培根散文隨筆集第14章：Of Nobility 論貴族（中英對照）
培根散文隨筆集中英對照，通過閱讀文學(xué)名著學(xué)語言，是掌握英語的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語，又能享受文學(xué)之美，一舉兩得，何樂不為？
14 of nobility 論貴族
we will speak of nobility, first as a portion of an estate; then as a condition of particular persons. a monarchy, where there is no nobility at all, is ever a pure and absolute tyranny; as that of the turks. for nobility attempers sovereignty, and draws the eyes of me people somewhat aside from the line royal. but for democracies, they need it not; and they are commonly more quiet, and less subject to sedition, then where there are stirps of nobles. for men's eyes are upon the business, and not upon the persons: or if upon the persons, it is for the business' sake, as fittest, and not for flags and pedigree.
關(guān)于貴族，我們將先以之為國家中的一個階級，再以之為個人底一種品質(zhì)而論之。一個完全沒有貴族的君主國總是一個純粹而極端的專制國；如土耳其是也。因為貴族是調(diào)劑君權(quán)的，貴族把人民底眼光引開，使其多少離開皇室。但是說到民主國家，它們是不需要貴族的；并且它們比較有貴族巨室的國家，通常是較為平靜，不易有叛亂的。因為在民主國中，人們底眼光是在事業(yè)上而不在個人上的；或者，即令眼光是在個人身上，也是為了事業(yè)的原故，要問某人之適當(dāng)與否，而不是為了標(biāo)幟與血統(tǒng)的。
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