第58章 论美

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    Of Beauty

    论美

    Francis Bacon/弗朗西斯·培根

    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.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.

    美德好比宝石，在朴素背景的衬托下反而会显得更加华丽。同样。一个打扮并不华贵，却端庄、严肃且具有高尚美德的人是令人肃然起敬的，这与所谓的外表美毫无关系。

    美貌的人并不见得在其他才能上也会显得出众，就仿佛天地在创造万事万物之时，只求无过，不求完美一样。因此，许多容貌出众的人往往一无所有。他们所追求的不过是外在的东西，而不是高尚的品德。但这种观点也并非绝对，比如罗马的奥古斯塔斯？凯撒、菲斯帕斯，法国俊美的菲利普，英王爱德华四世，雅典的阿尔西巴底斯，波斯王伊梅尔等。他们不但是品德高尚的人，而且。他们又是各自时期远近闻名的美男子。

    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.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.

    就美而言，形体之美要胜于外貌之美，而端庄优雅的行为之美又胜于形体之美。最高境界的美是无法用图画表现出来的。也无法在生活中一眼看透。每种绝妙之美都有其独特之处。没有人可以告诉我们阿佩利斯与艾伯特？杜勒二人谁更玩世不恭，他们一个是按照几何比例描绘人像。另一个则通过选取不同人身上的最佳部位创造出最完美的画像。这些画坛名人画出来的画恐怕只会取悦他们自身，而其他人是不会喜欢的。我并非认为画家无法画出一张更加美丽的脸，只是觉得他们应该用一种更加巧妙的绘画方式来做到这一点（就如同音乐家创作出一曲优美的歌一样），而不是只凭借呆板的公式。我们常会看到这样的面孔，如果只是从局部加以观察，是找不到什么优点的，但作为一个整体却非常美丽。

    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.

    如果美的主体的确存在于端庄的举止之间，那么有些人在年老的时候反而会显得更加可爱就不足为奇了。人们常说：“美丽的人，即便是到了暮年也是美丽的。”美就像盛夏里的果实，很难保持长久。它通常会使许多人在年轻的时候过着放荡不羁的生活，在年老的时候却悔恨不已。不过，毫无疑问，如果美能恰如其分地展现，那么就会使人们身上的美德昭然，恶行羞隐。（未完待续）