Of Great Place

Francis Bacon

MEN in great place are thrice servants: servants of the sovereign or state; servants of fame; and servants of business. So as they have no freedom; neither in their persons, nor in their actions, nor in their times. It is a strange desire, to seek power and to lose liberty: or to seek power over others, and to lose power over a man’s self. The rising unto place is laborious; and by pains, men come to greater pains; and it is sometimes base; and by indignities, men come to dignities. The standing is slippery, and the regress is either a downfall, or at least an eclipse, which is a melancholy thing. Cum non sis qui fueris, non esse cur velis vivere. Nay, retire men cannot when they would, neither will they, when it were reason; but are impatient of privateness, even in age and sickness, which require the shadow; like old townsmen, that will be still sitting at their street door, though thereby they offer age to scom. Certainly great persons had need to borrow other men’s opinions, to think themselves happy; for if they judge by their own feeling, they cannot find it; but if they think with themselves, what other men think of them, and that other men would fain be, as they are, then they are happy, as it were, by report; when perhaps they find the contrary within. For they are the first, that find their own griefs, though they be the last, that find their own faults. Certainly men in great fortunes are strangers to themselves, and while they are in the puzzle of business, they have no time to tend their health, either of body or mind. Illi mors gravis incubat, qui notus nimis omnibus, ignotus moritur sibi. In place, there is license to do good, and evil; whereof the latter is a curse: for in evil, the best condition is not to win; the second, not to can. But power to do good, is the true and lawful end of aspiring. For good thoughts (though God accept them) yet, towards men, are little better than good dreams, except they be put in act; and that cannot be, without power and place, as the vantage, and commanding ground. Merit and good works, is the end of man’s motion; and conscience of the same is the accomplishment of man’s rest. For if a man can be partaker of God’s theatre, he shall likewise be partaker of God’s rest. Et conversus Deus, ut aspiceret opera quae fecerunt manus suae, vidit quod omnia essent bona nimis; and then the sabbath. In the discharge of thy place, set before thee the best examples; for imitation is a globe of precepts. And after a time, set before thee thine own example; and examine thyself strictly, whether thou didst not best at first. Neglect not also the examples, of those that have carried themselves ill, in the same place; not to set off thyself, by taxing their memory, but to direct thyself, what to avoid. Reform therefore, without bravery, or scandal of former times and persons; but yet set it down to thyself, as well to create good precedents, as to follow them. Reduce things to the first institution, and observe wherein, and how, they have degenerate; but yet ask counsel of both times; of the ancient time, what is best; and of the latter time, what is fittest. Seek to make thy course regular, that men may know beforehand, what they may expect; but be not too positive and peremptory; and express thyself well, when thou digressest from thy rule. Preserve the right of thy place; but stir not questions of jurisdiction; and rather assume thy right, in silence and de facto, than voice it with claims, and challenges. Preserve likewise the rights of inferior places; and think it more honor, to direct in chief, than to be busy in all. Embrace and invite helps, and advices, touching the execution of thy place; and do not drive away such, as bring thee information, as meddlers; but accept of them in good part. The vices of authority are chiefly four: delays, corruption, roughness, and facility. For delays: give easy access; keep times appointed; go through with that which is in hand, and interlace not business, but of necessity. For corruption: do not only bind thine own hands, or thy servants’ hands, from taking, but bind the hands of suitors also, from offering. For integrity used doth the one; but integrity professed, and with a manifest detestation of bribery, doth the other. And avoid not only the fault, but the suspicion. Whosoever is found variable, and changeth manifestly without manifest cause, giveth suspicion of corruption. Therefore always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, and declare it, together with the reasons that move thee to change; and do not think to steal it. A servant or a favorite, if he be inward, and no other apparent cause of esteem, is commonly thought, but a by-way to close corruption. For roughness: it is a needless cause of discontent: severity breedeth fear, but roughness breedeth hate. Even reproofs from authority, ought to be grave, and not taunting. As for facility: it is worse than bribery. For bribes come but now and then; but if importunity, or idle respects, lead a man, he shall never be without. As Solomon saith, To respect persons is not good; for such a man will transgress for a piece of bread. It is most true, that was anciently spoken, A place showeth the man. And it showeth some to the better, and some to the worse. Omnium consensu capax imperii, nisi imperasset, saith Tacitus of Galba; but of Vespasian he saith, Solus imperantium, Vespasianus mutatus in melius; though the one was meant of sufficiency, the other of manners, and affection. It is an assured sign of a worthy and generous spirit, whom honor amends. For honor is, or should be, the place of virtue; and as in nature, things move violently to their place, and calmly in their place, so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm. All rising to great place is by a winding star; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self, whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed. Use the memory of thy predecessor, fairly and tenderly; for if thou dost not, it is a debt will sure be paid when thou art gone. If thou have colleagues, respect them, and rather call them, when they look not for it, than exclude them, when they have reason to look to be called. Be not too sensible, or too remembering, of thy place in conversation, and private answers to suitors; but let it rather be said, When he sits in place, he is another man.

論高位

水天同譯

居高位的人是三重的仆役：君主或國家底仆役；名聲底仆役；事業(yè)底仆役。所以他們是沒有自由的，既沒有個人底自由，也沒有行動底自由，也沒有時間底自由。要尋求權(quán)力而去掉自由，或?qū)で罅桉{他人的權(quán)力而失卻統(tǒng)治自己的權(quán)力，這一種欲望是一種可異的欲望。要升到高位上，其經(jīng)過是很艱難的，但是人們卻要吃許多苦以取得更大的痛苦；要升到高位上，其經(jīng)過有時是卑污的；然而人們卻借著卑污的手段達(dá)到尊嚴(yán)的地位。在高位上居留是很不穩(wěn)的，其退步或是復(fù)亡，或者至少是聲名暗晦，——那是一件很可悲的事。“當(dāng)你到了今日之我非復(fù)昔日之我的時候，就沒有再要活下去的理由了”。真的，人們在愿意退休的時候是不能退的，并且在應(yīng)該退休的時候是不肯退的。反之，人們都不耐退休底生活，甚至于在老病之中，需要隱居的時候亦復(fù)如此；就好象有些城里的老頭兒一樣，總要坐在街門口，雖然這種辦法使人家看不起老年。無疑地，居高位的人們得要借他人底意見才能以為自己是幸福的；因為若是他們依著自己底所感來判斷，則他們不會發(fā)現(xiàn)自己是幸福的。但是假如他們自己想一想別人對他們作何感想，并且想到別的人如何愿意作他們；那末他們就好象是由外面的談?wù)摱鞓妨?，同時在內(nèi)心中也許正是相反。因為這些人是首先發(fā)現(xiàn)他們自己底憂患的人，雖然他們是最后才看出自己底過失的人。無疑地，居高位的人們對自我是陌生人，并且在事務(wù)匆忙之中，他們是沒有時間來照管自己底身體或精神上的健康的?！叭绻粋€人在死的時候，別人過于知道他，而自己不知道自己，那么死亡之降臨可真是一樁大禍了”。在高位之中有為善與為惡的自由；而后者乃是一種可詛咒的自由：因為談到作惡最好是不愿意，其次就是不能夠。但是能有做好事的權(quán)力那才是真正的而且合法的希望之所系。因為好意，雖然上帝接受，然而對于世人，要是不實行出來，則不過如好夢一般而已；而要行好事就非有權(quán)有位，有一種居高臨下之勢不可。功與德乃人類行動之目的，而感覺到自己已經(jīng)有了這兩樣才是令人自足的成就。因為，如果一個人能夠參預(yù)上帝底劇場，那么他也可以參加上帝底安息了。“于是上帝轉(zhuǎn)身看他手造的一切，看見它們都是很好的”，此后就是安息日了。在執(zhí)行你底職務(wù)的時候，在你面前要有最好的模范；因為模仿就等于是一套箴言。以后，過了些時候，可把你自己底模范放在面前，并且嚴(yán)格地自檢，是否你從前做得好而現(xiàn)在是退步了。也不要忽視從前那些在同樣的位置而不稱其職的人底例子；這并非是要用詆毀前人底名聲的方法來顯出你自己底好處，而是要指導(dǎo)你自己，當(dāng)以何者為戒的意思。因此，你應(yīng)當(dāng)不帶著欺凌毀污前代或前人的意味而改革以往的不善，而同時也要給自己立規(guī)矩，不但要仿效，并且還要創(chuàng)立好的先例。你須要把事物追究到最早的起源，并且考察它們因何并且如何變?yōu)橥嘶?，但是仍要向古今兩個時代都去求教；向古時要問何者是最良好的；向現(xiàn)時要問何者是最適當(dāng)?shù)?。你須要努力把你底行事之道做得很有?guī)律，前后一致，如此他人可以知道他們可以預(yù)期什么；但是也不要過于一定或確鑿；并且在你違背那常規(guī)的時候要把自己所以如此的緣由解釋得清清楚楚。保持你自己底地位應(yīng)享的權(quán)利，但是不要引起法律上關(guān)于此點的爭論：寧可靜靜地在事實上享這種權(quán)利，而不要用要索和強(qiáng)爭的手段去公開吵鬧。同樣，保持下屬底權(quán)利；并且以居首指揮為榮，而不要以參預(yù)一切為榮。在執(zhí)行職務(wù)上歡迎并邀請幫助和忠告，不要把帶消息給你的人認(rèn)為是好管閑事者而逐之使去；反之，要好好地接待他們。高位底過惡主要的有四種；遲延、貪污、粗暴與易欺。關(guān)于遲延，應(yīng)使人易于得見，守約定之時間，當(dāng)前之事應(yīng)即作完，并勿以不必要之事攙雜其間。關(guān)于貪污，不僅要約束自己底手和仆役底手，毋使接納賄賂，并當(dāng)約束有所請求的人們底手，毋使呈獻(xiàn)賄賂。因為一個人自己實行的節(jié)操是約束自己和仆役的，而宣揚出去的節(jié)操，再加上公開的對賄賂的厭恨，則是約束他人的。又應(yīng)避者，不但是納賄之事實，而且是納賄之嫌疑。一個人要是被人認(rèn)為反復(fù)無常，或者無明顯的原故而公開地變更了，就要招致貪污之嫌疑的。因此，無論何時，當(dāng)你變更你底主意或行事之道的時候，把這件事公開地承認(rèn)了，并把這件事和使你變更的理由宣之于眾，不要想偷偷摸摸地做了。一個仆人或?qū)櫺?，假如他僅僅是與你親昵而沒有顯然的可稱之處，就要被人認(rèn)為是暗行貪污的一條門路的。至于粗暴，那是一種不必要的招怨之道。嚴(yán)厲生畏，但是粗暴生恨，即在公事上的譴責(zé)也應(yīng)當(dāng)莊重而不應(yīng)當(dāng)侮辱嘲弄。至于易欺，那是比受賄還壞的。因為賄賂不過是偶爾而來的，但是假如屢請和無理由的顧念可以打動一個人，那末這個人就永不會沒有這種情面事了。如所羅門所言：“看情面是不好的；因為這樣的人是會為了一塊面包而枉法的”。古語說得極是：“地位顯出為人”。地位顯出有些人底長處，也顯出有些人底短處?！凹偃缢麖膩頉]有做過皇帝，公意也要說他是適于做皇帝的?！边@是泰西塔斯說嘉爾巴的話。關(guān)于外斯帕顯他卻說：“外斯帕顯是唯一因為有了權(quán)力而人格增進(jìn)的皇帝”——雖然前一句話是關(guān)于統(tǒng)治底能力的，而后一句是關(guān)于儀容及感情的。一個人因有權(quán)位而人格增進(jìn)，這是他底人格高尚而寬宏大量底確證。因為權(quán)位是，或者應(yīng)當(dāng)是，德能之所在；并且，如在自然界一樣，事物向它們底位置動的時候，其動甚烈，而在它們底地位中動的時候其動甚和緩，所以德能在努力上達(dá)的時候是猛烈的，而在當(dāng)權(quán)的時候是安穩(wěn)平和的。一切上躋高位的行動都是象登一條迂曲的樓梯一樣；若遇有派別的時候，一個人最好是在上升的時候加入某派而在已騰達(dá)之時保守中立。對待前人底遺名當(dāng)公平而愛護(hù)，因為假如你不這樣做，那么這就不啻是一種債務(wù)，將來你去位的時候人家一定要償還你的。如果你有同僚的話，尊重他們，并且寧可在他們并不想望被召的時候召請他們，而不要在他們有理由希冀被召的時候拒見他們。在談話和私下答復(fù)請求者的時候不要過于自覺或過于記得你底地位；反之，最好讓人家說，“他在執(zhí)行職務(wù)的時候是另一個人”。

更多信息請查看英語美文寫作