Of Studies

 

论读书

Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.

读书足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以长才。

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

其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；

for ornament, is in discourse;

其傅彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；

and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business.

其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。

Read not to contradict and confute;

读书时不可存心诘难作者，

nor to believe and take for granted;

不可尽信书上所言，

nor to find talk and discourse;

亦不可职位寻章摘句；

but to weigh and consider.

而应推敲细思。

Some books are to be tasted,

书有可浅尝者，

others to be swallowed,

有可吞食者，

and some few to be chewed and digested;

少数则须咀嚼消化。

that is, some books are to be read only in parts;

换言之，有只需读其部分者，

others to be read, but not curiously;

有只须大体涉猎者，

and some few to be read wholly,

少数则须全读，

and with diligence and attention.

读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。

Some books also may be read by deputy,

书亦可请人代读，

and extracts made of them by others;

取其所作摘要，

but that would be only in the less important arguments,

但只限题材较次或价值不高者，

and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏，淡而无味。

Reading maketh a full man;

读书使人充实，

conference a ready man;

讨论使人机智，

and writing an exact man.

笔记使人准确。

And therefore, if a man write little,he had need have a great memory;

因此不常做笔记者须记忆力特强，

if he confer little, he had need have a present wit;

不常讨论者须天生聪颖，

and if he read little, he had need have much cunning,

不常读书者须欺世有术，

to seem to know that he doth not.

始能无知而显有知。

Histories make men wise;

读史使人明智，

poets witty;

读诗使人灵秀，

the mathematics subtile;

数学使人周密，

natural philosophy deep; moral grave;

科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，

logic and rhetoric able to contend.

逻辑修辞之学使人善辩；

Abeunt studia in mores.

凡有所学，皆成性格。

Nay there is no stand or impediment in the wit,but may be wrought out by fit studies:

人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，

like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises.

一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。

Bowling is good for the stone and reins;

滚球利睾肾，

shooting for the lungs and breast;

射箭利胸肺，

gentle walking for the stomach;

慢步利肠胃，

riding for the head; and the like.

骑术利头脑，诸如此类。

So if a man's wit be wandering,

如智力不集中，

let him study the mathematics;

可令读数学，

for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little,he must begin again.

盖演题需全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；

If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences,let him study the schoolmen;

如不能辩异，可令读经院哲学，

for they are cymini sectores.

盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；

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.

如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。

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

如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特效可医。