第9章 Of Cunning——Francis Bacon

内容导读

“智者自慎其步骤；愚者转向欺骗他人”，自作聪明的狡猾者无疑是家国之患。作者在文中一一列举狡猾之特性，教予人们如何辨识其伎俩，文笔犀利且直中要害。

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英文正文

We take cunning for asinister or crooked wisdom.And certainly there is agreat difference,between acunning man,and awise man;not only in point of honesty,but in point of ability.There be,that can pack the cards,and yet cannot play well;so there are some that are good in canvasses and factions,that are otherwise weak men.Again,it is one thing to understand persons,and another thing to understand matters;for many are perfect in men's humors,that are not greatly capable of the real part of business;which is the constitution of one that hath studied men,more than books.Such men are fitter for practice,than for counsel;and they are good,but in their own alley:turn them to new men,and they have lost their aim;so as the old rule,to know afool from awise man,Mitte ambos nudos ad ignotos,et videbis[10],doth scarce hold for them.And because these cunning men,are like haberdashers of small wares,it is not amiss to set forth their shop.

It is apoint of cunning,to wait upon him with whom you speak,with your eye;for there be many wise men,that have secret hearts,and transparent countenances.Yet this would be done with ademure abasing of your eye.

Another is,that when you have anything to obtain of present dispatch,you entertain and amuse the party,with whom you deal,with some other discourse;that he be not too much awake to make objections.

The like surprise may be made by moving things,when the party is in haste,and cannot stay to consider advisedly of that is moved.

If aman would cross abusiness,that he doubts some other would handsomely and effectually move,let him pretend to wish it well,and move it himself in such sort as may foil it.

The breaking off,in the midst of that one was about to say,as if he took himself up,breeds agreater appetite in him with whom you confer,to know more.

And because it works better,when anything seemeth to be gotten from you by question,than if you offer it of yourself,you may lay abait for aquestion,by showing another visage,and countenance,than you are wont;to the end to give occasion,for the party to ask,what the matter is of the change?

In things that are tender and unpleasing,it is good to break the ice,by some whose words are of less weight,and to reserve the more weighty voice,to come in as by chance,so that he may be asked the question upon the other's speech.

In things that aman would not be seen in himself,it is apoint of cunning,to borrow the name of the world;as to say,the world says,or there is aspeech abroad.

I knew one that,when he wrote aletter,he would put that,which was most material,in the postscript,as if it had been aby-matter.

I knew another that,when he came to have speech,he would pass over that,that he intended most,and go forth,and come back again,and speak of it as of athing,that he had almost forgot.

Some procure themselves,to be surprised,at such times as it is like the party that they work upon,will suddenly come upon them;and to be found with aletter in their hand,or doing somewhat which they are not accustomed;to the end,they may be apposed of those things,which of themselves they are desirous to utter.

But these small wares,and petty points,of cunning,are infinite;and it were agood deed to make alist of them;for that nothing doth more hurt in astate,than that cunning men pass for wise.

But certainly some there are that know the resorts and falls of business,that cannot sink into the main of it;like ahouse that hath convenient stairs and entries,but never afair room.Therefore,you shall see them find out pretty looses in the conclusion,but are no ways able to examine or debate matters.And yet commonly they take advantage of their inability,and would be thought wits of direction.Some build rather upon the abusing of others,and（as we now say）putting tricks upon them,than upon soundness of their own proceedings.But Solomon saith,Prudens advertit ad gressus suos;stultus divertit ad dolos.

中文译文

论狡猾——弗朗西斯·培根

我认为狡猾就是一种阴险邪恶的聪明。一个狡猾人与一个聪明人之间，确有一种很大的差异，这差异不但是在诚实上，而且是在才能上的。有些人会配牌，可是打得并不好；类此，有的人在营求结党上很能干，在别的方面则是无能之辈。又，懂得人的性格习惯是一回事，而明白事理又是另外一回事；因为有许多揣摩别人脾气十分周到的人真正办起事来却并不怎么样；一个对于人的研究胜于对于书的研究，就是如此性质。这样的人较适于阴谋而不适于议论；而且他们唯有在他们熟悉的方面是好的；让他们转而对付新的人物，他们就不怎么有把握了，因此向来那条辨别智愚的准则——“把他们两个都赤裸裸地派到生人前去，你就可以看得出了”——对于他们是不很适用的。再者，因为这些狡猾的人好像小贩一样，所以我们不妨把他们的商品列举出来。

狡猾之术，其一是在与人谈话时要用你的眼睛伺察那个人；因为世上有许多聪明人有隐秘的心而显露的脸。然而这种伺察做起来有时需要恭顺地自敛其目。

还有一术是，当你有紧急的请求，需要当时办理时，你要用别的言语娱乐你与之交涉的那人，使他不至于过于清醒，反对你的所求。

同样的出人不意的举动就是当某人迫不及待，不能停下来仔细考虑所提之事的时候，向他提议某事。

一个人假如要阻挠一种他恐怕别人将要漂亮有效地提出的事件的话，顶好他装出很赞同这件事的样子而自己把它提出，但是他提出的方式却是要与目的相反，正足以防止这事通过。

正欲有言而突然中止，一如忽然制止自己似的，这足以使那与你交谈的人兴趣增加，更想知道你所说的事情。

当人家以为某种话是从你那里问出来的，而不是你自己乐意告诉的时候，这种话是比较有效的。因此，你可以为他人的问题设下钓饵，其方法就是装出一副与常日不同的脸色，为的好使别人有机会问你这改变的原因安在。

在难言与不快的事件上，最好是让那言语没有什么大价值的人先开口，然后再让那说话有力量的人装作偶然进来的样子，如此可使君上关于别人所说的事件向他发问。

在有些事件上如果有一个人不愿意把自己搅在里边的话，一种狡猾的办法就是借用世人的名义；譬如说“人家都说……”或“外面有一种传说……”是也。

我知道有一个人在他写信的时候，他总要把最要紧的事情写在附言里头，好像那是一件附带的事一样。

我还认得一个人，在他说话的时候，总要略过他心中最想说的话而先说开去，再说转来，说到他想说的事情就好像是一件他差不多忘了的事一样。

有些人想对某人施行某种计谋，他们就在这人会出来的时候，故意装出惊惶，好像那人是不意而来的样子；并且故意手里拿一封信或者做某种他们不常做的事；为的是那人好问他们，然后他们就可以把自己心里想说的话说出来了。

狡猾的这些零星货物与小术是无穷的，而把它们列举出来也是一件好事，盖一国之中再没有比狡猾冒充明智之为害更烈者也。

但是，世间确有些人，他们懂得事务的起因与终结，而不能够深入其中心，就好像一所房子有很方便的楼梯和门户，而没有一间好屋子一样。所以你可以看见他们在事件的决议中找出许多可以取巧规避的漏洞来而完全不能审察或辩论事务。然而他们通常却利用他们的短处，要令人相信他们是能够发号施令，善于替人作决断而不善于与人讨论的人。有些人做事基本是在欺骗他人和（如我们现在所谓）在他人身上玩花样，而不在乎他们自己处理事务之坚实可靠的。然而所罗门有言，“智者自慎其步骤；愚者转向欺骗他人”。

（水天同 译）

词汇速记

haberdasher n. 小贩；杂货商

amiss adj. 不恰当的；出差错的

demure adj. 端庄的；严肃的

appetite n. 食欲；嗜好

postscript n. 附言

procure v. 获得，取得

美句欣赏

① It is one thing to understand persons,and another thing to understand matters.懂得人的性格习惯是一回事，而明白事理又是另外一回事。

② Such men are fitter for practice,than for counsel;and they are good,but in their own alley.这样的人较适于阴谋而不适于议论；而且他们唯有在他们熟悉的方面是好的。