弗朗西斯·培根/Francis Bacon
弗朗西斯·培根（1561～1626），英国科学家、哲学家和散文家。出身名门，而仕途坎坷，直至伊丽莎白女王辞世才得以提升，官至法相。但不久，即因受贿而被免职。从此，发奋著书，致力于多个领域的学术研究。主要作品有《亨利七世传》、《新工具》、《学术的进展》、《论说文集》。
1626年4月9日清晨，培根病逝于伦敦北郊。
It is a trivial grammar-school text,but yet worthy a wise man's co nsideration.Question was asked of Demosthenes,what was the chief part of an orator?He answered,Action.What next?--Action.What next again?--Action.
He said it that knew it best,and had,by nature,himself no advanta ge in that he commended.A strange thing,that that part of an orator wh ich is but superficial,and rather the virtue of a player,should be pla ced so high above those other noble parts of invention,elocution,and t he rest;nay,almost alone,as if it were all in all.But the reason is plain.
Wonderful like is the case of boldness in civil business.What first?--Boldness;what second and third?--Boldness.And yet boldness is a c hild of ignorance and baseness,far inferior to other parts;but,nevert heless,it does fascinate,and bind hand and foot those that are either shallow in judgment or weak in courage,which are the greatest part,yea,and prevaileth with wise men at weak times.Surely,as there are mount ebanks for the natural body,so are there mountebanks for the politic bo dy;men that undertake great cures,and perhaps have been lucky in two o r three experiments,but want the grounds of science,and therefore cann ot hold out,nay,you shall see a bold fellow many times do Mahomet's m iracle.Mahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him,and from the top of it offer up his prayers for the observers of his l aw.The people assembled;Mahomet called the hill to come to him again a nd again;and when the hill stood still,he was never a whit abashed,bu t said,if the hill will not come to Mahomet,Mahomet will go to the hil l.So these men,when they have promised great matters and failed most s hamefully,yet if they have the perfection of boldness,they will but sl ight it over,and make a turn,and no more ado.