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1、Of Marriage and Single LifeBy Francis Bacon He that hath wife and children, hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediments to great enterprises, either of virtue, or mischief. Certainly, the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless me
2、n, which both in affection, and means, have married and endowed the public. Yet it were great reason, that those that have children, should have greatest care of future times, unto which, they know, they must transmit their dearest pledges. Some there are, who though they lead a single life, yet the
3、ir thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences. Nay, there are some other, that account wife and children but as bills of charges. Nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer.
4、For perhaps, they have heard some talk; Such an one is a great rich man; and another except to it; Yea, but he hath a great charge of children: as if it were an abatement to his riches. But the most ordinary cause of a single life is liberty; especially in certain self-pleasing and humourous minds,
5、which are so sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to think their girdles and garters to be bonds and shackles. Unmarried men are best friends; best masters; best servants; but not always best subjects; for they are light to run away; and almost all fugitives are of that condition. A sin
6、gle life doth well with church men: for charity will hardly water the ground; where it must first fill a pool. It is indifferent for judges and magistrates: for if they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a servant five times worse than a wife. For soldiers, I find the generals commonly in their h
7、ortatives, put men in mind of their wives and children: and I think the despising of marriage amongst the Turk, maketh the vulgar soldier more base. Certainly, wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity: and single men though they be many times more charitable, because their means are le
8、ss exhaust; yet, on the other side, they are more cruel, and hard-hearted (good to make severe inquisitors), because their tenderness is not so oft called upon. Grave natures, led by custom, and therefore constant, are commonly loving husbands; as was said of Ulysses, vetulam suam praetulit immortal
9、itati. Chaste women are often proud and forward, as presuming upon the merit of their chastity. It is one of the best bonds, both of chastity and obedience, in the wife, if she think her husband wise; which she will never do, if she find him jealous. Wives are young mens mistresses; companions for m
10、iddle age; and old mens nurses. So as a man may have a quarrel to marry, when he will. But yet, he was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question, when a man should marry? A young man not yet, an elder man not at all. It is often seen, that bad husbands have very good wives; wheth
11、er it be, that it raiseth the price of their husbands kindness, when it comes; or that the wives take a pride in their patience. But this never fails, if the bad husbands were of their own choosing, against their friends consent; for then, they will be sure to make good their own folly.译文：家有妻室儿女的人在前
12、途未来面前不得不听天有命，无论事业好与坏，家庭难免会成为他们实现伟大事业的绊脚石。因此对社会贡献最多的人往往是未婚或无子女的人，因为他们能在情感和物质上全身心地奉献于大众。然而有子女的人似乎更有理由对未来牵肠挂肚，因为他们清楚地知道他们必须把最好的保障留给子孙后代。而有些人尽管孑然一身，可他们往往只考虑自己，认为未来与自己毫不相干，还有些人把妻子儿女看作经济上的累赘，甚至还有些愚蠢贪婪的富人以无子嗣后代而自豪。因为他们认为这样更能彰显其富有。也许他们曾听人说道：“某某人非常富有。”而又会有人说：“话虽如此，但他可要抚养子女啊。”好像子女的存在会削减他的财富一样。然而单身多半是为了自由，特别是对
13、于那些自娱自乐，放荡不羁之人，他们受不了一点儿束缚，甚至腰带和袜带对他们来说都是一种羁绊。实际上，单身的人可以成为佳友，良师，忠仆，但是很难成为忠臣良民，因为他们了无牵挂，可以轻松地潜逃，所以大多亡命徒都是如此。独身生活最适合传教士，因为慈善之举若要先惠及家人，就无暇顾及他人，但对法官而言就无关紧要了，因为如果他们生性爱贪污腐败，一个下属所造成的严重后果远远大于一个妻子。至于士兵，我经常看到将军用妻子和孩子来鼓舞士兵的士气。我想这也许就是土耳其人不重视婚姻，从而导致他们士兵战斗力低下的原因吧。的确，妻子和儿女有益于塑造人性。单身者乐善好施，因为他们没有用于养家糊口的过多开销；但从另一方面看，他
14、们却更加残酷无情，铁石心肠（适合做审讯官）因为他们很少去关爱他人。良好的风俗可以教化出情感坚贞的男子汉，例如尤利西斯，抵得住美色和永生的诱惑，保持着对妻子的忠贞。贞洁的女人往往桀骜不驯，因保持贞洁而自恃清高。如果一个女人认为丈夫聪颖过人，那么便能保证她对丈夫的忠贞；但如果一个女人发现他的丈夫是妒忌猜疑的，那么她绝不会认为他是聪明的。妻子对于男人而言，年轻时是情人，中年时是伴侣，老年时是护士。想要结婚的男人可能会思前顾后地做思想斗争，可是有一位哲人，对于人应当何时结婚这一问题是这样回答的：“年轻人不宜，老年人不宜。”经常能看到的是，恶人抱得贤妻归，也许是因为丈夫缺点多而显得其优点的珍贵，或者妻子有足够的忍耐力吧。但如果她们是不顾亲友的反对嫁给自己丈夫的，她们也必将尽力去弥补当初的过失。
