Of studies

“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……”英国哲学家弗朗西斯·培根对于学习的观点可谓精辟独到。学习是一门艺术，怎样才能学的精，学的好，培根的这篇《论学习》让你明白：其实懂得学习也是一门大智慧。

Studies serve for delight, for ornament¹, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse²; and for ability, is in the judgment³, and disposition⁴ of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned.

To spend too much time in studies is sloth⁵; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning⁶, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth⁷ directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty⁸ men contemn⁹ studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously¹⁰; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled¹¹ books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh (makes) a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty¹²; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic¹³ and rhetoric¹⁴ able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores¹⁵.

Nay¹⁶ there is no stand or impendiment in the wit, but may be wrought（work的过去分词）out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling¹⁷ is good for the stone and reins¹⁸; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man''s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations¹⁹, if his wit　be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores（吹毛求疵之人）. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate²⁰ another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.