勇敢不需要特殊的条件，也没有奇妙的规则，同样也不需要时间、地点和情况的特意配合。它是每个人迟早都会遇到的这么一个机会。政治不过是对勇气进行特殊考验的一个场所而已。不管在人生的什么场合下遭遇勇气的挑战，也不论为了遵从自己的良心而将面对什么样牺牲——朋友、财富和满足的丧失，甚至同伴对你的敬重——每个人都必须自己决断所遵行的方针政策。旁人勇敢的故事可以阐释那个因素——能够教导我们，为我们带来希望和灵感，但却不能给我们带来勇气。因为每个人必须到自己的灵魂深处去寻找勇气。
婚姻
On Marriage
卡里·纪伯伦 / Kahlil Gibran
Then Almitra spoke again and said, and what of Marriage, master?
And he answered saying:
You were born together, and together you shall be forever more.
You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.
Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.
But let there be spaces in your togetherness,
And let the winds of the heavens dance between you,
Love one another, but make not a bond of love:
Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.
Fill each other' s cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.
Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,
Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other' s keeping.
For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.
And stand together yet not too near together:
For the pillars of the temple stand apart,
And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other' s shadow.
艾尔梅特à再度开口问道：大师，和我们谈谈有关婚姻的事，好吗？
于是，他回答道：
你们一同出生，也将长相厮守。
当死神之翼驱散你们的日子时，你们也应在一起。
即使在上帝的记忆中，你们也将始终相守，
但是请在你们彼此的世界中保留一些空间，
好让空中的风在你们之间舞蹈。
彼此相爱，但不要让爱成为束缚，
让爱成为奔流于你们灵魂海岸间的大海。
注满彼此的±盏，但不要只从一只±中啜饮，
要将自己的面包赠与对方，但不是享用同一块。
两人一起欢歌曼舞，同享欢愉，但仍要各自保持自我，
就像琴上的弦虽为同一旋律而振动，但琴与弦也是彼此分开的。
奉献你们的心，但并不是要你们紧握住对方的心不放，
因为只有生命的手才能握紧你们的心。
应站在一起，但不要靠得太近，
因为廊柱分立，才能撑起庙宇。
橡树和松柏也不能在彼此的阴影下生长。
论青年与老年
Of Youth and Age
弗朗西斯·培根 / Francis Bacon
A man that is young in years, may be old in hours, if he have lost no time. But that happened rarely. Generally, youth is like the first cogitations, not so wise as the second. For there is a youth in thoughts, as well as in ages.
And yet the invention of young men, is more lively than that of old; and imaginations stream into their minds better, and, as it were, more divinely. Natures that have much heat, and great and violent desires and perturbations, are not ripe for action, till they have passed the meridian of their years; as it was with Julius Caesar and Septimius Severus...
Young men are fitter to invent, than to judge; fitter for execution, than for counsel; and fitter for new projects, than for settled business. For the experience of age, in things that fall within the compass of it, directeth them; but in new things, abuseth them.
The errors of young men, are the ruin of business; but the errors of aged men, amount but to this, that more might have been done, or sooner. Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions, embrace more than they can hold; stir more than they can quiet; fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some few principles, which they have chanced upon absurdly care not to innovate, which draws unknown inconveniences; use extreme remedies at first; and, that which doubleth all errors, will not acknowledge or retract them; like an unready horse, that will neither stop nor turn. Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success. Certainly it is good to compound employments of both; for that will be good for the present, because the virtues of either age, may correct the defects of both; and good for succession, that young men may be learners, while men in age are actors; and, lastly, good for extern accidents, because authority followeth old men, and favor and popularity, youth. But for the moral part, perhaps youth will have the pre-eminence, as age hath for the politic.
一个人假使不曾虚度生活，年岁不大也可以表现得成熟老练，只不过这种情况少有发生罢了。深思未必出自风霜，岁月同样可见年轻，可一般的青年毕竟谋划不过长辈，智慧也不及他们少年老成的同龄人。
但青年的创造性是更为丰富的，想象力也如涌泉一样奔放灵活，这似乎更得益于神助。天性刚烈、心怀热望、情绪敏感的人不历中年，行事总是青涩，?撒和塞维à斯即为例证
青年擅长创造却缺乏判断，擅长行动却缺乏商讨，擅长革新却缺乏对验的借鉴。日积月累的验可以引导他们掌握旧事物，但也会遮盖他们看见新事物的视线。
青年人犯错往往毁坏大局，而老年人的错则是迈步太小或行动太缓。无论谋事还是操行，青年都骛远喜功，基调高，动幅大，好走极端，他们藐视前例，目空一切，革新的勇气绰绰有余，而欠方式和分寸上的考虑，结果反而招致意外的麻烦。他们有如不羁的野马，行事极端而不自知自救，一旦开蹄犯错，就泻至千里，不可复回。老年人呢？他们顾忌太多，议论过长，宁求安稳，不愿冒险，总是满足于平平成绩而不向往极致的辉煌。毫无疑问，最好是将两者特点结合。就现在来说，青年和老年可以互相取长补短。就发展来说，老年人是主事者，而青年可以学习取。最后就社会来说，老年人以权威之姿指引方向，青年人则能振奋民心、鼓舞士气。但如果从政治上讲，老人的阅历是珍贵的，那么，青年人的纯真则在人性中熠熠闪光。
论自私者的聪明
Of Wisdom for a Man's Self
弗朗西斯·培根 / Francis Bacon
