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1、OF STUDYSTUDIES 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; bu
2、t 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 per
3、fected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, 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 no
4、t 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 a
5、nd 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 by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, a
6、nd the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh 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:
7、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 subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, b
8、ut 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 breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a mans wit be wandering, let him study the mathemat
9、ics; 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 sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate ano
10、ther, let him study 197 the lawyers cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.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
11、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，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
12、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。（王佐良先生译）善戏谑的彼拉多曾说：“真理是什么呢？”说了之后并且不肯等候回答。世上尽有一般人喜欢把意见变来变去，并且认为固定了一种信仰即等于上了一套枷锁；在思想上和在行为上他们都一样地要求意志的自由。并且虽然这
13、一流的各派哲学家已成过去，然而仍有些心志游移的说者和他们同声同气，虽然这般人比起古人来血气薄弱一点。但是使人们好伪说的原因，不仅是人们找寻真理时的艰难困苦，亦不是找寻着了真理之后真理所加于人们底思想的约束，而是一种天生的，虽然是恶劣的，对于伪说本身的爱好。希腊晚期哲学学派中有人曾研究过这个问题，他不懂得伪说之中有什么东西竟会使人们为伪说底本身而爱它，因为伪说既不能如诗人之所为，引人入胜；亦不能如商人之所为，导人得利。我亦不懂得这是什么缘故：可是“真理”这件东西可说是一种无隐无饰的白昼之光，世间的那些歌剧、扮演、庆典在这种光之下所显露的，远不如灯烛之光所显露的庄严美丽。真理在世人眼中其价值也许等
14、于一颗珍珠，在日光之下看起来最好；但是它决够不上那在各种不同的光线下显得最美的钻石和红玉底价值。掺上一点伪说的道理总是给人添乐趣的。要是从人们的心中取去了虚妄的自是，自谀的希望，错误的评价，武断的想象，就会使许多人底心变成一种可怜的、缩小的东西，充满忧郁和疾病，自己看起来也讨厌。对于这一点会有人怀疑么？早期的耶教著作家中有一位曾经很严厉地把诗叫做“魔鬼底酒”，因为诗能占据人的想象，然而诗不过是伪说的影子罢了。害人的不是那从心中经过的伪说，而是那沉入心中，盘据心中的伪说，如前所言者是也。然而这些事情，无论其在人们堕落的判断力及好尚中是如何，真理（它是只受本身底评判的）却教给我们说研究真理（就是向
15、它求爱求婚），认识真理（就是与之同处），和相信真理（就是享受它）乃是人性中最高的美德。当上帝创造宇宙的那几日中，他所创造的头一件东西就是感官的光明；他所创造的末一件东西就是理智的光明；从那以后直到如今在他工作完毕而休息的期间内，他的作为全是以他的圣灵昭示世人。最初他在物或浑沌的面上吹吐光明；然后他由人的面目中吹入光明；到如今他还在往他的选民面目之中吐射光明。有一派哲学在别的方面都不如他派，可是有一位诗人为这派哲学增光不少。这位诗人曾说：“站在岸上看船舶在海上簸荡是一件乐事；站在一座堡垒底窗前看下面的战争和它的种种经过是一件乐事；但是没有一件乐事能与站在真理底高峰（一座高出一切的山陵，在那里的空
16、气永远是澄澈而宁静的）目睹下面谷中的错误、漂泊、迷雾和风雨相比拟的”；只要看的人对这种光景永存恻隐而不要自满，那么以上的话可算是说得好极了。当然，一个人的心若能以仁爱为动机，以天意为归宿，并且以真理为地轴而动转，那这人的生活可真是地上的天堂了。从教义中的真理和哲学中的真理再说到世事上的真理。即使那些行为并不坦白正直的人也会承认坦白正直地待人是人性的光荣，而真假相混则有如金银币中杂以合金一样，也许可以使那金银用起来方便一点，但是把它们的品质却弄贱了。因为这些曲曲折折的行为可说是蛇走路的方法，蛇是不用脚而是很卑贱地用肚子走路的。没有一件恶德能和被人发现是虚伪欺诈一般使人蒙羞的。所以蒙泰涅在他研究为什么说人说谎算是这样的一种羞辱，一种可恨之极的罪责的时候，说得极好。他说：“仔细考虑起来，要是说某人说谎就等于说他对上帝很大胆，对世人很怯懦”。因为谎言是直对着上帝而躲避着世人的。曾经有个预言，说基督重临的时候，他将在地上找不到信实；所以谎言可说是请上帝来裁判人类全体的最后的钟声。对于虚假和背信的罪恶再不能比这个说法揭露得更高
