原标题：Of Beauty
何新： 《论美》
说明： 译文不够准确！培根在这篇文章里不是要谈论泛意的“美”，即不是要谈论花的美，鸟的美，自然的美，而是要说明什么样的人才算真正的美，即外表谦卑内有道德的人才算美，所以这里的“美”是指人的“美”，即“美貌”。
试译： 《论美貌》
培根原文第一段：Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set; and surely virtue is best, in a body that is comely, 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 err, than in labor to produce excellency. And therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather behavior, than virtue.
解析：
原文：Virtue is like a rich stone, best plain set；
释义：Virtue is like a rich stone. A rich stone looks the best when it is plainly mounted and so virtue looks the best when it is in a plain body.
何新：美德好比宝石，它在朴素背景的衬托下反而更美丽。
说明：这一句比较难处理，因为很难确定best plain set到底是跟virtue有关还是跟rich stone有关。用对现代英语的感觉去体会，好像应该是跟virtue有关，但按此译成中文，又有点目明其妙。何新翻译时很喜欢添油加醋，在这里他恰恰采用了直译：“美德好比宝石，它在朴素背景的衬托下反而更美丽。”问题是，在什么情况下我们会用“背景”来衬托“美德”？很难想象有这种情况，所以这个译文有点突兀。我认为，把它处理成跟rich stone有关，更符合逻辑性。
试译：美德如宝石，宝石者，非素雅之镶嵌不能尽显其光彩。
原文：and surely virtue is best, in a body that is comely, though not of delicate features; and that hath rather dignity of presence, than beauty of aspect.
释义：and virtue is surely the best when it is in a body that is comely but not of delicate features and that has rather dignified appearance but not of peripheral beauty.
何新：同样，一个打扮并不华贵却端庄严肃而有美德者是令人肃然起敬的。
说明：原文的意思是：在如此如此的身体里的virtue是best的，即如此如此的人最能显示出virtue来；而何新译文的意思则是：如此如此的人是如此。
试译：故美德之光彩，非俊雅而不娇艳、非端庄而不仅仅美艳之身躯不能尽显。
原文：Neither is it almost seen, that very beautiful persons are otherwise of great virtue; as if nature were rather busy, not to err, than in labor to produce excellency.
释义：It is rarely seen that very beautiful persons have virtue. This is so may be because nature is so busy that it would rather not produce beauty than to make mistakes.
何新：因而造物似乎是吝啬的，他给了此就不再予彼。所以许多美男子徒有其表却不是真正的男子汉，他们过于追求形体之美而忽略了内心的修养。
说明：何新的这一句译文基本达意，但他的译文是解释性的，不是翻译。
试译：然，大美之人中鲜见美德者，仿佛造化忙不择优，为求无过而舍求至美。
原文：And therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather behavior, than virtue.
释义：That is why beautiful people have made the achievements in their appearance but not in great spirit and they are more interested in behavior than in virtue.
何新：所以许多美男子徒有其表却不是真正的男子汉，他们过于追求形体之美而忽略了内心的修养。
说明：同样，译文太过解释性而非翻译。
试译：此何为美人虽有相貌但乏品性，重外表而轻美德也。
何新第一段的完整译文：
美德好比宝石，它在朴素背景的衬托下反而更美丽。同样，一个打扮并不华贵却端庄严肃而有美德者是令人肃然起敬的。因而造物似乎是吝啬的，他给了此就不再予彼。所以许多美男子徒有其表却不是真正的男子汉，他们过于追求形体之美而忽略了内心的修养。所以许多美男子徒有其表却不是真正的男子汉，他们过于追求形体之美而忽略了内心的修养。
聚曦亭第一段的完整译文：
美德如宝石，宝石者，非素雅之镶嵌不能尽显其光彩。故美德之光彩，非俊雅而不娇艳、非端庄而不仅仅美艳之身躯不能尽显。然，大美之人中鲜见美德者，仿佛造化忙不择优，为求无过而舍求至美。此何为美人虽有相貌但乏品性，重外表而轻美德也。
