14.Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates论邦国强大之术-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《培根随笔集The Essays of Bacon》

14.Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates THE SPEECH of Themistocles the Athenian,which was haughty2 and arrogant in taking so much to himself,had been a grave and wise observation and censure,applied at large to others.Desired at a feast to touch a lute,he said,He could not fiddle,but yet he could make a small town a great city.These words (holpen a little with a metaphor) may express two differing abilities in those that deal in business of estate. For if a true survey be taken of counsellors and statesmen,there may be found (though rarely)those which can make a small state great,and yet cannot fiddle;as on the other side,there will be found a great many that can fiddle very cunningly,but yet are so far from being able to make a small state great,as their gift lieth the other way:to bring a great and flourishing estate to ruin and decay.And certainly those degenerate arts and shifts,whereby many counsellors and governors gain both favor with their masters and estimation with the vulgar,deserve no better name than fiddling;being things rather ·094· 14.论邦国强大之术 雅典人地米斯托克立在某次宴会上有人想请他 ①Themistocles地米斯托克 弹琵琶。他说他不会弄琴，可是会把一个小城弄成 利，雅典人，建立海军后， 他领导新航队在塞拉米 一座大邦。这句话因为过于归功自己，所以是骄傲 斯战役中（公元前480年】 战胜波斯人 不逊；但是如果一般地用在别人身上，则可算是很 ②haughty /h3:ti/a傲慢的 3 arrogant /'arag3nt/a.做 庄肃贤明的评论。这句话（再用譬喻的说法引申一 慢的 下)就可以把从事国政者之中两种不同的才能表现 ④censure/"senh/h.责难 5 ute /ju:t/n.琵琶 出来。因为，如果把议事和执政的各官真正地观察 holpen /'haulpan/bl <废>help的过去分词 一下，其中也许可以发见（虽然这是很稀有的）几 7 metaphor /'metofa/n. 喻 个能使小国变为大邦，而不能弄琴的人：同时，在 另一方面，却可以发现许多巧于弄琴可是不但不能 使小国变为大邦，而且是有相反天才的人，他们能 把一个伟大而兴盛的国家带到衰败凋零的地步。并 且，那些堕落的技巧智能，许多公卿大夫借之以邀 8 degenerate /di'd3enoreit/ 宠于主上钓名于流俗者，确是除了“弄琴”之名， .退化 不值得更好的名称的：因为这些技巧智能不过是一 ulgar /vAlg3(r)/a.粗俗 的 时欢乐之资罢了，在会者本人虽可借以炫耀，而于 ·095· The Essays of Bacon pleasing for the time,and graceful to themselves only,than tending to the weal and advancement of the state which they serve.There are also (no doubt)counsellors and governors which may be held sufficient (negotiis pares [equals in business]),able to manage affairs,and to keep them from precipices and manifest inconveniences;which nevertheless are far from the ability to raise and amplify 3 an estate in power,means,and fortune.But be the workmen what they may be,let us speak of the work;that is,the true greatness of kingdoms and estates,and the means thereof.An argument fit for great and mighty princes to have in their hand;to the end that neither by over-measuring their forces,they leese 5 themselves in vain enterprises;nor on the other side,by undervaluing them,they descend to fearful and pusillanimouscounsels. The greatness of an estate in bulk and territory doth fall under measure;and the greatness of finances and revenue doth fall under computation.The population may appear by musters;and the number and greatness of cities and towns by cards and maps.But yet there is not any thing amongst civil affairs more subject to error than the right valuation and true judgment concerning the power and forces of an estate.The kingdom of heaven is compared,not to any great kernel or nut,but to a grain of mustard-seed:which is one of the least grains, but hath in it a property and spirit hastily to get up and spread.So are there states great in territory,and yet not apt to enlarge or command; and some that have but a small dimension of stem,and yet apt to be the foundations of great monarchies. Walled towns,stored arsenals and armories 5,goodly races of horse,chariots of war,elephants,ordnance,artillery,and the like; ·096· 培板随笔集 他们所事的国家之幸福与进步，则无所裨益也。当 ①wel/wiL,福 然，也有些公卿大夫够得上一个“能”字（即所谓 “干才”)。他们能够调理国政，使之不陷于危难和 明显的困境，可是若要把国家在力量、财富、国运 ②precipice'presipis/n.险 境 上都增强长大，则他们断断无此能力。现在我们不 ③amplify'empli.fai/.扩 大 管做事的人怎么样，且一谈事务的本身：就是，国 家的真正伟大之处以及达到这种情形的方法。这是 一个值得雄王英主常常考虑的题目：为的是他们既 ④mighty'maiti/a.强有力 的 可以不至于因为过于相信自己的力量而多事安为， 虚耗实力；又可以不至于因为过于卑视自己的力量 5lec5c=lose失去 而屈尊以从怯懦畏葸的计议也。 6 undervalue /Anda'vaelju/ 取.低估…之价值 一个国家的疆土之大小是可以测量的：其财 pusillanimous pjus'laenimas/a懦弱 赋收入之多少是可以计算的。它的人口可由户口 的 册卷而得见，城镇之多少及大小则可由图表而知 第bulk /bAlk/大部分 之。然而在民事事务中没有比正确估计和判断一 9 computation 国的国力更容易犯错误的了。基督把天国不譬做 /kompju (:)'teif (a)n/n. 计算 任何巨大的果核而譬做一粒芥子：这是一种最小 )cards=charts图表 的种子，但是却有一种迅速发芽及长大的特性与 精神。类此，有些国家的疆土很大；可是不能伸 i kernel"ka:nl/n.核心： 张国力或领袖他国；又有些国家幅员很小，有如 核，籽 一种躯干微小的植物，却很可能成为强大帝国之 2 apt /ept/a倾向于 基础。 dimension /di'menfan/n. 尺寸 坚城、武库、骏马、战车、巨象、大炮等等不 arsenal /atsonl/n.兵工 过是披着狮子皮的绵羊，除非人民的体质和精神是 雪armory'am3rim.军械 坚强好战的。不特如此，若是民无勇气，则兵士数 库 ordnance /'o:dnans/n. 目之多是无关紧要的，维吉尔所谓“一只狼从不介 炮 artillery/a:'tilari/m.(军】 意有多少只羊”者即指此也。在阿比拉(Arbela) 火炮 ·097· The Essays of Bacon all this is but a sheep in a lion's skin,except the breed and disposition of the people be stout and warlike.Nay,number (itself)in armies importeth not much,where the people is of weak courage;for (as Virgil saith)It never troubles a wolf how many the sheep be.The army of the Persians in the plains of Arbela was such a vast sea of people,as it did somewhat astonish the commanders in Alexander's army;who came to him therefore,and wished him to set upon them by night;but he answered,He would not pilfer the victory.And the defeat was easy. When Tigranes the Armenian,being encamped 3 upon a hill with four hundred thousand men,discovered the army of the Romans,being not above fourteen thousand,marching towards him,he made himself merry with it,and said,Yonder men are too many for an embassage, and too few for a fight.But before the sun set,he found them enow to give him the chase with infinite slaughter.Many are the examples of the great odds between number and courage;so that a man may truly make a judgment,that the principal point of greatness in any state is to have a race of military men.Neither is money the sinews of war (as it is trivially 5 said),where the sinews of men's arms,in base and effeminate people,are failing.For Solon said well to Croesus(when in ostentation he showed him his gold),Sir,if any other come that hath better iron than you,he will be master of all this gold.Therefore let any prince or state think soberly of his forces,except his militia of natives be of good and valiant soldiers.And let princes,on the other side,that have subjects of martial disposition,know their own strength; unless they be otherwise wanting unto themselves.As for mercenary forces (which is the help in this case),all examples show that whatsoever estate or prince doth rest upon them,he may spread his ·098· 培板随笔集 平原上的波斯军人山人海，竟使亚历山大军中的 ①stout/staut//a.强壮的 将领不免惊惶；因此他们来到亚历山大面前，并 必Virgil维吉尔，罗马诗人。 建议在夜间进攻；但是他说：“我不愿偷取胜 他最伟大的史诗Aeneid 利。”结果是轻而易举地打败了敌人。阿米尼亚王 讲述了埃涅阿斯在特落 伊陷落后的流浪经历 蒂格拉奈斯率四十万大军驻于一座山头，当他看 见那不过一万四千的罗马军向他进攻的时候，他 就说笑话道：“那些人若是使节则太多，若为战 斗而来则太少了。”但是，那天日落之前，他已经 encamp /in'kmpl.宿 爸 发现这些人很够追逐他并大戮他的军队了。关于 数目不敌勇气的例子是很多的：因此我们不妨断 言，任何国家若要伟大，其主要之点，就是要有 一个善战的民族。“金钱是战争的筋肉”，这是句 平常的老套，然而若是人民卑污淫靡，其两臂的 筋肉无力，则金钱也不能算是战争的筋肉了。索 伦对克瑞萨斯（当克瑞萨斯为了炫示他的富有而 把他的藏金给索伦看的时候)所说的话极是。 ④incw"sinju:力量源泉 5 trivially commonly “陛下，若是另一人前来，他的铁胜于陛下的铁， 般地，通常 6 effeminate i'feminit/a. 那么他就要变成这些金子的主人了。”所以任何君 女人气的 王或国家，除非自己的国民组成的军队是优良骁 Solon棱伦，古雅典的立 法者及诗人 勇的，最好不要对自己的力量估计过高。在另一 8 Croesus公元前6世纪 Lydia王，以富有著称 方面，那些有强悍好战的臣民的君王则应当知道 9 ostentation /asten'teifan/ h虚饰 自己的力量一除非这些臣民在别的方面是有缺 00 soberly /'saubali/ad. 醒地 陷的。至于用金钱募集的雇佣军（那就是自己的 臣民不可靠的时候的助力)，所有的先例都证明任 何倚仗雇佣军的政府或君主虽然可以得意一时， 如鸟之张翼，然而不久将不免于铩羽也。 ·099· The Essays of Bacon feathers for a time,but he will mew them soon afier. The blessing of Judah and Issachar2 will never meet;that the same people or nation should be both the lion's whelp and the ass between burthens;neither will it be,that a people overlaid with taxes should ever become valiant and martial.It is true that taxes levied by consent of the estate do abate men's courage less:as it hath been seen notably in the excises of the Low Countries;and,in some degree,in the subsidies of England.For you must note that we speak now of the heart and not of the purse.So that although the same tribute and tax, laid by consent or by imposing,be all one to the purse,yet it works diversely upon the courage.So that you may conclude,that no people overcharged with tribute is fit for empire. Let states that aim at greatness take heed 5 how their nobility and gentlemen do multiply too fast.For that maketh the common subject grow to be a peasant and base swain,driven out of heart,and in effect but the gentleman's laborer.Even as you may see in coppice woods;if you leave your staddles too thick,you shall never have clean underwood,but shrubs and bushes.So in countries,if the gentlemen be too many,the commons will be base;and you will bring it to that,that not the hundred poll will be fit for an helmet; especially as to the infantry,which is the nerve of an army;and so there will be great population and little strength.This which I speak of hath been nowhere better seen than by comparing of England and France;whereof England,though far less in territory and population, hath been(nevertheless)an over-match;in regard the middle people of England make good soldiers,which the peasants of France do not.And herein the device of king Henry the Seventh (whereof I have spoken ·100· 培板随笔集 ①Judah犹大，（圣经，旧约》 犹大和以萨迦所得祝福永不会双至，同一个 Jacob的第四子，其后裔 为以色列十二支派中最 民族或国家不会既是幼狮而又是负重的驴子：再 强的一支派 雪Issachar以萨迦，（圣经· 者，一个困于租税的民族要变为武勇好战的民族 日约》中acob和Lcah的儿 也是不可能的。经国民同意而征收的租税比仅由 子，也是以色列部落的祖 掌权者片面征收的租税，减人勇气较少；荷兰舶 3whcp/(h)wclp/n.链轮 扣链齿 国税就是一个很明显的例子；在某种程度上，英 ④Low Countries低地国 国的特税也可算是一个例子。读者必须注意我们 家，指荷兰、比利时、卢森 堡三个国家 现在所论的是心胆的问题而不是钱包的问题。一 样的赋税，不论是经国民同意与否，对于钱包的 作用是同一的，但是对于人民的勇气，其作用可 就不同了。因此你可以断定，凡是困于租税的民 族是不适于建立帝国的。 凡是志欲强大的国家应当小心，不可使国内的 heed /hi:d/n.注意，留心 贵族和绅士阶级繁殖过速。因为这种情形将使平民 ⑥swain/古/乡村青年，无 变为农奴村夫，使他们意志沮丧，实际上成为上流 指年轻牧羊人 coppice /kopis/n.矮林 阶级的奴仆而已。这就好像你在丛林中可以见到的 staddles young trees小树 情形：假如你把小树留得过密，那么你就永不会有 ⑨shub/小rAb/m.灌木 清清楚楚的丛林，而只能有矮树野薮。类此，在国 家之内，如果上流阶级人数过多，则平民必降为贱 the hundred poll hundredth head 民，其结果将是一百个头颅中没有一个能佩戴头 infantry /infantri/n. 盔；对于军队主要力量之所在的步兵而言，情祝况尤 兵（部队】 nerve=sinew力量 其如此；这样的国家虽然人口多，但力量小。我所 谈的这一点，若要找个例子来证明它，那么最好是 把英国和法国比较一下：两国之中，虽然英国在疆 土和人口方面都不及法国，然而和法国敌对起来， 却居然不止是个敌手：这就因为英国的一般民众能 成为优良的兵士，而法国的乡农则不能也。在这一 ·101· The Essays of Bacon largely in the History of his Life)was profound and admirable;in making farms and houses of husbandry of a standard;that is, maintained with such a proportion of land unto them,as may breed a subject to live in convenient plenty and no servile condition;and to keep the plough in the hands of the owners,and not mere hirelings. And thus indeed you shall attain to Virgil's character which he gives to ancient Italy: -Terra potens armis atque ubere glebac. [A land powerful in arms and in productiveness of soil.]Neither is that state (which,for any thing I know,is almost peculiar to England, and hardly to be found anywhere else,except it be perhaps in Poland) to be passed over;I mean the state of free servants and attendants upon noblemen and gentlemen;which are no ways inferior unto the yeomanry for arms.And therefore out of all question,the splendor and magnificence and great retinues and hospitality of noblemen and gentlemen,received into custom,doth much conduce unto martial greatness.Whereas,contrariwise,the close and reserved living of noblemen and gentlemen causeth a penury5 of military forces. By all means it is to be procured,that the trunk of Nebuchadnezzar's tree of monarchy be great enough to bear the branches and the boughs;that is,that the natural subjects of the crown or state bear a sufficient proportion to the stranger subjects that they govern.Therefore all states that are liberal of naturalization towards strangers are fit for empire.For to think that an handful of people can, with the greatest courage and policy in the world,embrace too large extent of dominion,it may hold for a time,but it will fail suddenly. The Spartans were a nice people in point of naturalization;whereby, ·102· 培板随笔集 profound /pra'faund/a 点上英王亨利七世的法度（关于这个法度曾在拙著 极深的 《停利七世本纪》中详言之)真是用意深远，值得 钦佩。他把田庄农舍都规划齐一了。所谓规划齐 一，就是依他的规定，凡是田庄农舍必须要受一定 2 hireling'haialin/u.雇工 限度的田地的维持，这限度就是要使那田庄农舍里 的人能方便地获得足够的生活来源而不至沦入贱 役：他这种制度又使耕田的人成为田的主人而非仅 仅是受雇之徒。这样就可以达到维吉尔所形容的古 意大利的性质了： 一个兵强土肥因而伟大的国家。 还有一种情形（这种情形据我所知几乎是英国 特有的，除了或者在波兰以外，别处恐怕是遇不到 的)也是不可忽略的：服侍贵族和绅士的人都是自 3 yeomanry /'joumonri/n. 由民；而这些人在武事上毫不劣于中产的平民。因 自由民 4 hospitality hospi'taeliti/ 此，贵族和上流人士的生活中那种种的荣华豪气， h.好客 宾客之盛，礼仪之隆，一旦成为风习之后，的确都 是很能引人到武功的伟大上去的。反之。贵族与上 流人士的生活若是封闭隐秘，则将使国内的武力大 5 penury /penjuri.-juari/ n.贫穷 为削弱。 无论用何种方法，务须使尼布甲尼撒梦中所见 6 Nebuchadnezzar's tree 巴比伦国王尼布甲尼微 的大树的躯干强大到能够支持枝叶的程度；这句话 二世在梦中见到的一棵 大树：Nebuchadnezzar,古 的意思就是，皇帝或政府的本族臣民同他们统属治 巴比伦国王，攻占耶路撤 冷，建空中花园 理的异族人民比起来，其多寡须有正当的比例。因 此，所有那些使异族人容易入籍归化的国家都是适 于成为帝国的。若以为小小的民族，因其智勇绝 伦，竞足以征服并保有过大的国度，这种事短时间 ⑦Spartan斯巴达人 是可能的，但是这样的国度不久将会突然灭亡。斯 8nicc=particular挑剔的， 苛求的，谨小慎微的 巴达人对于入籍一事过于严密；因此，当他们守着 ·103·