生命是永恒不断的创造，因为在它内部蕴含着过剩的精力，它不断流溢，越出时间和空间的界限，它不停地追求，以形形色色的自我表现的形式表现出来。

－－泰戈尔

【文趣欣赏】

Of Studies，是培根400年前撰写的一篇探讨读书问题的散文杂记，亦是英语文学中妇孺皆知的劝学名篇。该文笔力遒劲苍幽，思想精深悠远，行文简洁明快，论述深入浅出，分析桴鼓相应，读来时若春雨润物，时若激流漂石，时若清风拂面，时若万籁俱号，令人似置身庄子《齐物论》所谓之“野马也，尘埃也，生物之以息相吹也”之境界中。

Of Studies从读书之功用立论，分析了读书学习对人生不同凡响的意义。同时人们对读书学习态度之取向、方法之别异，也直接影响到了学习效果的泾渭两色。培根以为读书的功用有三，即Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability。其在人生中的具体体现亦有三，即 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.

在作者看来，人们的经验与学识，亦直接影响其读书之取向与效用。具体说来，就是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. 由于方法之不同，学习之效果也将各异。所以培根说，To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament is affection; to make judgment wholly by their rules is the humor of a scholar. 这个说法颇似孟子“仅信书则不如无书”之教诲。

读书不能全凭经验判理，而学识亦不可脱离实际独存。经验与学识，当是相辅相成的、彼此互补的。在培根看来，这两方面的积累是人生所不可或缺的知识积淀。所以，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.

而对读书态度之不同，亦决定读书者获益之众寡。常见的现象是，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. 读书不求学问长进，而是存心吹毛求疵诘难作者，以显其能。这是另外一种庸人读书心态。怀着此种心态读书，焉能从中获益！所以培根告诫学人，Read not to contradict and confuse; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.

在前苏联电影《列宁在1918》中，有这样一个情节：列宁为了躲避密探的追捕，隐蔽朋友瓦西里家里。晚上，列宁将瓦西里给他搬来的书分作两类，并告诉瓦西里哪些书可以枕头，哪些书应当垫脚。所谓枕头的书，就是需要认真拜读、仔细品味、努力思考的佳作。所谓垫脚的书，就是那些文风浮浅、思想轻浅、论述表浅的平庸之作。培根对书的认识与列宁的看法，可谓所见不差。所以他说，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 ready wholly, and with diligence and attention.

读书的方法，自然涵盖对所读之书的选择和所读内容的鉴赏这两个方面。然而，在一定意义上，读书的方法还包括所谓之“不读之读”。“不读之读”，即由于种种原因，读者不直接阅读有关书本的内容，而是通过阅读有关评介文章或他人的读书笔记来了解有关著作的基本思想和内容。这种读书方式，其实就是现代人士所惯常凭借之学习方法。人们采用这种学习方法，出于种种原因。一则原著阙如，无法直接欣赏，于是便通过阅读他人的笔记或评介以足心愿。二则时间有限，无法一一拜读，只好寻求便捷途径了解其大致内容要旨。自然，采用这种读书方法的，恐怕也有投机之嫌。

然而，对于孜孜以求于学问的莘莘学子而言，此法之运用，必得统筹兼顾，否则必然陷入人云亦云的泥沼之中。对此，培根的忠告是：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 distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

高尔基说，书籍是人类进步的阶梯。对人类来说，书籍是进步的阶梯。对于个人来说，书籍，自然，也是进步的阶梯。书籍可以提高个人的文化素养、扩展个人的思想境界和发展个人的智慧潜能。所以，培根说Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.读书者要达到这样一个收获颇丰的境界，其前提要律至关重要，那就是所读之书须是好书佳作。

懒于读书之人，想谋求进取，恐怕只能求实于梦中，绝难得益于现实。诚如培根所言： 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.

鲁迅先生说，读书须杂，各方知识均须具备。因此倡导“随便翻翻”的学风，意在督促学人拓展视野，深化知识结构。中国古人所谓之“饱学之士”，所强调的就是广学博识的学风。对此，《颜氏家训》中说，“观天下书未遍，不得妄下雌黄”。读书过专，眼界受限。所以前人有“读万卷书，行万里路”之教，所强调的亦是博学多识的为学思想。这一点，培根也有同感。所以他说，Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.

中国是一个文明古国，重教兴学历来被视为立国之本。而读书学习，则更被历代先贤提升到“诚意”、“正心”、“修身”、“齐家”、“治国”、“安帮”、“平天下”的历史高度予以普及推广。而关于如何读书学习的问题，始终是中国古代诸子百家学说所关注的核心问题之一。《礼记》、《中庸》、《大学》、《论语》、《孟子》、《荀子》，这些“经”中之经、“典”中之典的论述，自不待言。就是普通学人的札记和笔记中，也不乏精深见解。宋人叶适在他那著名的“四无益”中说：

读书不知接统序，虽多无益也；

为文不能关教事，虽工无益也；

笃行不合于大义，虽仁无益也；

立志不存于忧世，虽高无益也。

将读书与中华文化的发扬广大融为一体，可谓立意高矣。

宋代大儒朱熹对读书也有诸多独到见解。在其门人编辑的《朱子语类》一书中，收录了许多朱氏教导学子的箴言。如关于读书的方法，朱氏说：

看文字，须是如猛将用兵，直是鏖战一阵；如酷吏治狱，直是推勘到底，决是不恕他，方得。

把读书比作猛将作战，强调的是读书要集中精力，不可浅尝辄止。又将读书比作酷吏审案，必得弄个水落石出，不可似是而非。此言可谓讲得形象而深刻。

荀子对读书学习，至为重视。他特别提倡循序渐进、日积月累的读书方法。他说：

积土成山，风雨兴焉；积水成渊，蛟龙生焉；积善成德，则神明自得，圣心备焉。故不积跬步，无以至千里；不积小流，无疑成江河。

荀子以比喻之法，说明了读书须积少成多的道理，浅显易懂，发人深省。中国古人在辩论是非问题时，喜用比喻以名其理。这个方法也常被用来说明读书的道理。如汉人刘向在《说苑》中谈到读书时说：

少而好学，如日出之阳；壮而好学，如日中之光；老而好学，如秉烛之明，孰与昧行乎？

意思是说，少时读书，若旭日东升，朦胧固然，心却纯笃；中年读书，若日近午时，思虑精熟，见解周详；老时读书，若烛光荧荧，精力不济，但到底比摸黑行走安好许多。说明书可受益一生，虽少、中、老时读书感受不同，但均可导引人生历程。

将中国古代圣贤关于读书的论述与培根的感想加以比较，从中可以看到中西方关于读书问题的重视，可谓同一。但对读书的方法与作用，却各有见解。而相比较而言，培根关于读书的见解，多少带有资本主义与生俱来的实用性和现实性。而中国古代先贤对于读书学习的认识，则多从治国安邦的高度出发予以发挥。若用一句话来形容中国古人关于读书学习的看法，那就是“为往圣继绝学，为万世开太平”！

第二篇：Of_Studies赏析

Of Studies

谈读书

1. Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. 东旭：读书是为了娱乐、装饰和增长才能。

王佐良：读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以长才。

2. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgement and disposition of business.

东：其娱乐方面的主要用途在于独处和隐退之时；其装饰方面的主要用途在于言谈之中；其增长才能方面的主要用途在于对事务的判断和处理。

王：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。

3. 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.

东：因为虽然有实践经验的人能完成特定工作，而且也许还能对个别的事情一一作出判断，但是宏观的建议，以及对事务的筹划和安排，绝大多数都是出自有学问的人。

王：练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判断枝节，然纵观统筹、全局策划，则舍好学深思者莫属。

4. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much

for ornament, is affection; to make judgement wholly by their rule, is the humour of a scholar.

东：把时间过多地花费在学问上，是怠惰；把学问过多地用做装饰，是虚伪；完全按学问的规则来判断，则是书呆子的嗜好。

王：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。

5. The 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 experience.

东：学问能使天性完美，而经验又能使学问完善：因为天生的才能犹如野生植物，需要用学问加以修剪；而学问本身若不受经验的限制，则它们所作的指导就太泛泛了。

王：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。

6. Crafty men contempt 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.

东：狡诈的人蔑视学问，愚笨的人羡慕学问，聪明的人运用学问；因为学问并不传授它们自己的用法；这种运用之道是学问之外、并超乎学问之上的一种才智，只有通过观察才能获得。

王：有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者慕读书，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。

7. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. 东：读书不是为了闲谈和演说，而是为了权衡和思考。

王：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。

8. 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.

东：有些书可供品尝，有些书可以吞食，还有少数的一些书则应当咀嚼消化。那就是说，有些书只要读其中的一部分就行了；有些书虽然可以全读，但不必过细；还有少数的一些书则应当通读、精读、勤读。 王：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。

9. 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 distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

东：有些书还可以请人代读，由别人替你作出摘录；但那只限于一些

不太重要的议论，以及那种比较平庸的书籍；否则，经过删节的书就会像蒸馏水一样乏味。

王：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。

10. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.

东：读书能使人充实；谈话能使人机敏；写作能使人精确。 王：读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。

11. 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.

东：所以，如果一个人很少写东西，那么他就必须有很好的记忆力；如果他很少与人谈话，那么他必须有很灵敏的头脑；如果他很少看书，那么他必须非常狡猾，才可以不懂装懂。

王：因此不常作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。

12. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.

东：历史能使人聪慧；诗歌能使人灵秀；数学能使人精细；自然哲学能使人深沉；伦理学能使人庄重；逻辑和修辞学能使人善辩。“学问能陶冶人的性格。”

王：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。

13. Nay there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises.

东：不仅如此，凡精神上的各种障碍无不可由适当的学问加以消除，有如身体上的各种疾病无不可由相宜的运动予以矫治。

王：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。

14. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. 东：滚球有益于睾肾，射箭有益于胸肺，慢步有益于肠胃，骑马有益于头脑，等等。

王：滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑马利头脑，诸如此类。

15. 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.

东：所以，如果一个人精力不集中，那就可以叫他研究数学，因为在演算的过程中精力稍不集中就会出错，还得从头算起。

王：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。

16. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study

the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores.

东：如果一个人不善于辨别差异，那就可以叫他研究经院哲学家的著作，因为他们都是条分缕析、细致入微的人。

王：如不能辩异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人。

17. If he be not at to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers’ cases.

东：如果一个人不善于调查问题，不善于用一件事情证明和阐释另一件事情，那就可以叫他研究律师的案卷。

王：如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可另读律师之案卷。

18. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

东：所以，各种心智上的缺陷都有一种专门的补救办法。 王：如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。