第59章 论读书（1 / 1）

ofstudies

论读书

francisbacon/弗朗西斯·培根

studiesservefordelight，forornament，andforability.theirchiefusefordelight，isinprivatenessandretiring；forornament，isindiscourse；andforability，isinthejudgment，anddispositionofbusiness.forexpertmencanexe-cute，andperhapsjudgeofparticulars，onebyone；butthegeneralcounsels，andtheplotsandmarshallingofaffairs，comebest，fromthosethatarelearned.tospendtoomuchtimeinstudiesissloth；tousethemtoomuchforornament，isaffectation；tomakejudgmentwhollybytheirrules，isthehumorofascholar.theyperfectnature，andareperfectedbyexperience：fornaturalabilitiesarelikenaturalplants，thatneedproyning，bystudy；andstudiesthemselves，dogiveforthdirectionstoomuchatlarge，excepttheybeboundedinbyexperience.craftymencontemnstudies，simplemenadmirethem，andwisemenusethem；fortheyteachnottheirownuse；butthatisawisdomwithoutthem，andabovethem，wonbyobservation.readnottocontradictandconfute；nortobelieveandtakeforgranted；nortofindtalkanddiscourse；buttoweighandconsider.somebooksaretobetasted，otherstobeswallowed，andsomefewtobechewedanddigested；thatis，somebooksaretobereadonlyinparts；otherstoberead，butnotcuriously；andsomefewtobereadwholly，andwithdiligenceandattention.somebooksalsomaybereadbydeputy，andextractsmadeofthembothers；butthatwouldbeonlyinthelessimportantarguments，andthemeanersortofbooks，elsedistilledbooksarelikecommondistilledwaters，flashythings.

读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节，然纵观统筹、全局策划，则舍好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰，文采藻饰太盛则矫，全凭条文断事乃学究故态。读书补天然之不足，经验又补读书之不足，盖天生才干犹如自然花草，读书然后知如何修剪移接；而书中所示，如不以经验范之，则又大而无当。有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者羡读书，唯明智之士用读书，然书并不以用处告人，用书之智不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察得之。读书时不可存心诘难作者，不可尽信书上所言，亦不可只为寻章摘句，而应推敲细思。书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之，有只须读其部分者，有只须大体涉猎者，少数则须全读，读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。书亦可请人代读，取其所作摘要，但只限题材较次或价值不高者，否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏、淡而无味矣。

readingmakesafullman；conferenceareadyman；andwritinganexactman.andtherefore，ifamanwritelittle，hehadneedhaveagreatmemory；ifheconferlittle，hehadneedhaveapresentwit：andifhereadlittle，hehadneedhavemuchcunning，toseemtoknow，thathedothnot.historiesmakemenwise；poetswitty；themathematicssubtitle；naturalphilosophydeep；moralgrave；logicandrhetoricabletocontend.nay，thereisnostandorimpedimentinthewit，butmaybewroughtoutbyfitstudies；likeasdiseasesofthebody，mayhaveappropriateexercises.bowlingisgoodforthestoneandreins；shootingforthelungsandbreast；gentlewalkingforthestomach；ridingforthehead；andthelike.soifaman‘switbewandering，lethimstudythemathematics；forindemonstrations，ifhiswitbecalledawayneversolittle，hemustbeginagain.ifhiswitbenotapttodistinguishorfinddifferences，lethimstudytheschoolmen；fortheyarecyminisectors.ifhebenotapttobeatovermatters，andtocalluponethingtoproveandillustrateanother，lethimstudythelawyers’cases.soeverydefectofthemind，mayhaveaspecialreceipt.

读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常作笔记者须记忆特强，不常讨论者须天生聪颖，不常读书者须欺世有术，始能无知而显有知。读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，逻辑修辞之学使人善辩：凡有所学，皆成性格。人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。如智力不集中，可令读数学，盖演题须全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辨异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。（未完待续）