《道德情操论·卷六·论德性的品质·三·论自制》第21节
Though in prosperity, however, the man of excessive self-estimation may sometimes appear to have some advantage over the man of correct and modest virtue; though the applause of the multitude, and of those who see them both only at a distance, is often much louder in favour of the one than it ever is in favour of the other; yet, all things fairly computed, the real balance of advantage is, perhaps in all cases, greatly in favour of the latter and against the former. The man who neither ascribes to himself, nor wishes that other people should ascribe to him, any other merit besides that which really belongs to him, fears no humiliation, dreads no detection; but rests contented and secure upon the genuine truth and solidity of his own character. His admirers may neither be very numerous nor very loud in their applauses; but the wisest man who sees him the nearest and who knows him the best, admires him the most. To a real wise man the judicious and well-weighed approbation of a single wise man, gives more heartfelt satisfaction than all the noisy applauses of ten thousand ignorant though enthusiastic admirers. He may say with Parmenides, who, upon reading a philosophical discourse before a public assembly at Athens, and observing, that, except Plato, the whole company had left him, continued, notwithstanding, to read on, and said that Plato alone was audience sufficient for him.
注释摘要
斯密在此处进行了一场道德算术。他把那些过度自我评价的人与老老实实估价自己的人放在天平两端，一项一项地核算他们最终获得的利益。外界看来，浮夸的一方似乎总是赢家：他们获得的掌声更响亮，远处旁观的人更容易被他们的气势所慑服。但斯密认为，只要把所有账目算清楚，优势其实完全在谦逊而准确的那一方。 那个既不向自己也不向别人索取任何不实功劳的人，占据了一个非常安全的位置…