书名：The Essays  培根随笔集
难度：Lexile蓝思阅读指数990L
作者：Francis Bacon
出版社名称：Penguin Classics
出版时间：1985
语种：英文
ISBN：9780140432169
商品尺寸：12.8 x1.8 x 19.8 cm
包装：平装
页数：288

“读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。”  ——摘自培根《论读书》

The Essays《随笔集》是弗兰西斯·培根的代表作，这部文集被认为是英国随笔发展史上的一座里程碑。其中收录的Of Studies《论读书》、Of Truth《论真理》等都是脍炙人口的随笔精品。《培根随笔集》语言简洁，文笔优美，说理透彻，警句迭出，几百年来深受各国读者欢迎，据说有不少人的性格曾受到此书的熏陶。对于今天的青年读者，读此书就像听一位睿智的老人侃侃而谈，因为《随笔集》里包含着这位先哲的思想精髓，既能通达世务，又直指人心。本书适合英语专业、英国文学研究者及想要提高英语阅读水平的读者品读。
推荐理由：
1.英国随笔文学的开山之作，被译成多种文字出版，至今畅销不衰；
2.《培根随笔集》凝聚了培根一生的思想和感悟，是哲学和文学的美妙结合；
3.此书与蒙田的《随笔集》、帕斯卡尔的《沉思录》，称作欧洲近代哲理散文的三大代表作；
4.培根以其简洁的语言、优美的文笔、透彻的说理、迭出的警句，在世界文学史上占据了非常重要的地位；
5.英文原版无删减，有助于提高文学素养和英文水平。
“Reading makesth a full man;conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”
One of the major political figures of his time, Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) served in the court of Elizabeth I and ultimately became Lord Chancellor under James I in 1617. A scholar, wit, lawyer and statesman, he wrote widely on politics, philosophy and science— declaring early in his career that “I have taken all knowledge as my province”. In this, his most famous work, he considers a diverse range of subjects, such as death and marriage, ambition and atheism, in prose that is vibrant and rich in Renaissance learning. Bacon believed that rhetoric— the force of eloquence and persuasion— could lead the mind to the pure light of reason, and his own rhetorical genius is nowhere better expressed than in these vivid essays. 
In his introduction, John Pitcher discusses the writing ofThe Essays and places them in the context of their times, together with an account of Bacon’s life. This edition also includes achronology, further reading,explanatory notes and appendices.
“His language has a sweet majestic rhythm, which satisfies the sense, no less than the almost superhuman wisdom of his philosophy satisfies the intellect.”   —Percy Bysshe Shelley 

The Essays《培根随笔集》是英国文艺复兴时期重要的散文作家、哲学家弗兰西斯·培根的随笔集，包含58篇散文，内容涉及政治、经济、宗教、爱情、婚姻、友谊、艺术、教育和伦理等等，几乎触及了人类生活的方方面面。作为一名学识渊博且通晓人情世故的哲学家和思想家，培根对他谈及的问题均有发人深省的独到之见。
Sir Francis Bacon is considered to have been one of the greatest minds to have ever lived. These essays consist of various subjects, giving us a great overview of his thoughts on all facets of life. He did three main releases ofThe Essays, this edition being a copy of the last one from 1625, when he was in his sixties, containing the most entries.

弗朗西斯·培根（Francis Bacon，1561~1626年），第一代圣阿尔本子爵（1st Viscount St Alban），英国文艺复兴时期重要的散文家、哲学家。英国唯物主义哲学家，实验科学的创始人，是近代归纳法的创始人，又是给科学研究程序进行逻辑组织化的先驱，所以尽管他的哲学有许多地方欠圆满（如带有神学色彩和旧思想的残余），他仍旧占有永久不倒的重要地位。培根被马克思誉为“英国唯物主义和整个近代实验科学的真正始祖”，是“实验哲学之父”“近代自然科学直接的或感性的缔造者”，也是现代生活精神的伟大先驱。主要著作有《新工具》《论科学的增进》以及《学术的推进》等。
Francis Bacon, philosopher, essayist, lawyer and statesman, was born in London in 1561. He studied at Cambridge and was enrolled at Gray’s Inn in 1576. In 1584 he entered Parliament as the member for Melcombe Regis, subsequently representing other constituencies. Bacon made the acquaintance of the Earl of Essex, who endeavored to advance him in his career. Nevertheless, having been appointed to investigate the causes of Essex’s revolt in 1601, Bacon was largely responsible for the earl’s conviction. Bacon was appointed Solicitor-General in 1607 and was successively Attorney-General (1613), Lord Keeper (1617) and Lord Chancellor (1618). He was created Baron Verulam in 1618 and Viscount St. Albans in 1621. Later in that year he was charged with bribery and confessed that he had been guilty of ‘corruption and neglect’ but denied that he had ever perverted justice. He was deprived of the Great Seal, fined, imprisoned in the Tower and disabled from sitting in Parliament. Following his release, he retired to the family home at Gorhambury, Hertfordshire, and his remaining years were spent in literary and philosophical work. It was Bacon’s ambition to create a new system of philosophy to replace that of Aristotle, and he has been justly acclaimed as an inspiration to later scientists, rationalists and materialists. Of his philosophical works, the principal and best known are The Advancement of Learning, Novum Organum and De Augmentis. He also wrote several professional works including Maxims of the Law and Reading on the Statue of Uses. Of his literary writings the most important are the Essays (1597; issued in final form in 1625), De Sapientia Veterum, Apophthegms New and Old and a History of Henry VII. Francis Bacon died in 1626.

PRINCIPLE DATES IN BACON’S LIFE 培根大事记
INTRODUCTION 简介
A NOTE OF THE TEXT AND ANNOTATION 文本注释
FURTHRE READING 延伸阅读
The Essays 随笔集
   1.Of Truth论真理
   2.Of Death论死亡
   3.Of Unity in Religion论宗教之统
   4.Of Revenge论复仇
   5.Of Adversity论逆境
   6.Of Simulation and Dissimulation论伪装与掩饰
   7.Of Parents and Children论父母与子女
   8.Of Marriage and Single Life谈结婚与独身
   9.Of Envy论嫉妒
   10.Of Love论爱情
   11.Of Great Place论高位
   12.Of Boldness论胆大
   13.Of Goodness and Goodness of Nature论善与性善
   14.Of Nobility谈贵族
   15.Of Seditions and Troubles论谋叛与变乱
   16.Of Atheism谈无神论
   17.Of Superstition论迷信
   18.Of Travel论游历
   19.Of Empire论帝王
   20.Of Counsels论进言与纳谏 
   21.Of Delays论拖延
   22.Of Cunning论狡诈 
   23.Of Wisdom for a Man's Self谈利己之聪明
   24.Of Innovations谈革新
   25.Of Dispatch谈求速
   26.Of Seeming Wise谈貌似聪明
   27.Of Friendship论友谊
   28.Of Expense论花销
   29.Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates论国家之真正强盛
   30.Of Regimen of Health谈养生之道
   31.Of Suspicion论猜疑
   32.Of Discourse论言辞
   33.Of Plantations论殖民
   34.Of Riches论财富
   35.Of Prophecies论预言
   36.Of Ambition论野心
   37.Of Masques and Triumphs论假面具与狂欢
   38.Of Nature in Men论人的天性
   39.Of Custom and Education论习惯与教育
   40.Of Fortune论幸运
   41.Of Usury论放债
   42.Of Youth and Age论青年与老年
   43.Of Beauty论美
   44.Of Deformity论残疾
   45.Of Building论建房
   46.Of Gardens说园林
   47.Of Negotiating论协商
   48.Of Followers and Friends论随从和朋友
   49.Of Suitors论求情办事者
   50.Of Studies论读书
   51.Of Faction论党派
   52.Of Ceremonies and Respects论礼节与尊重
   53.Of Praise论赞扬
   54.Of Vain Glory论虚荣 
   55.Of Honour and Reputation论荣誉与名声
   56.Of Judicature论司法
   57.Of Anger论愤怒
   58.Of Vicissitude of Things论世事变迁
APPENDICES附录
   The Essays: Fragments, Versions and Parallels
   1. Writing the Essays散文写作
   2. Counsels for the Prince给君主的劝告
   3. The Wisdom of the Ancients先人的智慧
   4. Idols of the Mind精神偶像
   5. A Poetical Essay诗意散文

Of Love

The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.
You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.
It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.
It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man’s self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.
By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet’s relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom.
This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men’s fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends.
I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures.
There is in man’s nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.
Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.