《智慧书·第六辑·二五一至三百》第43则
Maturity. It is shown in the costume, still more in the customs. Material weight is the sign of a precious metal; moral, of a precious man. Maturity gives finish to his capacity and arouses respect. A composed bearing in a man forms a façade to his soul. It does not consist in the insensibility of fools, as frivolity would have it, but in a calm tone of authority. With men of this kind sentences are orations and acts are deeds. Maturity finishes a man off, for each is so far a complete man according as he possesses maturity. On ceasing to be a child a man begins to gain seriousness and authority.
注释摘要
这一则的西班牙文原题是“Madurez”，英译作“Maturity”，译成“成熟”或“老成”都可以，但要注意葛拉西安在这里讲的不是生理年龄的增长，而是一种人格的完成状态。标题与正文开篇是一句话的两半：“成熟显示于衣装，更显示于行事”——他先把成熟外在化，再往里推。衣装（costume）与行事（customs）在字形和发音上相近，这是概念主义（concept…