論美貌
Francis Bacon
弗朗西斯•培根
(1561-1626)
VIRTUE is like a rich stone, best plain set; and surely virtue is best, in a body that is comely, though not of
delicate features; and that hath rather dignity of presence, than beauty of aspect. Neither is it almost seen,
that very beautiful persons are otherwise of great virtue; as if nature were rather busy, not to err, than in
labor to produce excellency. And therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather
behavior, than virtue.
美德如寶石。寶石者，非素雅之鑲嵌不能盡顯其光彩，故美德之光彩，非俊雅而非嬌豔、非端莊而非僅僅美豔之身軀不能盡顯
。然，大美之人中鮮見美德者，仿佛造化忙不擇優，為求無過而舍求至美。此何為美人雖有相貌但乏品性，重外表而輕美德也
。
But this holds not always: for Augustus Caesar, Titus Vespasianus, Philip le Belle of France, Edward the Fourth
of England, Alcibiades of Athens, Ismael the Sophy of Persia, were all high and great spirits; and yet the most
beautiful men of their times. In beauty, that of favor, is more than that of color; and that of decent and
gracious motion, more than that of favor. That is the best part of beauty, which a picture cannot express; no,
nor the first sight of the life.
然，此非恒理，奧古斯都•凱撒大帝、提圖斯•威斯帕鹹努斯大帝、法王菲利普、英王愛德華四世、雅典人阿爾西巴阿底斯、波
斯王伊斯邁耳皆屬其時代品性高尚且相貌極美之人。就美而言，自然優於打扮，端莊、優雅勝於自然。此係美中極品，非繪畫
所能表達，非一目而能了然。
There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion. A man cannot tell whether
Apelles, or Albert Durer, were the more trifler; 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 nobody, but the painter that made them. Not but I think a painter may make a better face
than ever was; but he must do it by a kind of felicity (as a musician that maketh an excellent air in music),
and not by rule.
A man shall see faces, that if you examine them part by part, you shall find never a good; and yet altogether
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 seem many times more amiable; pulchrorum autumnus pulcher; for no youth can be comely but by
pardon, and considering the youth, as to make up the comeliness.
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; but yet certainly again, if it light well, it maketh
virtue shine, and vices blush.
