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Of studies 的分析与译文Of Studies is the most popular of Bacons 58 essays. It analyzes what study chiefly serve for, the different ways adopted by different people to pursue studies, and how studies exert influence over human character. Forceful and persuasive, compact and precise, Of Studies reveals to us Bacons mature attitude towards learning. Question: what is the main structure of the essay? How Bacon develop his thesis?Structure of the essay:1. the purpose of studies.(theisis 1): the first sentence2. the methods of learning 3. the influence of books on human character; Reading makes a full man, ect. Of studiesStudies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring (ie. when you are alone, in your leisure time); for ornament, is in discourse (in discussion with other people); and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition (dealing and arrangement) of business. For expert men (experienced or sophisticated men, not the bookish ones) can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels (advice, plans of action), and the plots and marshalling of affairs (planning and arrangement of things), come best, from those that are learned (the sentence means that only by relying on ones experience is far from enough in coping with the world affairs). To spend too much time in studies is sloth （laziness）; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation (pretence, unnatural); to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar (humor: temperament, bookishness 书呆子气； Note the sentence is arranged in climatic order) . They (studies) perfect (being without defect or blemish) nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning (树枝等的)修剪 by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large (too general, aimless, without focus), except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use (for books keep us informed but do not tell us how to use knowledge); but that is a wisdom without them (outside them, cannot be found in the books), and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute (to prove to be wrong or in error; refute decisively; find fault with the author); nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find (material or details for) talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. (ie. do not misrepresent the purpose of reading) 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 (thoroughly or carefully); and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence (with assiduity, persistent application) and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy (by others) and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments (plots, subject or topic), and the meaner (low in quality or grade; inferior) sort of books (books of less value or worth); else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy (bland, tasteless) things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. (reading enables you to enjoy a full, meaningful life. discussing and talking with others makes you witty, and writing makes you precise in details.)And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present (existed, ready) wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning (subtle, crafty, sly), to seem to know, that (=that which; what) he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy(science) deep; moral (philosophy,伦理学) grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. (Latin: studies become ways of life; studies pass into the character. Reading will bear deep marks on your character; your weakness in character can be compensated by gaining knowledge from studies. Note the confidence of Bacon in human knowledge and in human beings, a basic stance of the Renaissance scholars. )Nay there is no stond (block; drawback) or impediment in the wit (obstacle in the mind) Nothat cannot, but may be wrought (worked) out (eliminated) by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins(肾脏); 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 mathematics; 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(medieval theologians, 经院哲学家); for they are cymini sectores (divider of cumin seeds; too meticulous with details). If he be not apt to beat over matters (make thorough examination of things), and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt (recipe处方).学习论 培根 王佐良译 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）
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