舞台上的爱情比生活中的爱情要美好得多。因为在舞台上，爱情只是喜剧和悲剧的素材。而在人生中，爱情却常常招来不幸。它有时像那位诱惑人的魔女，有时又像那位复仇的女神。你可以看到，一切真正伟大的人物（无论是古人、今人，只要是其英名永铭于人类记忆中的），“没有一个是因爱情而发狂的人：因为伟大的事业抑制了这种软弱的感憎。只有罗马的安东尼和克劳底亚是例外。前者本性就好色荒淫，然而后者却是严肃多谋的人。所以爱情不仅会占领开旷坦阔的胸怀，有时也能闯入壁垒森严的心灵－－假如守御不严的话。
埃皮克拉斯曾说过一句笑话：“人生不过是一座大戏台。”似乎本应努力追求高尚事业的人类，却只应像玩偶奴隶般地逢场作戏似的。虽然爱情的奴隶并不同于那班只顾吃喝的禽兽，但毕竟也只是眼目色相的奴隶－－而上帝赐人以眼睛本来是更高尚的用途的。

过度的爱情追求，必然会降低人本身的价值。例如，只有在爱情中，才永远需要那种浮夸诌媚的词令。而在其他场合，同样的词令只能招人耻笑。古人有一句名言：“最大的奉承，人总是留给自己的”。－－只有对情人的奉承要算例外。因为甚至最骄傲的人，也甘愿在情人面前自轻自贱。所以古人说得好：“就是神在爱情中也难保持聪明。”情人的这种弱点不仅在外人眼中是明显的，就是在被追求者的眼中也会很明显——除非她（他）也在追求他（她）。所以，爱情的代价就是如此，不能得到回爱，就会得到一种深藏于心的轻蔑，这是一条永真的定律。

由此可见，人们应当十分警惕这种感情。因为它不但会使人丧失其他，而且可以使人丧失自己本身。至于其他方面的损失，古诗人早已告诉我们，那追求海伦的人，是放弃了财富和智慧的。


当人心最软弱的时候，爱情最容易入侵，那就是当人得意春风，忘乎所以和处境窘困孤独凄零的时候，虽然后者未必能得到爱情。人在这样的时候最急于跳入爱情的火焰中，由此可见，“爱情”实在是“愚蠢”的儿子。但有一些人，即使心中有了爱，仍能约束它，使它不妨碍重大的事业。因为爱情一旦干扰情绪，就会阻碍人坚定地奔向既定的目标。
我不懂是什么缘故，使许多军人更容易陷入爱情，也许这正像他们嗜爱饮酒一样，是因为危险的生活更需要欢乐的补偿。人心中可能普遍具有一种博爱的倾向，若不集中于某个专一的对象身上：就必然会施之于更广泛的大众，使他成为仁善的人，例如像有的僧侣那样。


夫妻的爱，使人类繁衍。朋友的爱，给人以帮助。但那种荒淫纵欲的爱，却只会使人堕落毁灭啊！

of beauty(论 美）
VIRTUE is like a rich stone, best plain set; and surely virtue is best,
in a body that is comely ,though not of delicate features; and that hath
rather dignity of presence, than beauty of aspect. Neither is it almost
seen, that very beautiful persons are otherwise of great virtue; as if
nature were rather busy, not to err, than in labor to produce excellency.
And therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study
rather behavior, than virtue. But this holds not always: for Augustus
Caesar, Titus Vespasianus, Philip le Belle of France, Edward the Fourth
of England, Alcibiades of Athens, Ismael the Sophy of Persia, were all
high and great spirits; and yet the most beautiful men of their times.
In beauty, that of favor, is more than that of color; and that of decent
and gracious motion, more than that of favor. That is the best part of
beauty, which a picture cannot express; no, nor the first sight of the
life. There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in
the proportion. A man cannot tell whether Apelles, or Albert Durer, were
the more trifler; whereof the one, would make a personage by geometrical
proportions; the other, by taking the best parts out of divers faces, to
make one excellent. Such personages, I think, would please nobody, but
the painter that made them. Not but I think a painter may make a better
face than ever was; but he must do it by a kind of felicity (as a musician
that maketh an excellent air in music), and not by rule. A man shall see
faces, that if you examine them part by part, you shall find never a good;
and yet altogether do well. If it be true that the principal part of beauty
is in decent motion, certainly it is no marvel, though persons in years
seem many times more amiable; pulchrorum autumnus pulcher; for no youth
can be comely but by pardon, and considering the youth, as to make up the
comeliness. Beauty is as summer fruits,) which are easy to corrupt, and
cannot last; and for the most part it makes a dissolute youth, and an age
a little out of countenance; but yet certainly again, if it light well,
it maketh virtue shine,and vices blush.

美德好比宝石，在朴素背景的衬托下反而更华丽。同样，一个打扮并不华贵，却端庄严肃而有美德的人是令人肃然起敬的。
美貌的人并不都有其他方面的才能。许多容貌俊秀的人却一无所有，他们过于追求外形的美而放弃了内在的美。

仔细分析起来，形体之美要胜于颜色之美，而优雅行为之美又胜于形体之美。最高的美是画家所无法表现的。因为它是难以直观的。这是一种奇妙的美，曾经有两位画家――阿皮雷斯和丢勒滑稽地认为，可以按照几何比例，或者通过摄取不同人身上最美的特点，加以合成的方法，画出最完美的人像。

其实像这样画出来的美人，恐怕只有画家才喜欢。

有些老人显得很可爱，因为他们的作风优雅而美。“美人的迟暮也是美的。”而尽管有的年轻人具有美貌，却由于缺乏优美的修养而不配得到赞美。

美有如盛夏的水果，而容易腐烂而难保持的,世上有许多美人,他们有过放荡青春，却迎受着愧悔的晚年。

因此，把美的形貌与美的德行结合起来吧。只有这样，美会放射出真正的光辉。

来点专业的吧，楼猪

BILL GATES IN HIS BOYHOOD
As a child—and as an adult as well—Bill was untidy. It has been said that
in order to counteract this. Mary drew up weekly clothing plans for him.
On Mondays he might go to school in blue, on Tuesdays in green, on Wednesdays
in brown , on Thursdays in black, and so on , Weekend meal schedules might
also be planned in detail. Everything time, at work or during his leisure
time.

Dinner table discussions in the Gate’s family home were always lively and
educational. “It was a rich environment in which to learn,” Bill remembered.


Bill’s contemporaries, even at the age, recognized that he was exceptional.
Every year, he and his friends would go to summer camp. Bill especially
liked swimming and other sports. One of his summer camp friends recalled,
“He was never a nerd or a goof or the kind of kid you didn’t want your
team. We all knew Bill was smarter than us. Even back then, when he was
nine or ten years old, he talked like an adult and could express himself
in ways that none of us understood.”

Bill was also well ahead of his classmates in mathematics and science.
He needed to go to a school that challenged him to Lakeside—an all-boys’
school for exceptional students. It was Seattle’s most exclusive school
and was noted for its rigorous academic demands, a place where “even the
dumb kids were smart.”

Lakeside allowed students to pursue their own interests, to whatever extent
they wished. The school prided itself on making conditions and facilities
available that would enable all its students to reach their full potential
. It was the ideal environment for someone like Bill Gates.

In 1968, the school made a decision that would change thirteen-year-old
Bill Gates’s life—and that of many of others, too.

Funds were raised, mainly by parents, that enabled the school to gain access
to a computer—a Program Data processor(PDP)—through a teletype machine.
Type in a few instructions on the teletype machine and a few seconds later
the PDP would type back its response. Bill Gates was immediately hooked—
so was his best friend at the time, Kent Evans, and another student, Paul
Allen, who was two years older than Bill.

Whenever they had free time, and sometimes when they didn’t, they would
dash over to the computer room to use the machine. The students became
so single-minded that they soon overtook their teachers in knowledge about
computing and got into a lot of trouble because of their obsession. They
were neglecting their other studies—every piece of word was handed in late.
Classes were cut. Computer time was also proving to be very expensive.
Within months, the whole budget that had been set aside for the year had
been used up.

At fourteen, Bill was already writing short programs for the computer to
perform. Early games programs such as Tic-Tac-Toe, or Noughts and Crosses,
and Lunar Landing were written in what was to become Bill’s second language,
BASIC.

One of the reasons Bill was so good at programming is because it is mathematical
and logical. During his time at Lakeside, Bill scored a perfect eight hundred
on a mathematics test. It was extremely important to him to get this grade-he
had to take the test more than once in order to do it.

If Bill Gates was going to be good at something. It was essential to be
the best.

Bill’s and Paul’s fascination with computers and the business world meant
that they read a great deal. Paul enjoyed magazines like Popular Electronics,
Computer time was expensive and, because both boys were desperate to get
more time and because Bill already had an insight into what they could
achieve financially, the two of them decided to set themselves up as a
company: The Lakeside Programmers Group. “Let’s call the real world and
try to sell something to it!” Bill announced.

童年时期——即使成了了大人——比尔也不修边幅。据说为了改此习惯，玛丽为他制定了一周着装计划。周一上学他穿蓝色装，周二绿色，周三棕色，周四黑色，等等。周末用餐时间也布置得细致入微。每件事都要井井有条。比尔·盖茨讨厌浪费时间，无论是在工作中或闲暇时。


在比尔家中的餐桌上讨论总是既生动又富有教育意义 。“那是个内容丰富的学习环境，”比尔回忆道。

比尔的同代人，即使是在那个年龄，都能看出他的与众不同。每年，他和朋友们都要去夏令营。比尔特别喜爱游泳运动等。他的一位在夏令营的朋友回忆道，“他绝不会是个不足挂齿或无足轻重之人。我们都晓得比尔比我们聪颖。甚至在更早的时候，当他九、十岁时，言谈就如同成人一般他说的话有时我们感到高深莫测。


在数学和自然方面比尔比同班同学也更胜一筹。他需要上一所对他充满挑战的学校。随即父母决定送他去湖畔中学—一所专门招收超常男生的学校。这是西雅图一所限制最严的学校，它以严格的课程要求而著称，是个“连哑童都聪明的”地方。


湖畔中学允许学生们按自己兴趣自由发挥，去通达他们希望的极至。令校方骄傲的是他们所创造的环境及设施使学生们能充分发挥各自的潜能。这是像比尔·盖茨这样学生的理想环境。


1968年，学校做出的一项决定改变了13岁的比尔·盖茨的生活——同时也改变了许多其他的人。

学校主要靠家长提供的资金通过一种电传打字机进入电脑——即程序数据处理机。在电传打字机上键入几条指令，几秒钟后程序数据处理机即会反馈回信息。比尔·盖茨当即就着了迷——他那时最要好的朋友坎特——他那时最要好的朋友坎特·埃文斯和另一名长他两岁的学生保罗·艾伦也是如此。


他们不管有没有空，都要赶到电脑室去用用那台机器。这些学生非常专注，以至于在电脑方面的知识都超过了老师，同时因为他们的执著也带来了不少麻烦。他们忽略了其他的课程——每项作业都迟迟才交，有时还旷课。上机时间也很昂贵。几个月后，当初留做一年用的预算就已经消耗殆尽了。


比尔十四岁时，就已开始编写简短的运行电脑的程序了。早期的游戏程序如“三棋杀三子”，或“画圈打叉游戏”，及“登月”就是用后来成为比尔的第二种语言BASIC来写的。


比尔善于编程的其中一个原因就是它蕴含的运算性与逻辑性。他在湖畔中学的那段时间，比尔在一次数学测验中取得了满分800分，取得这样的成绩对他来说是至关重要的—为了这个成绩他不得不参加几次测验。


倘若比尔•盖茨决定要做好某件事，他必定会做得最为出色。

比尔和保罗对电脑和商务的痴迷意味着他们要博览群书。保罗喜爱像《大众电子》之类的刊物，而比尔则翻阅商业杂志。上机时间的昂贵，以及因为这两个孩子迫切需要更多的上机时间，还有比尔早已洞察到他们在经济上会有所收益，于是他们俩决定自己组建公司：湖畔程序设计者集团。比尔宣布道：“让我们唤醒这个世界并给它推销点东西吧！”

Of Envy(论嫉妒）
THERE be none of the affections, which have been noted to fascinate
or bewitch, but love and envy. They both have vehement wishes; they frame
themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions; and they come easily
into the eye, especially upon the present of the objects; which are the
points that conduce to fascination, if any such thing there be. We see
likewise, the Scripture calleth envy an evil eye; and the astrologers,
call the evil influences of the stars, evil aspects; so that still there
seemeth to be acknowledged, in the act of envy, an ejaculation or irradiation
of the eye.Nay, some have been so curious, as to note, that the times when
the stroke or percussion of an envious eye doth most hurt, are when the
party envied is beheld in glory or triumph; for that sets an edge upon
envy: and besides, at such times the spirits of the person envied, do come
forth most into the outward parts, and so meet the blow.

But leaving these curiosities (though not unworthy to be thought on, in
fit place), we will handle, what persons are apt to envy others; what
persons are most subject to be envied themselves; and what is the difference
between public and private envy.

A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For
men’s minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others’ evil;
and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of
hope, to attain to another’s virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by
depressing another’s fortune.

A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious. For to know
much of other men’s matters, cannot be because all that ado may concern
his own estate; therefore it must needs be, that he taketh a kind of play-pleasure,
in looking upon the fortunes of others. Neither can he, that mindeth but
his own business, find much matter for envy. For envy is a gadding passion,
and walketh the streets, and doth not keep home: Non est curiosus, quin
idem sit malevolus.


Men of noble birth, are noted to be envious towards new men, when they
rise. For the distance is altered, and it is like a deceit of the eye,
that when others come on, they think themselves, go back.

Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious.
For he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can, to
impair another’s; except these defects light upon a very brave, and heroical
nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in
that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters;
affecting the honor of a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus
and Tamberlanes, that were lame men.

论嫉妒

世人历来注意到，所有情感中最令人神魂颠倒着莫过于爱情和嫉妒。这两种感情都会激起强烈的欲望，而且均可迅速转化成联想和幻觉，容易钻进世人的眼睛，尤其容易降到被爱被妒者身上；这些便是导致蛊惑的要点，如果世间真有蛊惑的话。我们同样可以见到，《圣经》中把嫉妒称为“毒眼”①，占星术上则把不吉之星力叫作“凶象”③，以致世人似乎至今还承认，当嫉妒行为发生时，嫉妒者会眼红或曰红眼。而且有人更为明察秋毫，竟注意到红眼最伤人之际莫过于被嫉妒者正踌躇满志或春风得意之时，因为那种得意劲儿会使炉火燃得更旺。另外在这种时候，被嫉妒者的情绪最溢于言表，因此最容易遭受打击。

但暂且不谈这些蹊跷之处（虽说这些蹊跷并非不值得在适当的场合思量思量），笔者在此只想探讨一下哪些人好嫉妒他人，哪些人会遭受嫉妒，以及公众的嫉妒和私人间的嫉妒有何不同。

自身无德者常嫉妒他人之德，因为人心的滋养要么是自身之善，要么是他人之恶，而缺乏自身之善者必然要摄取他人之恶，于是凡无望达到他人之德行境地者便会极力贬低他人以求得平衡。

好管闲事且好深隐私者通常都好嫉妒，因为劳神费力地去打探别人的事情绝非是由于那些事与打探者的利害有关，所以其原因必定是打探者在旁观他人祸福时能获得一种视剧般的乐趣。而一心只管自家事的人无甚嫉妒的由来，因为嫉妒是一种爱游荡的感情，它总在街头闲逛，不肯呆在家里，所以古人说：

“好管闲事者必定没安好心。”

出身贵族者在新人晋爵时常生妒意，因为两者之间的差距缩短；而且这就像是看朱成碧，明明是别人上升，他们却看成是自己下降。

宦官、老人、残疾者和私生子都好嫉妒，因没法弥补自身缺陷的人总要干方百计给别人也造成缺陷，除非有上述缺陷者具有勇敢无畏的英雄气概，有志把自身的固有缺陷变成其荣誉之一部分。这样人们就会说：某宦官或瘸子竟创下如此殊勋伟业；正如宦官纳西斯以及瘸子阿偈西劳和帖木儿曾努力求得奇迹般的荣誉一样①。

在大苦大难后升迁的人也好嫉妒，因为他们就像时代的落伍者似的，以为别人受到伤害就可补偿自己曾经历的苦难。

那些因其轻薄和自负而想在各方面都胜过他人者亦常嫉妒，因为他们绝不会缺少嫉妒的对象，在他们想争胜的诸多方面之某一方面，不可能没有许多人会胜过他们。罗马皇帝哈德良就是这种嫉妒者，他善诗画和工艺，因此他非常嫉妒真正的诗人、画家和技师。

最后还有同族亲友、官场同僚和少时伙伴，这些人在平辈人升迁时更容易产生嫉妒。因为对他们来说，平辈的升迁不啻是在批评自己的身份，是在对自己进行指责。这种升迁会更经常地进入他们的记忆，同样也会更多地引起旁人的注意，而旁人对这种升迁的传扬往往会令嫉妒者妒意更浓。该隐对其弟亚伯的嫉妒之所以更为卑鄙邪恶，就因为亚伯的供奉被上帝悦纳时并没有旁人看见。①关于好嫉妒之人暂且就说到这里。

接下来笔者要谈谈那些或多或少会遭嫉妒的人的情况。首先，有大德者步入老年后较少遭人嫉妒，因为他们的幸运已显得不过是他们应得的报偿，而对应得的报偿谁也不会嫉妒，世人只嫉妒过于慷慨的奖赏和施舍。另一方面，嫉妒常产生在与人攀比之时，可以说没有攀比就没有嫉妒，故此为君者不会被其他人妒忌，除非妒忌者亦是君王。不过应该注意到，卑微之人在发迹之初最遭人妒忌，其后妒忌会逐渐减弱；但与此相反，品质优秀者则是在他们的好运赓续不断时遭妒最甚，因此时他们的优点虽依然如故，但已不如当初那样耀眼，后起之秀已使其黯然失色