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。

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，使能无知而显有知。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。

1、Introduction to Author

22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626

Trinity College, Cambridge

an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method

the father of empiricism

scientific revolution

Empiricism [em'pirisiz?m] is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge comes only or primarily via sensory experience. One of several views of epistemology [i,pisti'm?l?d?i] , the study of human knowledge, along with rationalism, idealism and historicism, empiricism emphasizes the role of experience and evidence, especially sensory perception, in the formation of ideas, over the notion of innate ideas or traditions

The Scientific Revolution is an era associated primarily with the 16th and 17th centuries during which new ideas and knowledge in physics, astronomy, biology, medicine and chemistry transformed medieval and ancient views of nature and laid the foundations for modern science. According to most accounts, the scientific revolution began in Europe towards the end of the Renaissance era and continued through the late 18th century, the later period known as The Enlightenment.

[The] new Philosophy calls all in doubt,

The Element of fire is quite put out;

The Sun is lost, and th'earth, and no man's wit

Can well direct him where to look for it

------John Donne

2. Analysis of the Essay

Language points

Paraphrasing

Translation

Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring.

But the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs come best from those that are learned.

Read not to contradict and confute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.

Distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things.

There is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies.

So if a man’s wit be wandering

3. Appreciation

Structure

Two Parts：Methods of Studies ； Advantages of Studies

dialectical

Writing style

Adoption of types of sentences

Short sentences

Simple Sentences

Declarative sentences in the affirmative

Parallel constructions

Powerful,

convincing,

simple,

emphatic

Pleasing to hear and read

Diction

Metaphor and aphorism ['?f?riz?m]

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.

Distilled books are like common distilled waters.

If a man’s wit be wandering

Vivid,

funny,

easy to understand

第二篇：培根的《论读书》Of Studies (原文和译文)

Of Studies

STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition 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 sloth; 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 pruning, by study; and studies themselves, do give

forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in

by experience. Crafty men contemn 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 curiously; 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 bothers; but that would be only in

the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books,

else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy

things.

Reading make 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 witty; the mathematics subtitle; natural

philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.

Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stand or impediment in

the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases

of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for

the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and ***; 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 demonstrations, 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 sectors. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to

call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study

the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a

special receipt.

论读书

王佐良 译

读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，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，有只需读其部分者，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。

读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常做笔记者须记忆力特强，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(筋骨)，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，盖演题需全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辩异，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。