《智慧书·第五辑·二〇一至二五〇》第42则
Push Advantages. Some put all their strength in the commencement and never carry a thing to a conclusion. They invent but never execute. These be paltering spirits. They obtain no fame, for they sustain no game to the end. Everything stops at a single stop. This arises in some from impatience, which is the failing of the Spaniard, as patience is the virtue of the Belgian. The latter bring things to an end, the former come to an end with things. They sweat away till the obstacle is surmounted, but content themselves with surmounting it: they do not know how to push the victory home. They prove that they can but will not: but this proves always that they cannot, or have no stability. If the undertaking is good, why not finish it? If it is bad, why undertake it? Strike down your quarry, if you are wise; be not content to flush it.
注释摘要
“Push Advantages”整句话的逻辑是：一旦着手一件事，就应当把优势推到尽头，而不是止于初期的突破。标题的 push 不是用力推一把，而是持续施压直至猎物倒地。下文通篇都在批评一类人：他们能把事情启动，甚至能攻下第一道难关，却在最有胜算的时刻松了手。葛拉西安把这种人叫作 paltering spirits——三心二意、在要紧处突然无所谓的精神气质…