培根散文隨筆集中英對(duì)照，通過(guò)閱讀文學(xué)名著學(xué)語(yǔ)言，是掌握英語(yǔ)的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語(yǔ)，又能享受文學(xué)之美，一舉兩得，何樂(lè)不為?

　　5 Of Adversity 論困厄

　　It was an high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics) that the good things which belong to prosperity are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired. Bona rerum secudarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia.

　　“幸運(yùn)底好處是應(yīng)當(dāng)希望的;但是厄運(yùn)底好處是應(yīng)當(dāng)驚奇嘆賞的”，這是塞奈喀仿畫(huà)廊派的高論。

　　Certainly if miracles be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his than the other (much too high for a heathen): It is true greatness to have in one the fragility of a man and the security of a God. Vere magnum habere fragilitaterm hominis securitatem da. This would have done better in poesy; where transcendencies are more allowed. And the poets indeed, have been busy with it; for it is, in effect, the thing which is figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian: that Hercules when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented) sailed the length of the great ocean in an earthen pot or pitcher: lively describing Christian resolution; that saileth, in the frail barque of the flesh, through the waves of the world.

　　無(wú)疑地，如果奇跡底意思是“超越自然”，那么奇跡多是在厄運(yùn)中出現(xiàn)的。塞氏還有一句比這更高的話(這話由一個(gè)異教徒說(shuō)出，幾乎是太高了)：“一個(gè)人有凡人底脆弱而又有神仙底自在無(wú)憂，那就是真正的偉大”。這句話如果是一句詩(shī)，也許更好一點(diǎn)，因?yàn)樵谠?shī)里頭，高夸的說(shuō)法，好象是更為可許似的。詩(shī)人們也真的常說(shuō)這句話，因?yàn)檫@句話實(shí)際就是古詩(shī)人常述的那個(gè)奇談中所表現(xiàn)的——而這個(gè)奇談?dòng)炙坪醴菬o(wú)深義的;不特如此，它所描寫(xiě)的還很有點(diǎn)接近_底情形呢——那就是當(dāng)赫扣力斯去解放普羅密修斯的時(shí)候(普羅密修斯是象征人性的)他坐在一個(gè)瓦盆或瓦罐里渡過(guò)了大海?；絖肉之軀的輕舟渡過(guò)世間底波濤的決心，這故事很生動(dòng)地描寫(xiě)出來(lái)了。

　　But to speak in a mean.The virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude:which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God\'s favour. Yet, even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David\'s harp, you shall hear as many hearselike airs, as carols: and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more, in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needlework, and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work, upon a lightsome ground: judge therefore, of the pleasure of the heart, by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly, virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

　　但是用平凡的話來(lái)說(shuō)，幸運(yùn)所生的德性是節(jié)制，厄運(yùn)所生的德性是堅(jiān)忍;在倫理上講起來(lái)，后者是更為偉大的一種德性。幸運(yùn)是《舊約》中的福祉;厄運(yùn)是《新約》中的福祉;而厄運(yùn)所帶來(lái)的福祉更大，所詔示的上帝底恩惠更為明顯。然而即在《舊約》之中，如諦聽(tīng)大衛(wèi)底琴音，就一定可以聽(tīng)見(jiàn)與歡頌一般多的哀歌;并且圣靈的畫(huà)筆在形容約伯底苦難上比在形容所羅門(mén)底幸福上致力得多了。幸運(yùn)并非沒(méi)有許多的恐懼與煩惱;厄運(yùn)也并非沒(méi)有許多的安慰與希望。 在針工與刺繡中， 我們常見(jiàn)，若在一片陰沉的底子上安排一種漂亮的花樣， 比在一片淺色的底子上安排一種暗郁的花樣悅目得多; 從這眼中的樂(lè)趣上推斷心中的樂(lè)趣罷。 無(wú)疑地， 美德如名香，經(jīng)燃燒或壓榨而其香愈烈，蓋幸運(yùn)最能顯露惡德而厄運(yùn)最能顯露美德也。