《智慧书·第一辑·一至五十》第46则
Master your Antipathies. We often allow ourselves to take dislikes, and that before we know anything of a person. At times this innate yet vulgar aversion attaches Itself to eminent personalities. Good sense masters this feeling, for there is nothing more discreditable than to dislike those better than ourselves. As sympathy with great men ennobles us, so dislike to them degrades us.
注释摘要
这则格言的标题与正文构成一个完整的命题：反感往往是我们纵容自己养成的，在真正了解一个人之前就已经下了判断，而这种无端的厌恶有时偏偏指向最卓越的人；理性必须主宰这种情绪，因为再没有什么比憎厌优于我们的人更自降身份了。葛拉西安在这里没有长篇展开，而是用了一个简洁的对句收束：同情伟大人物使我们高贵，厌恶他们则使我们低贱。这句话里的“贵”与“贱”不是指出身，而是指…