《Of Studies》論讀書讀書筆記

《Of Studies》論讀書讀書筆記

　　在復活節假期中，忙著當空中飛人到處玩耍的我也在空余時間看了幾篇英國散文。《論讀書》，我之所以寫它是因為讓我驚奇地發現“為什么讀書”這件事是任何時代每個國家的哲學家，思想家都在思考的問題。《論語》，《荀子》，《毛澤東選集》等等這些書，其中都有提到讀書的重要性。今兒，讓我們來看看西方的文人對這個問題的闡述, 在其中你會有所共鳴，會有所思考，會對中西方文人思維特點有個對比。

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　　關于《論讀書》

　　古羅馬詩人奧維德在《女英雄書信集》中 早說過“Abeunt studia in mores”意為一切學問都對性格有所影響。在我們的生活中，每件事每個經歷甚至偶然間讀過的某本書，這樣的事情反復積累沉淀，造就了不同的我們。

　　《論讀書》是弗蘭西斯.培根的一篇散文作品，僅僅數百來字就把讀書的妙用和讀書的方法這兩個問題說得非常透徹。培根在說到讀書的用處時，既強調了其對立身行事，自我修養的幫助，又指出了書本知識的局限性，認為學問應當受到經驗的規范。作者還對不同書籍提出了不同的讀書方法：有些書淺嘗即可，有些只須囫圇吞棗，少數須要細細咀嚼消化。這種對自我完善的渴求似乎反映出文藝復興時代的“人文主義精神“——相信人的力量和人無限的潛力。

　　節選

　　Studies serve for delight, for ornament,and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring (獨處和幽居之時); for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in thejudgement and disposition of business; for expert men can execute, and perhapsjudge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots (plan) and marshalling of affairs (處理事務)come best from those that are learned. To spend too much time instudies, is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to makejudgement wholly by their rules, is the humour of scholar(學者的癖性); they perfect nature, and are perfected by experience; for naturalabilities are like plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselvesdo give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in byexperience(若不以經驗約束的知識則會不著邊際 ).

　　Read not to contradict (否定) and confute (駁斥), nor to believe and takefor granted(想當然), nor to find talk and discourse, butto weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, andsome few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only inparts; others to be read but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, andwith diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy(由人代讀), and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in theless important arguments and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books arelike common distilled waters, flashy things (平淡無味的東西).

　　Histories make men wise, poets, witty; themathematics, subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral, grave; logic and rhetoric(修辭學), able to contend: Abeunt studia in mores……

　　關于培根

　　弗蘭西斯.培根 (FrancisBacon, 1561-1626), 英國哲學家，散文家，生于倫敦，受教于劍橋大學三一學院。此后仕途一帆風順，歷任副檢察長，檢察總長， 掌璽大臣等職位，但在1621年被指控犯有賄賂罪而削官為民。余生在文學和哲學創作中度過。蒲柏說他是“人中之俊杰，亦是人中之敗類”。

　　其作品主要分為三類：哲學作品《Advancement of Learning》，法律職業的作品， 文學類作品《Essays》， 《History ofHenry the Seventh， 1622》。

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　　本文作者： Eleen

　　公眾號：EleenDiary