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1、1601THEESSAYSbyFrancisBaconOFTRUTHWhatistruth?saidjestingPilate,andwouldnotstayforananswer.Certainlytherebe,thatdelightingiddiness,andcountitabondagetofixabelief;affectingfree-willinthinking,aswellasinacting.Andthoughthesectsofphilosophersofthatkindbegone,yetthereremaincertaindiscoursingwits,w
2、hichareofthesameveins,thoughtherebenotsomuchbloodinthem,aswasinthoseoftheancients.Butitisnotonlythedifficultyandlabor,whichmentakeinfindingoutoftruth,noragain,thatwhenitisfound,itimposethuponmen'sthoughts,thatdothbringliesinfavor;butanaturalthoughcorruptlove,ofthelieitself.Oneofthelaterschoolo
3、ftheGrecians,examineththematter,andisatastand,tothinkwhatshouldbeinit,thatmenshouldlovelies;whereneithertheymakeforpleasure,aswithpoets,norforadvantage,aswiththemerchant;butforthelie'ssake.ButIcannottell;thissametruth,isanaked,andopenday-light,thatdothnotshowthemasks,andmummeries,andtriumphs,o
4、ftheworld,halfsostatelyanddaintilyascandle-lights.Truthmayperhapscometothepriceofapearl,thatshowethbestbyday;butitwillnotrisetothepriceofadiamond,orcarbuncle,thatshowethbestinvariedlights.Amixtureofaliedotheveraddpleasure.Dothanymandoubt,thatifthereweretakenoutofmen'sminds,vainopinions,flatter
5、inghopes,falsevaluations,imaginationsasonewould,andthelike,butitwouldleavetheminds,ofanumberofmen,poorshrunkenthings,fullofmelancholyandindisposition,andunpleasingtothemselves?Oneofthefathers,ingreatseverity,calledpoesyvinumdoemonum,becauseitfilleththeimagination;andyet,itisbutwiththeshadowofa
6、lie.Butitisnottheliethatpasseththroughthemind,buttheliethatsinkethin,andsettlethinit,thatdoththehurt;suchaswespakeofbefore.But,howsoeverthesethingsarethusinmen'sdepravedjudgments,andaffections,yettruth,whichonlydothjudgeitself,teacheththattheinquiryoftruth,whichisthelove-making,orwooingofit,th
7、eknowledgeoftruth,whichisthepresenceofit,andthebeliefoftruth,whichistheenjoyingofit,isthesovereigngoodofhumannature.ThefirstcreatureofGod,intheworksofthedays,wasthelightofthesense;thelast,wasthelightofreason;andhissabbathworkeversince,i
