To Be a Full Man from Reading

We all know that study can cultivate a man and even make a full man. A full man should have a positive view of world, life and value, which is usually based on a balanced knowledge system. And how can we obtain this necessary knowledge? Of Studies is the answer to this question. In Bacon’s essay Of Studies, reading purposes and functions are discussed in detail. Bacon also analyzes the different attitudes to reading and introduces various methods of reading. Above all, Bacon tells us how to be a full man from reading.

In the very beginning, Bacon points out that reading can serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. We can see that reading has three functions. It delights you; it beautifies you; and it strengthens your ability. The author also says that their chief use for delight is in private life and retiring. That is to say, when you stay alone, book is your best companion which eases loneliness and brings happiness. If you are really absorbed in the book, you may not feel lonely. “For ornament, is in discourse.” When communicating or negotiating with others, knowledge learned from books can make you decent and educated. In other words, reading beautifies you in that occasion. “And for ability, is in the judgment and disposition.” Faced with affairs, an expert man can judge of particulars one by one. But to general people, he should act decisively. It means he can hold the whole situation and think out a plan. Where does this kind of ability come from? Reading. If you read all kinds of books, you are able to taste what might not happen to you in real life, and then ask yourself what you would do in that situation. Reading helps you make fewer mistakes. For that, you can learn mistake examples from books so that you may make no mistakes when you are in the same situation.

According to the essay, reading perfects people’s nature. The gold have no foot red, the person has no perfect person. Defects can be made up and reading is a superexcellent methods. Natural abilities are like natural plants that need pruning by study. Reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles. You can accumulate knowledge little by little and one day you may find yourself wiser than others. This wisdom is not born with you but acquired after years’ effort.

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.” That is to say, we should choose some book to read, but not read all the books. Some useful books should be read carefully and taken notes. Different books have different functions; the essay is telling us reading different books can bring different knowledge which we lack. And different books have different methods to read. There are countless numbers of books in the bookstores or libraries. You do not have that energy to read all the books. As a wise man, you definitely choose to select some of them to read, which is of great benefit to you. Basically, these books can give you true knowledge, perfect your personality and help you form right view of life and world. And then you have taken a big step on the way to be a full man.

Francis Bacon’s Of Studies says “histories make men wise, poets, witty; the mathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend.” That is to say, we read all kinds of books that contribute to perfect our knowledge structure and form critical thinking. So we should read books of various fields to make us be a full man. That also can learn more about our world in all aspects. Reading can make a full man. That is to say, we should read more books which are useful for us. Reading can enlarge our knowledge in different fields.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. Sometimes the real world is same as the ancient time and the situation we are in is quite like what our forebears suffered. Reading histories makes people learn lessons from the ancient time, avoid making the same mistakes and predict the development of things. People who read histories will be wiser than these who just act according to their own preferences without learning from histories.

Reading poems makes people learn the beauty of language, the beautiful classical style of art and live a poetic life. People who read poems will be wittier than these who haven’t feel the beautiful mood and pure life. The modern society is too busy and reading poems can slow down the pace of life and makes people not so impetuous. Putting yourself into poetic conditions, you may lead a different and easy life.

Reading mathematics makes people focus on the accurate calculation, develop a

scientific attitude, and form a pragmatic spirit. And mathematics makes people attentive and think more and logically when encountering different things no matter it is big or small. People who read mathematics will be more subtle to consider things from all aspects and do things from the drop carefully than these who don’t read.

Reading natural philosophy makes people pursue truth, explore the unknown mystery, and practice actively. People who read natural philosophy will be deeper than these who don’t learn the theory of reflecting the truth.

Reading moral makes people learn the way of harmony living, form the principle of ethical behaviors and develop correct outlooks on values. In other words, people who read moral know how to live in the society and how to build relationships with people surrounding them. People who read moral will be graver than these who behave without correct principles and can’t deal with different relationships.

Reading logic makes people master the rules of thinking, dealing with different things and exploring objective reality. People who read logic will be more contend to have clear ideas, mater the principles of objective truth than these who don’t act according to rules.

Different kinds of reading materials play different roles in making a full man. People should get into different reading fields and train themselves to become a comprehensive talent. Reading will do good to one’s physical health according to some reading materials of physical training. What’s more important, reading promotes the development of logic thinking and morality. People can be called a full man on condition that they have fine quality, delicate self-cultivation and strict morality. Try to read extensively and become a full man.

All in all, reading books of certain field brings certain knowledge and ability we lack. Of Studies gives us the method of reading books and being a full man.

第二篇：论读书之重要

（一）

学问之道，本不限于读书。德性的修养，内心的开悟是一种学问。这并不必须要读书。所以，不识字的武训，能成圣成贤，不识字的慧能，亦能悟道。艺术的创造、诗歌的写作，亦是一种学问。然天才的艺术家与诗人，亦可不必读许多书，识许多字。如八指头陀作诗中有酒壶，写不出壶字，即画上一酒壶，仍不碍其为一绝代的诗人。此外，办事才能的训练，人情世务的洞达，亦并非必须多读书。科学上的观察实验，为求科学真理之要道，此亦不是读书。听人演讲，与人讨论学术，亦是造学问，而非读书。而且，我们还可说，一切对自然宇宙、对人生社会的知识，最初都是由人之仰观俯察，思想反省而得。所谓”尧舜以前，更读何书？”当初原只有自然宇宙人生社会一部大书。我们所谓书，乃人类思想文化已发展至某阶段才有的后起之物。则”何必读书，然后为学”呢？

（二）

但是，我们须知，我们不是尧舜以前。我们是生于已有书的时代之后。我们既生于有书的时代之后，我们就必须要由读书以了解人类文化，通过人造的书之了解，去进一步求更了解自然宇宙人生社会那部大书。武训、慧能、八指头陀，固不识字或未读多少书；但是我们今日仍只可由书上以知武训、慧能与八指头陀。已往的人，如何训练其办事才能，如何洞达人情世务，与科学的观察，实验之报告，哲学思想之纪录，亦大多皆载在书中。如果你有特殊办事才能，或对自然宇宙人生社会有特殊的观察实验及思想，你亦必将希望写成文字，着成书，以行远而垂久。由此便知，书籍虽是后于人类文化而有，然而却是整个人类文化之镜子。人必须要从此镜子中，才能了解整个人类文化之大体，而由自然世界走入人文之世界。这不是很明白的吗？

（三）

我们千万不要以为我们不读书，只凭我们之天赋的聪明智慧或思想能力，真可直接去读自然宇宙人生社会这部大书，而自己读出其深微广大的意义来。这部大书，似易懂而实难。其所以似易懂，是因为我们自己心灵的聪明智慧思想能力，亦可说是一面镜子，因而对此大书之内容，总能照见一些。其所以实难，是因这本大书，早经无数古往今来的有更高聪明智慧思想能力之人读过了，经无数更好的心灵之镜子照过了，还未照清楚而读懂哩。

（四）

然而书籍之为一镜子，却是一大镜子。从此大镜子中，可以了解整个人类之文化之大体，亦即可以了解古往今来无数有聪明智慧思想能力的人，其心灵之镜中，所照见的世界中之事物与真理。读书，即是把我们的小镜子，、面对书籍之大镜子，而重去反映古往今来无数聪明智慧的心灵，所已照见之世界中之事物与真理，于我们之小镜子中。

一个心灵之镜子，照不见的事物与真理，另一心灵之镜子，可以照见。如果我们能透过书籍，而将无数的心灵之镜子，所照见者重加反映，我们不是更能了解自然宇宙人生社会这部大书，而把我们之小镜子亦变成大镜子一般大了吗？这是从读书以增加思想之广度上说。但是更重要的是：只有读书才可以增加我们思想之深度。

（五）

读书之之可以增加我们思想之深度，这可以读者与著者之心灵之镜之光明，互相渗透，则光之强度增加，来作比喻。但最好是以不同凹凸之度的镜子互相反映，则可看见我们原看不见之事物作比喻。我们都知道，显微镜与望远镜之所以能使人看见更细微更深远之事物，乃由于利用凹凸镜之互相重迭，乃能使光线深入事物内部，将事物内部之情形，清楚的反映出来，为我们所见。但是我们常不知读书正是使我们心灵自身化为重迭凹凸镜之一，而使我们之聪明智慧的光辉，能照察到更细微更深远的自然宇宙人生社会之事物与真理者，由此才培养出我们思想之深度。

直接单纯的一个思想，从来不会深的。只有对一个思想再加思想，才能使思想深。读书即是在思想古往今来的他人的思想。人只有走过他人所已走过的，才走得远。人亦只有思想过前人所思想的，才能思想得深。我思想前人的思想，而前人的思想，又是思想更前之人的思想来的。人类的文化史与思想史，是无尽的后代人，对于以前人之思想再加思想之成果。当人思想前人所思想时，其心灵是凹镜。凹镜聚合一切来的光线。当人表出其思想，留给后人交与他人时，其心灵是凸镜，而分散出光线。重重迭迭的心灵之凹凸镜之互相反映，形成人类之思想史与文化史，人乃对自然宇宙人生社会中之真理，一步一步，更能达微显幽，而极深知远。人不经显微镜与望远镜，只凭肉眼，莫有人能了解细胞之构造，亦莫有人能看清天上的星云。人不多读书，只凭自己一点聪明智慧，去判断自然宇宙人生社会，又如何能达于细

微深远之事物与真理？所以不多读人所著的书，而以直接读大书自许，这是学人的懒惰，必将误人误已。

好多年来，因中国社会急遽变化，许多人主张读书不是学问中最重要的。所谓死读书，读死书，读书死。这诚然有毛病。但是不读书，而只自恃聪明智慧以思想一切，判断一切，亦恒不免肤浅。这样虽未必死，但亦是不能真活的。必须要以自己之活的聪明智慧，与书中人聪明智慧合起来。书活了，我自己亦才真活了。