The joys of parents are secret; and so are their griefs and fears. They cannot utter the one; nor they will not utter the other. Children sweeten labors; but they make misfortunes more bitter. They increase the cares of life; but they mitigate（减轻，缓和） the remembrance of death. The perpetuity（永恒） by generation is common to beasts; but memory, merit, and noble works, are proper to men. And surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men; which have sought to express the images of their minds, where those of their bodies have failed. So the care of posterity（子孙，后代） is most in them, that have no posterity. They that are the first raisers of their houses, are most indulgent（放纵的，宽容的） towards their children; beholding them as the continuance, not only of their kind, but of their work; and so both children and creatures.
The difference in affection, of parents towards their several children, is many times unequal; and sometimes unworthy; especially in the mothers; as Solomon saith, A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious（没有教养的） son shames the mother. A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons; but in the midst, some that are as it were forgotten, who many times, nevertheless, prove the best. The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is an harmful error; makes them base; acquaints them with shifts; makes them sort with mean company; and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty. And therefore the proof is best, when men keep their authority towards the children, but not heir purse. Men have a foolish manner (both parents and schoolmasters and servants) in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers, during childhood, which many times sorteth to discord when they are men, and disturbeth families.
The Italians make little difference between children, and nephews or near kinsfolks; but so they be of the lump, they care not though they pass not through their own body. And, to say truth, in nature it is much a like matter; insomuch（就此程度而言） that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth an uncle, or a kinsman, more than his own parent; as the blood happens. Let parents choose betimes, the vocations and courses they mean their children should take; for then they are most flexible; and let them not too much apply themselves to the disposition of their children, as thinking they will take best to that, which they have most mind to. It is true, that if the affection or aptness（倾向，才能） of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it; but generally the precept is good, optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo（习惯）. Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherite.
相关单词：labors
labors解释：v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转
labors例句：
He was tiresome in contending for the value of his own labors. 他老为他自己劳动的价值而争强斗胜，令人生厌。 来自辞典例句
Farm labors used to hire themselves out for the summer. 农业劳动者夏季常去当雇工。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：mitigate
mitigate解释：vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和
mitigate例句：
The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。
相关单词：posterity
posterity解释：n.后裔，子孙，后代
posterity例句：
Few of his works will go down to posterity.他的作品没有几件会流传到后世。
The names of those who died are recorded for posterity on a tablet at the back of the church.死者姓名都刻在教堂后面的一块石匾上以便后人铭记。
相关单词：beholding
beholding解释：v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟
beholding例句：
Beholding, besides love, the end of love,/Hearing oblivion beyond memory! 我看见了爱，还看到了爱的结局，／听到了记忆外层的哪一片寂寥！ 来自英汉 - 翻译样例 - 文学
Hence people who began by beholding him ended by perusing him. 所以人们从随便看一看他开始的，都要以仔细捉摸他而终结。 来自辞典例句
相关单词：eldest
eldest解释：adj.最年长的，最年老的
eldest例句：
The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。
相关单词：illiberality
illiberality解释：n.吝啬，小气
illiberality例句：
Sometimes I even call top is an illiberality. 有时我甚至称得上是吝啬。 来自互联网
相关单词：surfeit
surfeit解释：v.使饮食过度；n.(食物)过量，过度
surfeit例句：
The voters are pretty sick of such a surfeit of primary sloganeering.选民们对于初选时没完没了地空喊口号的现象感到发腻了。
A surfeit of food makes one sick.饮食过量使人生病。
相关单词：emulation
emulation解释：n.竞争；仿效
emulation例句：
The young man worked hard in emulation of his famous father.这位年轻人努力工作，要迎头赶上他出名的父亲。
His spirit of assiduous study is worthy of emulation.他刻苦钻研的精神，值得效法。
相关单词：discord
discord解释：n.不和，意见不合，争论，（音乐）不和谐
discord例句：
These two answers are in discord.这两个答案不一样。
The discord of his music was hard on the ear.他演奏的不和谐音很刺耳。
相关单词：kinsman
kinsman解释：n.男亲属
kinsman例句：
Tracing back our genealogies,I found he was a kinsman of mine.转弯抹角算起来他算是我的一个亲戚。
A near friend is better than a far dwelling kinsman.近友胜过远亲。
相关单词：vocations
vocations解释：n.（认为特别适合自己的）职业( vocation的名词复数 )；使命；神召；（认为某种工作或生活方式特别适合自己的）信心
vocations例句：
The term profession originally denoted a limited number of vocations. 专业这个术语起初表示数量有限的职业。 来自辞典例句
I understood that Love encompassed all vocations, that Love was everything "." 我明白爱含有一切圣召，爱就是一切。 来自互联网
相关单词：disposition
disposition解释：n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署
disposition例句：
He has made a good disposition of his property.他已对财产作了妥善处理。
He has a cheerful disposition.他性情开朗。
相关单词：precept
precept解释：n.戒律；格言
precept例句：
It occurs to me that example is always more efficacious than precept.我想到身教重于言教。
The son had well profited by the precept and example of the father.老太爷的言传身教早已使他儿子获益无穷。
相关单词：suave
suave解释：adj.温和的；柔和的；文雅的
suave例句：
He is a suave,cool and cultured man.他是个世故、冷静、有教养的人。
I had difficulty answering his suave questions.我难以回答他的一些彬彬有礼的提问。
