第53章：Of Praise 论赞扬(中英对照)

of praise 论赞扬
praise is the reflection of virtue. but it is as the glass or body, which giveth the reflection. if it be from the common people, it is commonly false and naught: and rather followeth vain persons, than virtuous: for the common people understand not many excellent virtues: the lowest virtues draw praise from them; the middle virtues work in them astonishment, or admiration; but of the highest virtues, they have no sense of perceiving at all. but shows, and species virtutibusd simites, serve best with them. certinly, fame is like a river, that beareth up things light and swollen, and drowns things weighty and solid: but if persons of quality and judgement concur, then it is, (as the scripture saith) nomen bonum, instar unguenti fragrantis. it filleth all round about, and will not easily away. for the odours of ointments are more durable, than those of flowers. there be so many false points of praise, that a man may justly hold it a suspect. some praises proceed merely of flattery; and if he be an ordinary flatterer, he will have certain common attributes, which may serve every man; if he be a cunning flatterer, he will follow the arh-flatterer, which is a man’s self; and wherein a man thinketh that of himself, therein the flatterer will uphold him most; but if he be a impudent flatterer, look wherein a man is conscious to himself that he is most defective, and is most out of countenance in himself, that will the flatterer entitle him to, perforce, spreta conscietia. some praises come of good wishes, and respects, which is a form due in civility to kings, and great persons, laudando praecipere; when by telling men what they are, they represent to them what they should be. some men are praised maliciously to their hurt, thereby to stir envy and jealousy towards them; pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium; in so much as it was a proverb amongst the grecians; that he that was praised to his hurt, should have a push rise upon his nose: as we say; that a blister will rise upon one’s tongue, that tells a lie. certainly moderate praise, used with opportunity, and not vulgar, is that which doth the good. solomon saith, he that praiseth his friend aloud, rising early, it shall be to him no better than a curse. too much magnifying of man or matter doth irritate contradiction, and procure envy and scorn. to praise a man’s self cannot be decent, except it be in rare cases: but to praise a man’s office or profession, he may do it with good grace, and with a kind of magnanimity. the cardinals of rome, which are theologues, and friars, and schoolmen, have a phrase of notable contempt and scorn towards civil business: for they call all temporal business, of wars, embassages, judicature, and other employments, sbirrerie; which is, under-sheriffries; as if they were but matters for under-sheriffs and catchpoles; though many times, those under-sheriffries do more good than their high speculations. st. paul, when he boasts of himself, he doth oft interlace; i speak like a fool; but speaking of his calling, he saith; magnificabo apostolatum meum.

赞扬是美德的反映。但赞扬也像镜子或其他能照出图象的物体，这种反映未必真实与准确。如果赞扬来自普通人，通常是谎言与空话，适合那些徒有虚名、并无德才之人；因为普通人不懂得许多美德：最低的美德引起普通人的赞扬，中等的美德引起他们的惊叹，但对于最高的美德，他们完全无法理解。只有外观与表面上的美德（拉丁文）最适合他们学习。固然，名誉好比河流，它承载着轻浮膨胀的什物，沉没硬而重的物品；固然，普通人赞扬的美德算不了什么，但品格与理智高的人们如果评价一致，那么如圣经所说：美名就如同香脂油膏（拉丁文）。它香气四溢，不易消失；因为油膏的香味比花的香味经久。赞扬有许多虚假成分，以至你有理由怀疑它。有些赞扬仅仅出于奉承。如果是普通的奉承者，他会使用人人喜欢的普通恭维话；如果是狡猾的奉承者，他就会遵照最高明的奉承家（他本人就是）的一套，借机吹捧自己，尽量把自己抬得最高；但如果他是卤莽的奉承者，看到别人承认缺点并且深感内疚，就偏偏奉承他的缺点错误，强迫他“轻视良知”（拉丁文）。有些赞扬出自良好的愿望与尊敬，这是在世俗上对国王与伟人应该的礼节，所谓“以赞扬为训示”，通过赞扬他们如何，表示希望他们应该怎样。有些人受到的赞扬竟是恶意的，赞扬者有意通过赞扬伤害他们，煽动对他们的嫉妒。“恭维你的敌人是最坏的敌人。”（拉丁文）正如希腊人流行的谚语所说：受到赞扬伤害的人应该打肿赞扬者的鼻子；我们英国人说：说谎的舌头会长水泡。当然，合适的、及时的、不庸俗的赞扬是有好处的。所罗门说：“谁要是早晨起床就大声赞扬自己的朋友，这无异于是漫骂。夸大人和事会激发矛盾，招来嫉妒和讥笑。赞扬自己，不可能落落大方，除非万不得已，要尽量避免。但赞扬自己的工作或职业，就可以心胸坦然，大方得体。罗马的红衣主教们（他们是神学家、神父、学者）显然看不起世俗事务，颇有微词；他们把军事、使馆、司法、以及其他部门的职务称做“副职”（拉丁文），似乎这些世俗事务只是副手们的事情，尽管许多时候这些副职比他们的高层决策者做得更好。圣保罗自夸时常用一句插话：“我像个蠢人”；但讲到自己的使命时，他说：“我赞美自己的职务”（拉丁文）。