第一章论功利与诚实.docx

第一章论功利与诚实Chapter1OfProfitandHonesty谁都难免说傻话，可悲的是还说得很起劲。这事跟我无关。我的傻话都是漫不经心时傻里傻气说出来的。想说就说，随说随忘，亳不在乎。傻成怎样也就怎样对待，绝不贩卖。我对着白纸说话与对着人说话一样，求的是真。我们的制度，不论在公共还是私人领域，处处都不完美，但不能说它无用，无用就是它的作用。我们生来则由病态的品性黏合而成，野心、嫉妒、羡慕、报复、迷信、失望，与生俱来，难以改变，从野兽身上可以看到这些影子，包括残忍性在内。因此，我们看到别人受苦，内心不但不同情，还会产生一种说不出来的幸灾乐祸的快感。然而，谁消除了这些品质的种子，便也摧毁了人性的基本条件。同样，在我们的制度中，有一些必要的职能，不仅是恶劣的，还是罪恶的。这些罪恶不但有它们的位子，并且不断对我们产生影响，正如我们的健康要靠毒药维持。我经常看到一些法官通过舞弊、许愿或宽恕，使用哄吓、诈骗等手段来诱使罪人招供，我感到很气愤。我痛恨这种不讲信义的法律。同时，由于我很不乐意为了一位君王去背叛一个普通人，我也就不会为了一个普通人去背叛一位君王。我也曾几次参与君王之间的谈判，在分歧与不和中进行斡旋。我竭力避免因我而产生误解，因而把最强烈的意见和盘托出，而不似那些掩饰自己的心意，假装中立迎合别人的人。我是个稚嫩的谈判新手，幸运的是至今一切顺利。我开诚布公，因而与人初次交而我;/法官诱骗罪人招供:让那些先生们看到，我并不是在谋一己之利。Omanisfreefromspeakingfoolishthings;buttheworston,tis,Wiiciiamanlabourstoplaythefool:44Naeistemagnoconatumagnasnugasdixerit.”"Trulyhe,withagreateffortwillshortlysayamightytrifle."Terence,Heaut.,actiii.,s.4.Thisdoesnotconcernme;mineslipfrommewithaslittlecareastheyareoflittlevalue,and,tisthebetterforthem.Iwouldpresentlypartwiththemforwhattheyareworth,andneitherbuynorsellthem,butastheyweigh.Ispeakonpaper,asIdotothefirstpersonImeet;andthatthisistrue,observewhatfollows.Towhomoughtnottreacherytobehateful,whenTiberiusrefuseditinathingofsogreatimportancetohim?HehadwordsenthimfromGermanythatifhethoughtfit,theywouldridhimofArminiusbypoison:thiswasthemostpotentenemytheRomanshad,whohaddefeatedthemsoignominiouslyunderVarus,andwhoalonepreventedtheiraggrandisementinthoseparts.Hereturnedanswer,ithatthepeopleofRomewerewonttorevengethemselvesoftheirenemiesbyopenways,andwiththeirswordsintheirhands,andnotclandestinelyandbyfraud,whereinhequittedtheprofitableforthehonest.Youwilltellmethathewasabraggadocio;Ibelievesotoo:and,tisnogreatmiracleinmenofhisprofession.Buttheacknowledgmentofvirtueisnotlessvalidinthemouthofhimwhohatesit,forasmuchastruthforcesitfromhim,andifhewillnotinwardlyreceiveit,heatleastputsitonforadecoration.Ouroutwardandinwardstructureisfullofimperfection;butthereisnothinguselessinnature,noteveninutilityitself;nothinghasinsinuateditselfintothisuniversethathasnotthereinsomefitandproperplace.Ourbeingiscementedwithsicklyqualities:ambition,jealousy,envy,revenge,superstition,anddespairhavesonaturalapossessioninus,thatitsimageisdiscernedinbeasts;nay,andcruelty,sounnaturalavice;foreveninthemidstofcompassionwefeelwithin,Iknownotwhattart-sweettitillationofill-naturedpleasureinseeingotherssuffer;andthechildrenfeelit:44Suavemarimagno,turbantibusaequoraventis,EterramagnumalteriusspectareIaborem:''',ltissweet,whenthewindsdisturbthewatersofthevastsea,towitnessfromlandtheperilofotherpersons?Lucretius1ii.1.oftheseedsofwhichqualities,whoevershoulddivestman,woulddestroythefundamentalconditionsofhumanlife.Likewise,inallgovernmentstherearenecessaryoffices,notonlyabject,butviciousalso.Vicestherehelptomakeuptheseaminourpiecing,aspoisonsareusefulfortheconservationofhealth.Iftheybecomeexcusablebecausetheyareofusetous,andthatthecommonnecessitycoverstheirtruequalities,wearetoresignthisparttothestrongestandboldestcitizens,whosacrificetheirhonourandconscience,asothersofoldsacrificedtheirlives,forthegoodoftheircountry:we,whoareweaker,takeuponuspartsboththataremoreeasyandlesshazardous.Thepublicwealrequiresthatmenshouldbetray,andlie,andmassacre;letusleavethiscommissiontomenwhoaremoreobedientandmoresupple.Inearnest,Ihaveoftenbeentroubledtoseejudges,byfraudandfalsehopesoffavourorpardon,allureacriminaltoconfesshisfact,andthereintomakeuseofcozenageandimpudence.Itwouldbecomejustice,andPlatohimself,whocountenancesthismannerofproceeding,tofurnishmewithothermeansmoresuitabletomyownliking:thisisamaliciouskindofjustice,andIlookuponitasnolesswoundedbyitselfthanbyothers.Isaidnotlongsincetosomecompanyindiscourse,thatIshouldhardlybedrawntobetraymyprinceforaparticularman,whoshouldbemuchashamedtobetrayanyparticularmanformyprince;and1donotonlyhatedeceivingmyself,butthatanyoneshoulddeceivethroughme;Iwillneitheraffordmatternoroccasiontoanysuchthing.InthelittleIhavehadtomediatebetwixtourprincesBetweentheKingofNavarre1afterwardsHenryIV.,andtheDucdeGuise.SeeDeThou1DeVitaSua,iii.9.inthedivisionsandsubdivisionsbywhichweareatthistimetorntopieces,Ihavebeenverycarefulthattheyshouldneitherbedeceivedinmenordeceiveothersbyme.Peopleofthatkindoftradingareveryreserved,andpretendtobethemostmoderateimaginableandnearesttotheopinionsofthosewithwhomtheyhavetodo;Iexposemyselfinmystiffopinion,andafteramethodthemostmyown;atendernegotiator,anovice,whohadratherfailintheaffairthanbewantingtomyself.Andyetithasbeenhithertowithsogoodluck(forfortunehasdoubtlessthebestshareinit),thatfewthingshavepassedfromhandtohandwithlesssuspicionormorefavourandprivacy.IhaveafreeandopenwaythateasilyinsinuatesitselfandobtainsbeliefwiththosewithwhomIamtodealatthefirstmeeting.Sincerityandpuretruth,inwhatagesoever,passforcurrent;andbesides,thelibertyandfreedomofamanwhotreatswithoutanyinterestofhisownisneverhatefulorsuspected,andhemayverywellmakeuseoftheanswerofHyperidestotheAthenians,whocompla