英语PK台 第296期:培根思想名篇《论读书》

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　　读书可以陶冶情操，可以藻饰文采，也可以长才益智。读书的作用于陶冶情操而言，常见于幽居独处之时；于藻饰文采而言，常见于高谈阔论之中；至于长才益智，则表现在裁断事物之上。

　　For expert men can execute,and perhaps judge of particulars,one bye one ; but the general counsels,and the plots and marshaling of affairs,come best from those that are learned.

　　富于经验之士虽能就事物之枝节一一处理或辨明是非，但纵观全局，运筹帷幄惟有博学之士最能胜任。

　　To spend too much time in studies,is sloth;to use them too much for ornament,is affectation;to make judgment only by their rules,is the humor of a scholar.

　　读书耗时过多为懒惰；文采藻饰过滥则显造作；只循章办事，实为学究怪僻。

　　They perfect nature,and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants that need pruning⁴ by study; and studies themselves do give forth⁵ directions too much at large,except they be bounded in by experience.

　　读书可完善天性之不足，而经验又可弥补读书之不足；因为人的天性犹如自然界之草木，需借助学识予以修整；读书本身漫无边际，需通过经验加以制约。

　　Crafty⁶ men contemn⁷ studies,simple men admire them,and wise men use them;for they teach not their own use;but that is wisdom without them,and above them,won by observation.

　　投机取巧者轻视学习，无知者羡慕学习，明智者则学以致用。因为学问本身并未教人如何加以运用；学以致用的智慧不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察所得。

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

　　读书时不要对作者吹毛求疵；也不要轻信、盲从书中所言；更不要寻章摘句作为炫耀之本；而应权衡轻重，斟酌推敲。

　　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.

　　有些书浅尝即可，有些书只需吞食，而有少数书则应细细咀嚼，将其消化。换言之，有些书只需读其中部分章节足以；有些书可通读，但无需太认真；而少数书则应认真细致地通读。

　　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 distilled⁸ books are like common distilled waters,flashy things.

　　有些书还可以请人代读，摘录其中要点即可；但这只限于不甚重要的内容和较次的书籍；否则，经过摘录的书就犹如蒸馏水般淡而无味。

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

　　读书使人充实；交谈使人机敏；笔记使人精确。

　　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.

　　因此，不常做笔记者读书时需有超群的记忆；不常交谈者则应有随机应变之才；不常阅读者则需要取巧有术，以让自己的无知显得有知。

　　Histories make men wise; poets witty;the mathematics subtle;natural philosophy deep;moral grave;logic and rhetoric⁹ able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores¹⁰. Nay¹¹,there is no stand or impediment in the wit,but may be wrought¹² out by fit studies.

　　历史使人明智，诗歌使人灵秀；数学使人缜密；物理使人深刻；道德使人庄重；逻辑与修辞使人能言善辩；读书可以陶冶性情。读书得当，绝不会使人心智受损，只会益智增才。

　　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. Bowling¹³ is good for the stone and reins¹⁴; shooting for the lungs and breast; 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 demonstrations¹⁵, 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. (Hair-splitters sim-mini sek-torr-es) If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate¹⁶ another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

　　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，皆有特效可医。

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