培根谈美
如果您喜欢我们的内容，请点击上方蓝色的“商务印书馆英语编辑室”关注。每周至少两次精彩内容，第一时间呈现给您。欢迎留言和转发。
今天是弗兰西斯•培根逝世392周年的纪念日，培根是大哲学家，是“英国唯物主义的真正始祖”（马克思），著有《学术的进展》《新工具》《新大西岛》等书。
他又是一个出色的文章家，所写《随笔》是英国文学史上著名的散文作品之一。
今天为大家分享一篇培根的散文“Of Beauty”，并附有王佐良先生的注释。
OF BEAUTY
Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set①: and surely virtue is best in a body, that is comely, though not of delicate features: and that hath rather dignity of presence,② than beauty of aspect. Neither is it almost seen, that very beautiful persons, are otherwise of great virtue;③ as if nature, were rather busy not to err, than in labour, to produce excellency.④
1. best plain set: at its best when it is set plainly; set，镶，嵌；plain，朴素的。
2. dignity of presence: 举止大方。
3. are otherwise of great virtue: 而无大德；otherwise = different, not so.
4. rather busy not to err, than in labour, to produce excellency: 务求不出错误，而不是尽力造成优美。
And therefore, they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather behaviour, than virtue;① but this holds not always;② for Augustus Caesar,③ Titus Vespasianus,④ Philip le Belle of France,⑤ Edward the Fourth of England, ⑥ Alcibiades of Athens,⑦ Ismael the Sophy of Persia,⑧ were all high and great spirits; and yet the most beautiful men of their times.
1. study rather behaviour, than virtue: 注意仪表态度，而不是德行。
2. this holds not always: this does not always hold true，并不总是这样。
3. Augustus Caesar: 纪元前63—纪元后14，第一个罗马皇帝。
4. Titus Vespasianus: 罗马皇帝（在位79—81）。
5. Philip le Belle of France: 法王菲力浦四世，1268—1314，在位1285—1314。
6. Edward the Fourth of England: 英王爱德华四世，1442—83，在位1461—70，1471-83。
7. Alcibiades of Athens: 公元前五世纪雅典政治家和将领。
8. Ismael the Sophy of Persia: 1499—1524，波斯国王（在位1502—24），萨瓦维特王朝的创建者。
In beauty, that of favour,① is more than that of colour, and that of decent and gracious motion, more than that of favour. That is the best part of beauty, which a picture cannot express; no nor the first sight of the life.② There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.
⒈ favour: 外貌。
⒉ no nor the first sight of the life: 也不是第一次见到真人时。the life指所画的真人。
A man cannot tell, whether Apelles, ① or Albert Durer,② were the more trifler③: whereof the one would make a personage by geometrical proportions: the other, by taking the best parts out of divers faces, to make one excellent. Such personages, I think, would please no body, but the painter, that made them. Not but I think a painter, may make a better face, then ever was; but he must do it, by a kind of felicity,④ (as a musician that maketh an excellent air in music) and not by rule.
⒈ Apelles: 公元前四世纪希腊画家。（可能培根指的是比此人早六十年的希腊画家Zeuxis，古罗马的西塞罗说他为了画Helen，集中了五位美女的优点。）
⒉ Albert Durer: 即Albrecht Dürer，1471—1528，德国画家。
⒊ the more trifler: 更为可笑的人。
⒋ by a kind of felicity: 依靠神来之笔。
A man shall see faces, that if you examine them, part by part, you shall find never a good; and yet all together do well. If it be true, that the principal part of beauty, is in decent motion, certainly it is no marvel, though persons in years,① seem many times more amiable; Pulchrorum autumnus pulcher:② for no youth can be comely, but by pardon,③ and considering the youth, as to make up the comeliness.④ Beauty is as summer-fruits, which are easy to corrupt, and cannot last: and, for the most part, it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance:⑤ but yet certainly again, if it light well,⑥ it maketh virtues shine, and vices blush.
⒈ persons in years: 年事已长的人。
⒉ Pulchrorum autumnus pulcher: 拉丁引语，英译可作：The autumn of the beautiful is beautiful，意为美者虽到中年仍是美的。
⒊ but by pardon: 意为except by making allowance for defect，除非是降低要求。
⒋ to make up the comeliness: 补足其美。
⒌ it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance: 使青年放荡，使老年失态。
⒍ if it light well: 如果光照宜人。
以上内容摘自《英国文学名篇选注》，主编王佐良、李赋宁、周珏良、刘承沛。图片来自网络。
名家注解，英语文学爱好者必读
选材精：选辑英国自文艺复兴到现代派文学时期的名家名篇；
体裁广：包括诗歌、小说、剧本、文论、历史、传记等；
详解详：王佐良、李赋宁等英语名家精心注解，帮助中国读者领略英语的魅力。
如果您喜欢这本书，可以点击“阅读原文”购买。
延伸阅读
商务印书馆英语编辑室
微信号：CP-English
点击“阅读原文”购买本书
长按二维码关注