论美

Virtue¹ is like a rich stone, best plain set; and surely virtue is best, in a body that is comely², 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 err³, than in labor⁴ to produce excellency. And therefore they prove accomplished⁵, but not of great spirit; and study rather behavior, than virtue. But this holds not always: for Augustus Caesar, Titus Vespasianus, Philip le Belle⁶ 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（亲切的，高尚的） 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（关于什么） the one, would make a personage by geometrical proportions; the other, by taking the best parts out of divers⁷ 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（幸福，快乐） (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 marvel⁸, though persons in years seem many times more amiable⁹（亲切的）; pulchrorum autumnus pulcher; for no youth can be comely but by pardon, and considering the youth, as to make up the comeliness¹⁰. Beauty is as summer fruits,) which are easy to corrupt¹¹, and cannot last; and for the most part it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance¹²; but yet certainly again, if it light well, it maketh virtue shine,and vices¹³ blush.