ESAJOS DE FRANCIS BACON
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Sur la belia

par Francis Bacon

traduida par Andrew Burns

VIRTUA es como un jem valuosa, la plu bon si simple monturida. En fato, virtua mostra se la plu bon en un corpo cual es bela — ma no un con partes delicata — e cual posese dinia de presentia plu ca belia surfasal. On vide rara persones estracomun bela ce es ance persones de virtua grande, como si natur, en crea los, ia es plu preocupada sur evita falis ca sur ateni eselentia. Donce, los deveni refinada, ma sin grandia de spirito, e los foca a maneras plu ca a virtua.

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 labour to produce excellency; and therefore they prove accomplished, but not of great spirit; and study rather behaviour, than virtue.

Ma esta no es sempre vera. Car Augusto Cesar, Tito Vespasiano, Filip la Bela de Frans, Eduard la Cuatro de England, Alcibiades de Atina, e Ismail, la Xa de Persia, ia es tota omes de spirito alta e grande, e ia es an tal la omes la plu bela de sua edas.

But this holds not always: for Augustus Cæsar, Titus Vespasianus, Philip le Belle 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.

En belia, la atrae de la partes de fas es plu importante ca la color de pel, e move elegante e grasiosa es plu importante ca la partes mesma. Esta es la elemento la plu grande de belia, cual un portrae no pote catura, no an la regarda prima en person. No bela estrema esiste sin un pico de strania en sua proportios. On no pote dise esce Apeles o Albrecht Dürer ia es la plu malgidada, car la un ia atenta crea un figur usante proportios jeometrial, e la otra ia atenta crea un perfeta par prende la partes la plu bon de multe fases diferente. Me imajina ce tal creadas ia plase nun estra la depintor ci ia crea los. Me no vole dise ce un depintor no pote crea un fas plu bela ca cualce cual ia esiste a ante; ma el debe crea lo par un spesie de jenia, (como un musiciste composante un melodia bela), no par segue un formula. On vide fases cual, si on esamina los parte par parte, ave no sola parte perfeta, e an tal la intera es plasente.

In beauty, that of favour, is more than that of colour; and that of decent and gracious motion, more than that of favour. 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 the one would make a personage by geometrical proportions: the other by taking the best parts out of divers 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, (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.

Si lo es vera ce la parte xef de belia es en move grasiosa, alora lo no es un mervelia ce persones plu vea frecuente pare plu bela; “pulchrorum autumnus pulcher;” car la encanta de jovenia depende de la fato ce nos pardona [sua torpia], e jovenia mesma es lo cual compensa [per la manca de grasia perfeta].

If it be true, that the principal part of beauty, is in decent motion, certainly it is no marvel, though persons in years seem many times more amiable; “pulchrorum autumnus pulcher;” for no youth can be comely but by pardon, and considering the youth as to make up the comeliness.

Belia es como fruta de estate, fasil malida e corta durante. Per la plu, lo gida a un jovenia lasiva e un veia regretosa. E an tal, si donada a un person conveninte, lo fa ce virtuas brilia e mal abituas roji.

Beauty is as summer fruits, which are easy to corrupt, and cannot last; and, for the most part, it makes a dissolute youth, and an age a little out of countenance; but yet certainly again, if it light well, it maketh virtues shine, and vices blush.