培根随笔集(英文版)

studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. theirchief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament,lis indiscourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of businessif his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study theschoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. if he be not apt to beat over matters,and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study thelawyers' cases. so every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.

THE LIFE OF FRANCIS BACON
PROLOGUE
PREFACE
OF TRUTH
OF DEATH
OF UNITY IN RELIGION
OF REVENGE
OF ADVERSITY
OF SIMULATION AND
DISSIMULATION
OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN
OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLE LIFE
OF ENVY
OF LOVE
OF GREAT PLACE
OF BOLDNESS
OF GOODNESS AND GOODNESS
OF NATURE
OF NOBILITY
……

    And as he was a good servant to his master, being never in nineteen years' service (as himself averred) rebuked by the king for anything relating to His Majesty, so he was a good master to his servants, and rewarded their long attendance with good places freely when they fell into his power; which was the cause that so many young gentlemen of blood and quality sought to list themselves in his retinue. And if he were abused by any of them in their places, it was only the error of the goodness of his nature, but the badges of their indiscretions and intemperances.

    This lord was religious: for though the world be apt to suspect and prejudge great wits and politics to have somewhat of the atheist, yet he was conversant with God, as appeareth by several passages throughout the whole of his writings. Otherwise he should have crossed his own principles, which were, That a little philosophy maketh men apt to forget God, as attributing too much to second causes; but depth of philosophy bringeth a man back to God again. Now I am sure there is no man that will deny him, or account otherwise of him, but to have him been a deep philosopher. And not only so; but he was able to render a reason of the hope which was in him, which that writing of his of the Confession of the Faith doth abundantly testify. He repaired frequently, when his health would permit him, to the service of the church, to hear sermons, to the administration of the sacrament of the blessed body and blood of Christ; and died in the true faith, established in the church of England.

    This is most true~~he was free from malice, which (as he said himself) he never bred nor fed. He was no revenger of injuries; which if he had minded, he had both opportunity and place……