《智慧书·第二辑·五一至一百》第19则
Do not give way to every common Impulse. He is a great man who never allows himself to be influenced by the impressions of others. Self-reflection is the school of wisdom. To know one's disposition and to allow for it, even going to the other extreme so as to find the juste milieu between nature and art. Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement. There be some whose humours are so monstrous that they are always under the influence of one or other of them, and put them in place of their real inclinations. They are torn asunder by such disharmony and get involved in contradictory obligations. Such excesses not only destroy firmness of will; all power of judgment gets lost, desire and knowledge pulling in opposite directions.
注释摘要
这一则的标题与正文前半句原是一个意思的两个表述。"Do not give way to every common Impulse" 中的 common 在西班牙原文里很可能是 vulgar，在葛拉西安的词汇里不止指庸常，还带有世俗、未经反思、与动物性相通的含义。因此他并不是在泛泛地劝人克制冲动，而是在说：不要让你的内在被任何一种随手可得的、人人皆有的情绪反…