Essay：Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature
Author：Francis Bacon
I take goodness in this sense, the affecting of the weal of men, which is that the Grecians call philanthropia; and the word humanity, (as it is used) is a little too light to express it. Goodness I call the habit, and goodness of nature, the inclination. This of all virtues, and dignities of the mind, is the greatest.
Goodness answers to the theological virtue, charity, and admits no excess, but error. The desire of power in excess, caused the angels to fall; the desire of knowledge in excess, caused man to fall: but in charity there is no excess; neither can angel, nor man, come in danger by it.
If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island, cut off from other lands, but a continent, that joins to them. If he be compassionate towards the afflictions of others, it shows that his heart is like the noble tree, that is wounded itself, when it gives the balm. If he easily pardons, and remits offences, it shows that his mind is planted above injuries; so that he cannot be shot. If he be thankful for small benefits, it shows that he weighs men's minds, and not their trash.
論善良 作者：培根 翻譯：黃俊雄
我認為善良的定義就是有利於人類。這也就是古希臘人所謂“仁”，或者“人道精神”，但意義還要深。善良，還不僅是一種慈善的行為。前者反映本質，後者則隻是現象。善良，這是人類的一切精神和道德品格中最偉大的一種。
這種行善的品格也許會看錯對象，但永遠不會過分。過分的權勢欲曾使得撒旦墮落成魔鬼,過分的求知欲也曾使人類的祖先失去樂園, 但唯有善良的品格，無論對於神或人，都永遠不會成為過分的東西。
如果一個人對外邦人也能溫和有禮，那麽他就可以被稱作一個“世界的公民”，他的心與五洲四海是相通的。如果他對其他人的痛苦不幸有同情之心，那他的心必定十分美好，猶如那能流出汁液為人治傷痛的珍貴樹木，寧可自己受傷害也要助人。如果他能原諒寬容別人的冒犯，就證明他的心靈乃是超越於一切傷害之上的。如果他並不輕視別人對他的微小幫助，那就證明他更重視的乃是人心而不是錢財。
林貝卡 2008 夏 於美國 |
