作者 培根弗兰西斯·培根画像弗兰西斯·培根（Francis Bacon ，1561—1626）是英国哲学家、思想家、作家和科学家。被马克思称为“英国唯物主义和整个现代实验科学的真正始祖”。他在逻辑学、美学、教育学方面也提出许多思想。著有《新工具》《论说随笔文集》等。

原文（英文版）

Of Adversity(论厄运)

It was an high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics), that the good things, which belong to prosperity, are to be wished; but the good things, that belong to adversity, are to be admired. Bona rerum secundarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia. Certainly if miracles be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his, than the other (much too high for a heathen), It is true greatness, to have in one the frailty of a man, and the security of a God. Vere magnum habere fragilitatem hominis, securitatem Dei. This would have done better in poesy, where transcendences are more allowed. And the poets indeed have been busy with it; for it is in effect the thing, which figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian; that Hercules, when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented), sailed the length of the great ocean, in an earthen pot or pitcher; lively describing Christian resolution, that saileth in the frail bark of the flesh, through the waves of the world. But to speak in a mean. The virtue of prosperity, is temperance; the virtue of adversity, is fortitude; which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God’s favor. Yet even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David’s harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath labored more in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle-works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work, upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work, upon a lightsome ground: judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart, by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.

原文（中文版）

“幸运的好处固然应当使人向往，但是厄运的好处则会令人惊奇叹赞。”这是塞内加模仿斯多葛学派的口吻发表的高论。毋庸置疑，如果奇迹的意思就是超乎寻常，那么它们大多是从厄运中产生的。塞内加还说过一句比这更高明的话（这话由一个异教徒说出实在是太高明了）：“一个人有凡人的脆弱而又有神的自在无忧，那才是真的伟大。”这句话如果写成诗也许更妙，因为在诗中似乎更允许夸张超凡的说法。而且诗人们也的确始终忙于对其进行描写，因为这种超凡实际就是古代诗人在那部奇妙的传奇中所表现的东西——古人的想象似乎不乏深义，而且描写的还很有点接近基督徒的情形呢。当赫拉克勒斯去解救象征人性的普罗旺米修斯的时候，是坐在一个陶罐里渡过了大海。而这就如同基督徒以血肉之躯的轻舟渡过世间的汪洋波涛。一般来说，幸运所产生的美德是节制，而厄运所产生的美德是坚忍；依道德的标准而言，后者是更为高尚的一种德行。

幸运是《旧约》中所说的神恩，而厄运是《新约》中的福祉，而且厄运所带来的福祉更大，它所昭示的上帝的恩泽和启示也更为明显。即使是在《旧约》之中，如果谛听大卫的琴音，也一定可以听见与欢颂一样多的哀歌；并且，那支圣灵的画笔在描述约伯的苦难时，比描绘所罗门的幸福要细致的多了。幸运中并非全无诸多恐惧与烦恼，而厄运中也不乏许多的安慰与希望。在刺绣织锦上，我们常可见到，在一片阴暗的背景上绣上一种明丽的图案，比在一片浅色的底子上绣一种暗沉的花样要悦目得多；从这眼中的乐趣去推想心中的乐趣罢。毫无疑问，美德就像名贵的香料，越经燃烧或碾压而其香愈浓，正如幸运最能显露恶德，而厄运最能昭显美德。