1、Unit 3 Francis Bacon (1561-1626)“Of Marriage and Single Life”“Of Studies”I Bacons position and contributionII A brief introduction to EssaysIII A close analysis of“Of Marriage and Single Life”IV A close analysis of “Of Studies”VI Useful on-line references for further studyV Questions for further exp
2、lorationI Bacons position and contribution1.Position Father of Modern Science the first major English essayist English Renaissance philosopher,scholar,lawyer and statesman2.Contribution Literary contribution:making essay writing a popular form in English by introducing scientific style to England Ma
3、jor contributions to philosophy:application of induction to scientific research,a breakthrough in the approach to scienceII A brief introduction to Bacons Essays 1.Actual size a collection of essays the first published book in 1597 with 10 essays a much-enlarged second edition in 1612 with 38 essays
4、 the third published book in 1625 with 58 essays.2.Major subjects ranging from abstract subjects such as the meaning of truth and the composition of beauty to concrete,practical matters such as“friendship”,“marriage”and parents and children.3.Salient features of Bacons prose style compact and terse:
5、wisdom in thought+extreme brevity formal and tightly organized elegantly phrased.III A close analysis of Of Marriage and Single Life1.a brief introduction to Of Marriage and Single Life one of Bacons best known essays from the enduring collection,Essays.about rumination on the subject of marriage an
6、d single life with all its pros and cons.2.Discourse analysis Bacons point of view:-wives and children,-impediment to great enterprises,or great deeds;-not necessarily a bad thing,-a virtue for both the wife and the children and even for the society;-marriage a good thing on the whole.arguments:pres
7、ented in the weigh of the pros and cons between marriage and single life.pros and cons concerning marriagecons:bondage:impediments to great enterprises;bills of charges,an abatement to his riches.pros:having greatest care of future times;enjoying professional preference(judges and magistrates,soldie
8、rs);a kind of discipline of humanity:loyal,responsible,loving,tender;constant and ethical,chastity;wives as young mens mistresses;companions for middle age,and old mens nurses.pros and cons concerning single lifepros:The best works,and of greatest merit for the public,proceeded from the unmarried or
9、 childless men;much richer,capable of making larger donations to charity;enjoy liberty,no restraint;unmarried men,best friends,best masters,and best servants.cons:selfish:unmarried mens thoughts do end with themselves,and account future impertinences;not always best citizens,less loyal;a bachelor no
10、t fit to be a judge or magistrate,no restraint and no family,flippant and indiscrete in thinking and action;Unmarried men make the vulgar soldier more base;tend to be more cruel and hard-hearted in their conduct.ConclusionMarriage is a good thing:Wives are young mens mistresses;companions for middle
11、 age;and old mens nurses.4.Writing skills Comparison and Contrast:the weigh of pros and cons of marriage and single life:.Yet.,.but.,.worse than.,.more base.,yet on the other side,.more cruel and hard-hearted,.etc.Repetition:Nay,there are some other that account wife and children but as bills of cha
12、rges.Nay more,there are some foolish rich covetous men that take a pride in having no children,.EllipsisWives are young mens mistresses;companions for middle age;and old mens nurses.Aphoristic style:a compact,condensed and epigrammatic style of writing.An aphorism:a short sentence expressing a truth
13、 in the fewest possible words.Examples of aphorism He that hath wife and children hath given hostages to fortune;for they are impediments to great enterprises,either of virtue or mischief.夫人之有妻儿也不啻已向命运典质，从此难 成大事，无论善恶。Certainly wife and children are a kind of discipline of humanity.妻儿对人确为一种锻炼。Wives a
14、re young mens mistresses;companions for middle age;and old mens nurses.妻子者，青年之情妇，中年之伴侣，老年之护士也。5.The language in Of Marriage and Single Life:archaism and Latin:compact and elegant e.g.maketh,hath,raiseth,unto,nay,vetulam suam praetulit immortalitati.etc.IV.A close analysis of Of Studies1.a brief intr
15、oduction to“Of Studies”:Bacons most famous essay in Essays;examine the benefits and ways of studies;2.Aphoristic style:combining wisdom in thought in extreme brevity “Crafty men condemn studies;simple men admire them;and wise men use them.”有一技之长鄙读书，无知者慕读书，唯明智之士用读书。“Some books are to be tasted,others
16、 to be swallowed,and some few to be chewed and digested.”书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。Exercise:Translate the following sentences into Chinese in aphoristic style:1.Histories make men wise;poets witty;the mathematics subtle;natural philosophy deep;moral grave;logic and rhetoric able to contend.2.“Reading ma
17、keth a full man;conference a ready man;and writing an exact man.”3.Discourse Analysis1)(From the beginning to“.,won by observation.”)the main purposes of the studies:“Studies serve for delight,for ornament,and for ability.Their chief use for delight,is in privateness and retiring;for ornament,is in
18、discourse;and for ability,is in the judgment and disposition of business.”读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以长才。其怡 情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。2)(From“Reading not to contradict.”to“.,to seem to know that he doth not.”)Ways of studies:weigh and consider,ways of reading books:categorized and read according
19、to their content and value to the individual.3)(From“Histories make men wise,.”to the end)the benefits of studies:“Histories make men wise;poets witty;the mathematics subtle;natural philosophy deep;moral grave;logic and rhetoric able to contend.”“.impediment in the wit,but may be wrought out by fit
20、studies,.”.人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅.“So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.”如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。4.Rhetorical devices parallelism combined with ellipsis:concise and the key information more prominent.“To spend too much time in studies is sloth;to use them too much for ornament,is affectati
21、on;to make judgment wholly by their rules,is the humor of a scholar.”Analogy.distilled books are like common distilled waters,flashy things.”(the“distilled books”as common“distilled waters”)书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏,淡而无味矣。“natural abilities are like natural plants,that need proyning by study.”盖天生才干犹如自然花草，读书然后知如何修剪
22、移接；Simile“Nay,there is no stand or impediment in the wit,but may be wrought out by fit studies;like as diseases of the body,may have appropriate exercises.”(fit study to humans wit as the appropriate exercises to the body)5.The language in Of Studies graceful and concise:use of Latin quotations:“Abe
23、unt Studia in mores”凡有所学，皆成性格。“cymini sectores”吹毛求疵之人V Questions for further exploration1.In Francis Bacons essay Marriage and Single Life,what does Bacon mean by A young man not yet,and elder man not at all.?2.In Francis Bacons essay Of Studies,what does Bacon mean by writing makes an exact man?3.What,in Bacons opinion,is the ultimate purpose of studying?VI Useful on-line references for further studyhttps:/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Baconhttp:/
