mislead, than settle and direct.
After these two noble fruits of friendship (peace in the affections, and support of the judgment), followeth the last fruit; which is like the pomegranate, full of many kernels; I mean aid, and bearing a part, in all actions and occasions. Here the best way to represent to life the manifold use of friendship, is to cast and see how many things there are, which a man cannot do himself; and then it will appear, that it was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say, that a friend is another himself; for that a friend is far more than himself. Men have their time, and die many times, in desire of some things which they principally take to heart; the bestowing of a child, the finishing of a work, or the like. If a man have a true friend, he may rest almost secure that the care of those things will continue after him. So that a man hath, as it were, two lives in his desires. A man hath a body, and that body is confined to a place; but where friendship is, all offices of life are as it were granted to him, and his deputy. For he may exercise them by his friend. How many things are there which a man cannot, with any face or comeliness, say or do himself? A man can scarce allege his own merits with modesty, much less extol them; a man cannot sometimes brook to supplicate or beg; and a number of the like. But all these things are graceful, in a friend's mouth, which are blushing in a man's own. So again, a man's person hath many proper relations, which he cannot put off. A man cannot speak to his son but as a father; to his wife but as a husband; to his enemy but upon terms:whereas a friend may speak as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person. But to enumerate these things were endless; I have given the rule, where a man cannot fitly play his own part; if he have not a friend, he may quit the stage.
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