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Of Youth and Age
By Francis Bacon
A man that is young in years, may be old in hours, if he has lost no time. But that happens rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitation, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages.……
Young men are fitter to invent, than to judge; fitter for execution, than for counsel; and fitter for new projects, than for settled business. For the experience of age, in things that fall within the compass of it, directs them; but in new things, abuses them.
The errors of young men, are the ruin of business; but the errors of aged men, amount but to this, that more might have been done, or sooner, Young men, in the conduct and management of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than quiet, fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some few principles, which they have chanced upon absurdly; care not to innovate, which draws unknown inconveniences; use extreme remedies at first; and, that which doubles all errors, will not acknowledge or retract them; like an unready horse, that will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.
Certainly it is good to compound employments of both; for that will be good for the present, because the virtues of either age, may correct the defects of both; and good for succession, that young men may be learners, while men in age are actors; and, lastly, good for extern accident, because authority follows old men, favor and popularity, youth. But for the moral part, perhaps youth will have the preeminence, as age has for the politic.
一个年岁不大的人也可以是富于经验的,假如他不曾虚度生活的话;然而这毕竟是罕有的事。一般说来,青年人富于“直觉”,而老年人则长于“深思”。这两者在深刻和正确性上是有着显著差别的。
青年人长于创造而短于思考,长于猛干而短于讨论,长于革新而短于守成。老年人的经验,引导他们熟悉旧事物,却蒙蔽他们无视新情况。
青年人敏锐果敢,但行事轻率却可能毁坏大局。青年的性格如同不羁的野马,藐视既往,目空一切,好走极端。勇于革新而不去估量实际的条件和可能性,结果常因浮躁而改革不成却招致意外的麻烦。老年人则正相反。他们常常满足于困守已成之局,思考多于行动,议论多于决断。为事后不后悔,宁肯事前不冒险。
因此,最好的办法是把青年的特点与老年的特点在事业上结合在一起。这样,他们各自的优点正好弥补了对方的缺点。从现在的角度说,他们的所长可以互补他们各自的所短。从发展的角度说,青年可以从老年身上学到他们所不具的经验。而从社会的角度说,有经验的老人执事令人放心,而青年人的干劲则鼓舞人心。但是,如果说,老人的经验是可贵的,那么青年人的纯真则是崇高的。
弗兰西斯·培根(1561—1626)英国哲学家、思想家、作家和科学家。被马克思称为“英国唯物主义和整个现代实验科学的真正始祖”。
和谐号旅行英语课堂第五期Session5
培根名言
1. To choose time is to save time. 合理安排时间就是节约时间
2. Histories make men wise; poems witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.史鉴使人明智,诗歌使人巧慧,数学使人精细,博物使人深沉,伦理之学使人庄重,逻辑与修辞使人善辩。
互动问答
请解释英文最后一句中“politic”的意思
By Francis Bacon
A man that is young in years, may be old in hours, if he has lost no time. But that happens rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitation, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages.……
Young men are fitter to invent, than to judge; fitter for execution, than for counsel; and fitter for new projects, than for settled business. For the experience of age, in things that fall within the compass of it, directs them; but in new things, abuses them.
The errors of young men, are the ruin of business; but the errors of aged men, amount but to this, that more might have been done, or sooner, Young men, in the conduct and management of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than quiet, fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some few principles, which they have chanced upon absurdly; care not to innovate, which draws unknown inconveniences; use extreme remedies at first; and, that which doubles all errors, will not acknowledge or retract them; like an unready horse, that will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.
Certainly it is good to compound employments of both; for that will be good for the present, because the virtues of either age, may correct the defects of both; and good for succession, that young men may be learners, while men in age are actors; and, lastly, good for extern accident, because authority follows old men, favor and popularity, youth. But for the moral part, perhaps youth will have the preeminence, as age has for the politic.
一个年岁不大的人也可以是富于经验的,假如他不曾虚度生活的话;然而这毕竟是罕有的事。一般说来,青年人富于“直觉”,而老年人则长于“深思”。这两者在深刻和正确性上是有着显著差别的。
青年人长于创造而短于思考,长于猛干而短于讨论,长于革新而短于守成。老年人的经验,引导他们熟悉旧事物,却蒙蔽他们无视新情况。
青年人敏锐果敢,但行事轻率却可能毁坏大局。青年的性格如同不羁的野马,藐视既往,目空一切,好走极端。勇于革新而不去估量实际的条件和可能性,结果常因浮躁而改革不成却招致意外的麻烦。老年人则正相反。他们常常满足于困守已成之局,思考多于行动,议论多于决断。为事后不后悔,宁肯事前不冒险。
因此,最好的办法是把青年的特点与老年的特点在事业上结合在一起。这样,他们各自的优点正好弥补了对方的缺点。从现在的角度说,他们的所长可以互补他们各自的所短。从发展的角度说,青年可以从老年身上学到他们所不具的经验。而从社会的角度说,有经验的老人执事令人放心,而青年人的干劲则鼓舞人心。但是,如果说,老人的经验是可贵的,那么青年人的纯真则是崇高的。
弗兰西斯·培根(1561—1626)英国哲学家、思想家、作家和科学家。被马克思称为“英国唯物主义和整个现代实验科学的真正始祖”。
和谐号旅行英语课堂第五期Session5
培根名言
1. To choose time is to save time. 合理安排时间就是节约时间
2. Histories make men wise; poems witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.史鉴使人明智,诗歌使人巧慧,数学使人精细,博物使人深沉,伦理之学使人庄重,逻辑与修辞使人善辩。
互动问答
请解释英文最后一句中“politic”的意思