Moreover, I found in my own nature a special adaptation for the contemplation of truth.
此外，我发觉自己有一种特殊的适应--对真理的沉思。

For I had a mind at once versatile enough for that most important object—I mean the recognition of similitudes—and at the same time sufficiently steady and concentrated for the observation of subtle shades of difference.
因为我有这样一个大脑，它可以同时变得足够有多样性，能够去发现重要的对象当中--它的相似性，与此同时，它有足够的稳定性和注意力，还能发现其中精妙的差异。

（因为我能很快地辨认出不同事物之间的共性。并且，我有足够的耐心去观察那些细微的差别。）

这种感觉有点类似《大学》和《中庸》

I possessed a passion for research, a power of suspending judgment with patience, of meditation with pleasure, of assenting with caution, of correcting false impressions with readiness, and of arranging my thoughts with scrupulous pains.
我有研究的热情，冷静而不轻下结论，沉思时能获得快感，并且谨慎的去同意一些东西，随时准备好去政治一些错误的印象，并且能忍受痛苦，一丝不苟地将自己的思绪整理的井井有条。

什么是哲学或哲学家？

冯友兰：反思的思考，和系统的表达。

培根提到的也类似于此，大胆假设，小心求证。

1.不要着急判断

2.边想边琢磨还很开心

3.同意时必须很谨慎。

4.井井有条整理自己的思绪。

I had no hankering after novelty, no blind admiration for antiquity. Imposture in every shape I utterly detested.
我对新奇的东西没有渴望，对古老的东西没有盲目的崇拜。对欺世盗名极度讨厌。

For all the reasons I considered that my nature and disposition had, as it were, a kind of kinship and connection with truth.
所以我认为我自己的特性和性格，就像那样，对真理是有一种亲属和血缘的连接。

But my birth, my rearing and education, had all pointed, not toward philosophy, but towards politics: I had been, as it were, imbued in politics from childhood.
所以，我认为我的性格与教养将我引向了政治而非哲学：我自小就被灌输政治观念。

培根一辈子都在纠结政治还是哲学。

And as is not unfrequently the case with young men, I was sometimes shaken in mind with opinions.
并且，如同年轻人经常会发生的，各种政治主张往往让我举棋不定。

I also thought that my duty towards my country had special claims upon me, such as could not be urged by other duties of life.
我仍然深感为国家担负义务是我最特殊的使命，这种号召比生活给予其它的责任更为强烈。

Lastly, I conceived the hope that, if I held some honorable office in the state, I might have secure helps and supports to aid my labors, with a view to the accomplishments of my destined task.
最后，我怀有一丝希望，倘若我能在政坛获得一个体面的职位，我就可能得到确定的支持来助我更好地完成自己科研的工作，能有这样机会去完成我命中注定的事业--哲学。

With these motives I applied myself to politics.
出于上述动机，我将自己奉献于政治之中。

培根入世之心，虽然他讨厌亚里士多德，但是路数和亚里士多德差不多。

Sir Nicholas Bacon died suddenly in 1579.
1579年，尼古拉斯.培根溘然长辞。

He had intended to provide Francis with an estate; but death overreached his plans, and the young diplomat, called hurriedly to London, saw himself, at the age of eighteen, fatherless and penniless.
他原计划给培根留下一笔财产，但死亡比计划先来。年轻的外交官匆促间赶回伦敦，才发现18岁的自己不仅失去了父亲，还变得身无分文。

一生变化：

18岁时，非常好的教养，对自己有非常强的哲思，经过过经院哲学的严格训练，胸怀天下，但是18岁父亲去世，更重要变为一无所有。

He had become accustomed to most of the luxuries of the age, and he found it hard to reconcile himself now to a forced simplicity of life.
奢侈成性的他，发现他难以调和自己忍受被迫的清贫生活。

He took up the practice of law, while he importuned his influential relatives to advance him to some political office which would liberate him from economic worry.
他一边学习法律，一边恳求那些有影响力的亲戚帮其在政府谋职，让他摆脱经济困境。

importuned本意是妓女拉客般的要求

His almost begging letters had small result, considering the grace and vigor of their style, and the proved ability of their author.
但他那些几近乞求的信函收效甚微，即使优美动人的文笔显示了作者非凡的才能。

Perhaps it was because Bacon did not underrate this ability, and looked upon position as his due, that Burghley failed to make the desired response;
也或许正因为培根自认为以自己的才华理应获得官职，所以伯利勋爵没有给他预期的答复。

and perhaps, also, these letters protested too much the past, present and future loyalty of the writer to the honorable Lord: in politics, as in love, it does not do to give one’s self wholly; one should at all times give, but at no time all. Gratitude is nourished with expectation.
还有一个中可能性，这些信件中有太多关于对现在这个荣誉的主子过去现在和未来的忠诚的恶化你声明：在政治中，就像谈恋爱一样，千万不要将自己整个奉献出去；一个人应该随时在奉献，但是不要一次就全部给完。你这种慷慨就是伴随着别人对你更高的期待。

语言点

contemplation : n. 沉思

similitude: n. 相似性

concentrated: adj. 注意力集中的

subtle shade of difference: 精妙的差异

meditation: n. 冥想

assent: vi. 同意

scrupulous: adj. 认真的，一丝不苟的

imposture: n. 欺骗

kinship: n. 亲属关系

rearing: n. 教养；教育；养成

imbue: vt. 灌输

labors: n. 科研工作

overreach: vt. 超过

reconcile: vt. 调节；妥协

simplicity: n. 简朴

importune: vt. 强求

underrate: vt. 低估

due: n. 预期；囊中之物

protest: vt. 声明