培根散文随笔集中英对照，通过阅读文学名著学语言，是掌握英语的绝佳方法。既可接触原汁原味的英语，又能享受文学之美，一举两得，何乐不为?

6 Of Simulation & Dissimulation 论作伪与掩饰

Dissimulation is but a faint kind of policy, or wisdom; for it asketh a strong wit, and a strong heart, to know when to tell truth, and to do it Therefore it is me weaker sort of politics, that are the great dissemblers.

掩饰不过是策略或智谋中较弱的一种，因为要知道何时当说真话，何时当行真事需要强壮的脑筋和心胸也。因此政治家之中较弱的一流方是善于掩饰者。

Tacitus saith; Livia sorted well, with the arts of her husband, and dissimulation of her son: attributing arts or policy to Augustus, and dissimulation to Tiberius. And again, when Lucianus encourageth Vespasian, to take arms against Vitellius, he saith; We rise not, against the piercing judgment of Augustus, nor the extreme caution or closeness of Tiberius. These properties of arts or policy, and dissimulation or closeness, are indeed habits and faculties, several, and to be distinguished. For if a man have that penetration of judgment, as he can discern, what things are to be laid open, and what to be secreted, and what to be showed at half lights, and to whom, and when (which indeed are arts of state, and arts of life, as Tacitus well calleth mem), to him, a habit of dissimulation is a hindrance, and a poorness. But if a man cannot obtain to that judgment, then it is left to him, generally, to be close, and a dissembler. For where a man cannot choose, or vary in particulars, there it is good to take the safest and wariest way in general; like the going softly by one that cannot well see. Certainly the ablest men that ever were, have had all an openness, and frankness of dealing; and a name of certainty, and veracity; but then they were like horses, well managed; for they could tell passing well when to stop, or turn: and at such times, when they thought the case indeed required dissimulation, if then they used it, it came to pass, that me former opinion, spread abroad of their good faith, and clearness of dealing, made them almost invisible.

泰西塔斯说：“里维亚同她丈夫底智略和她儿子底虚伪都很融洽”就是说奥古斯塔斯有智略而泰比瑞阿斯善掩饰的意思。又当缪西阿奴斯劝外斯帕显举兵攻委泰立阿斯的时候，他说：“我们现在起事，所与为敌者既不是奥古斯塔斯底洞察的判断力，也不是泰比瑞阿斯底极端审慎或隐密”这些特质——权谋或策略与掩饰或隐密——确是不同的习惯与能力，并且是应当辨别的。因为假如一个人有那种明察的能力，能够看得出某事应当公开，某事应当隐秘，某事应当在半明半暗之中微露，并且看得出这事底或隐或显应当是对何人，在何时(这些正即是泰西塔斯所谓的治国与处世的要术)，那末在他这样的一个人，一种掩饰的习惯是一种阻挠，一个弱点。但是假如一个人达不到那种明察的能力，那末他就不得不常趋隐秘，并且为一个掩饰者了。因为一个人在不能随机应变有所选择的时候，自以取那一般地最安全最谨慎的途径为佳;就好象目力不济的人走路是轻而且慢一样。无疑地，从来最有能力的人都是有坦白直爽的行为，信实不欺的名誉的;可是他们是象训练得很好的马一样，因为他们极能懂得何时当止，何时当转，并且在他们以为某事真需要掩饰的时候，如果他们果然掩饰了，以往流传各处的关于他们底信实和正直坦白的见解也使他们差不多不至为人所疑的。

There be three degrees, of this hiding and veiling of a man's self. The first closeness, reservation, and secrecy; when a man leaveth himself without

observation, or without hold to be taken, what he is. The second dissimulation, in the negative; when a man lets fall signs, and arguments, that he is not, that he is. And the third simulation, in the affirmative; when a man industriously, and expressly, feigns and pretends to be that he is not.

这种自我底掩藏有三等。第一是隐密、缄默和守秘密;就是一个人不让别人有机会看出或推测出他底为人。第二是掩饰，是消极的;就是一个人故意露出迹象端倪，教别人错认他底真正为人，以真为假。第三是作伪，是积极的，就是一个人有意并且显著地装出他实际非是的那种为人来。

For the first of these, secrecy: it is indeed, the virtue of a confessor, and assuredly, the secret man heareth many confessions; for who will open himself to a blab or a babbler? But if a man be thought secret, it inviteth discovery; as the more close air, sucketh in the more open: and as in confession, the revealing is not for worldly use, but for the ease of a man's heart, so secret men come to the knowledge of many things, in that kind; while men rather discharge their minds, than impart their minds. In few words, mysteries are due to secrecy. Besides (to say truth) nakedness is uncomely, as well in mind, as body; and it addeth no small reverence, to men's manners, and actions, if they be not altogether open. As for talkers and futile persons, they are commonly vain, and credulous withal. For he that talketh what he knoweth, will also talk what he knoweth not. Therefore set it down; that an habit of secrecy is both politic and moral. And in this part, it is good, that a man's face give his tongue leave to speak. For the discovery of a man's self by the tracts of his countenance,

is a great weakness, and betraying; by how much, it is many times more marked and believed, than a man's words.

讲起这第一件事——隐秘——来，这真是一位听人忏悔者底德能。隐秘的人确实常是听得到许多的忏悔的。因为谁肯向一个喋喋多言的人自白呢?但是假如一个人被人认为隐密，这就会招致他人底自白的;就好象密闭的空气会吸摄空旷的空气一样;又在忏悔中的暴露既不是为任何实际用处而是为一个人心里痛快的，如斯，隐密的人乃能得知许多的事;盖人多乐于宣泄心事而不乐于增加心事也。简言之，隐密直似有接受秘事之权也。再者(说真的)，裸露——精神的与肉体的，——均是不美的;一个人底举止与行为若不完全暴露，便增加尊严不少。至于多言饶舌之人多虚妄而且轻信。盖言其所知之人，也会言其所不知也。因此，“隐密底习惯是于处世及修身，两俱有益的”。这句话竟可作为定律。在这一方面，一个人底面容最好能让他底舌头自由说话。因为一个人底自我可由其面上的征状而看出者，乃是一个大弱点，大泄漏;这弱点和泄漏有多大，由人面之受人注意与信任胜过言语若干倍而可见也。

For the second, which is dissimulation. It followeth many times upon secrecy, by a necessity: so that, he that will be secret, must be a dissembler, in some degree. For men are too cunning, to suffer a man to keep an indifferent carriage between both, and to be secret, without swaying the balance, on either side. They will so beset a man with questions, and draw him on, and pick it out of him, that without an absurd silence, he must show an inclination, one way; or if he do not, they will gather as much by his silence, as by his speech. As for equivocations, or oraculous speeches, they cannot hold out long. So that no man can be secret, except he give himself a little scope of dissimulation; which is, as it were, but the skirts or train of secrecy.

说到第二种，那就是掩饰;掩饰常常是必然的，不得不与隐密俱来的;所以一个人若要隐密，他就不得不在某种程度上作一个掩饰者。因为一般的人都是狡黠得断不能允许一个人在坦白与掩饰之间保持一种中立的态度，并且实际隐密而表面上不偏向任何一方的。这样的一个人，人们一定会用问题包围他，设法引诱他，并且探出他底口气。所以除非他有一种一概不理的沉默，他就不免要显露他是倾向何方的;或者即令他自己无表示，那些人也会由他的沉默中推测出来，犹如他自己说了一样。至于模棱两可，含糊其辞的话，那是不能持久的。所以没有人能够隐密，除非他给自己留一点掩饰底余地;掩饰可说仅仅是隐密底裙或裳。

But for the third degree, which is simulation, and false profession; mat I hold more culpable, and less politic; except it be in great and rare matters. And therefore a general custom of simulation (which is this last degree) is a vice, rising either of a natural falseness, or tearfulness; or of a mind, that hath some main faults; which because a man must needs disguise, it maketh him practise simulation in other things, lest his hand should be out of use.

但是说到第三等，那就是作伪或冒充。那我认为，除非在重大与稀有的事件之中，是罪过多于智谋的。因此，一种普遍的作伪底习惯(那就是这最后的一等)是一种恶德。其起因或由于天性的喜伪或多畏，或由于一种有重大缺陷的心智。这种缺陷因为一个人不得不设法掩盖，遂使他在别的方面也作伪，以免有荒疏之虞也。

The great advantages of simulation and dissimulation are three. First to lay asleep opposition, and to surprise. For where a man's intentions are published, it is an alarum, to call up all that are against them. The second is, to reserve to a man's self a fair retreat: for if a man engage himself, by a manifest declaration, he must go through, or take a fall. The third is, the better to discover the mind of another. For to him that opens himself, men will hardly show themselves adverse; but will (fair) let him go on, and turn their freedom of speech, to freedom of thought.

作伪与掩饰底大益有三。第一是使反对者不疑而我可以出其不意。因为一个人底意向若是公开那就等于一声唤起一切敌人的警报。第二是为一己留一个安全的退步。因为一个人要是明说要如何如何，因而束缚了自己，那末他就只有干到底，或者被人打倒之一途了。第三是可以有较好的机会来看破别人的心思。因为对一个暴露自己的人，别人是不会公开反对他的;他们将干脆让他继续说下去而把他们自己言论底自由变为思想底自由

And therefore, it is a good shrewd proverb of the Spaniard; tell a lie, and find a troth. As if there were no way of discovery, but by simulation. There be also three disadvantages, to set it even. The first, that simulation and dissimulation commonly cany with them a show of fearfulness, which in any business doth spoil the feathers, of round flying up to the mark. The second, that it puzzleth and perplexeth the conceits of many that perhaps would otherwise cooperate with him; and makes a man walk, almost alone, to his own ends. The third, and greatest is, mat it depriveth a man of one of the most principal instruments for action; which is trust and belief. The best composition and temperature is to have openness in fame and opinion; secrecy in habit; dissimulation in seasonable use; and a power to feign, if there be no remedy.

因此西班牙人有句成语：“撒一个谎以便发现一件真事”。这是一句很好、很精明的成语。这话底意思犹云。除了作伪并无发现真情之术也。持平言之，作伪与掩饰也有三种害处。第一，作伪与掩饰平常总带着一种畏怯的模样。这种恐惧底态度在任何事件之中，都不免有阻挠直达目的之处，第二，作伪与虚饰使得许多人心中迷惘，莫明其妙，而这般人与那个作伪掩饰的人在相反的情形下也许会合作的;作伪与掩饰使人独自跋涉，去达到他自己底目的。第三种而且是最大的害处，就是作伪与掩饰剥夺一个人作事底主要工具——信与任。最好的结合是有坦白之名，隐密之习，掩饰之适当应用;并且有作伪底能力，假如没有别的办法。