《培根随笔集》是英国随笔文学的开山之作，内容涉及政治、经济、宗教、爱情、婚姻、友谊、艺术、教育、伦理、学习等人类生活的方方面面，以其语言简洁、文笔优美、说理透彻、警句迭出等特点，在世界文学史上占据了非常重要的地位。作者弗兰西斯·培根学识渊博，通晓人情世故，对谈及的问题均有发人深省的见解，他以哲学家的眼光，思考了广泛的人生问题，写出了许多形式短小、风格活泼的随笔小品，集成本书。《培根随笔》与《蒙田随笔》、《爱默生随笔》被人们誉为欧洲近代哲理散文三大经典。

弗朗西斯·培根（Francis Bacon，1561一1626），圣阿尔本子爵（1st Viscount St Alban），英国文艺复兴时期重要的散文家、哲学家，实验科学的创始人，近代归纳法的创始人。马克思、恩格斯称之为“英国唯物主义的创始人”。主要著作有《新工具》《论科学的增进》以及《学术的伟大复兴》等。

Table of Contents
The Life of Francis Bacon
Prologue
THE ESSAYS BY FRANCIS BACON
Preface
OF TRUTH
OF DEATH
OF UNITY IN RELIGION
OF REVENGE
OF ADVERSITY
OF SIMULATION AND DISSIMULATION
OF PARENTS AND CHILDREN
OF MARRIAGE AND SINGLE LIFE
OF ENVY
OF LOVE
OF GREAT PLACE
OF BOLDNESS
OF GOODNESS AND GOODNESS OF NATURE
OF NOBILITY
OF SEDITIONS AND TROUBLES
OF ATHEISM
OF SUPERSTITION
OF TRAVEL
OF EMPIRE
OF COUNSEL
OF DELAYS
OF CUNNING
OF WISDOM FOR A MAN’S SELF
OF INNOVATIONS
OF DISPATCH
OF SEEMING WISE
OF FRIENDSHIP
OF EXPENSE
OF THE TRUE GREATNESS OF KINGDOMS AND
ESTATES
OF REGIMENT OF HEALTH
OF SUSPICION
OF DISCOURSE
OF PLANTATIONS
OF RICHES
OF PROPHECIES
OF AMBITION
OF MASQUES AND TRIUMPHS
OF NATURE IN MEN
OF CUSTOM AND EDUCATION
OF FORTUNE
OF USURY
OF YOUTH AND AGE
OF BEAUTY
OF DEFORMITY
OF BUILDING
OF GARDENS
OF NEGOTIATING
OF FOLLOWERS AND FRIENDS
OF SUITORS
OF STUDIES
OF FACTION
OF CEREMONIES AND RESPECT
OF PRAISE
OF VAIN-GLORY
OF HONOR AND REPUTATION
OF JUDICATURE
OF ANGER
OF VICISSITUDE OF THINGS
OF FAME
APPENDIXES
I A GLOSSARY OF ARCHAIC WORDS AND PHRASES
II BACON TIME LINE