新译培根《论读书》

学王佐良先生译培根《论读书》

这是2003年译的一篇文章。


OF STUDIES
   Studies 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 judgement, and disposition of business.

  For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but 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 judgement wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.

  Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not 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 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. 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 book; 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; 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 subtle; 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, but 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 man’s 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; for they are cymini sectores. 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; so every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.


培根《论读书》

读书可怡心，可添彩，可长才。其怡心也，犹见于幽居休憩之际；其添彩也，犹见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，犹见于审时度势处事之时。练达者虽能逐一处理或判断具体事务，然纵览全局、统筹谋划，则非饱学之士不可。读书耗时过多可谓慵懒，言辞添彩太盛则为做作，判事全赖陈规实乃迂腐学究。读书弥补先天，经验又弥补读书之不足，一如自然花草需要修枝剪叶，人之天赋亦需读书予以培植；而书中所云，若不以经验范之，则泛而不可用。狡黠之徒鄙读书，懵懂之人羡读书，唯睿智之士读书以为用，然书并未示人何以致用，致用之道非存书中，而在书外，全凭观察得之。读书忌为反驳作者，忌盲从书中之言，忌寻章摘句以作谈资，而应推敲权衡。书有可浅尝即可者，有可囫囵吞食者，少数则须细细咀嚼消化。换言之，有只须部分涉猎者，有只须跑马观花者，少数则须孜孜以求，认真通览精研。书亦可请人代阅，观其摘要，然仅限观点较次或价值不高者，不然，书经提炼犹如水被蒸馏，索然寡味矣。读书使人充实，辩论使人机智，写作使人精确。故此，鲜写作者须能强记，鲜辩论者须有急智，鲜读书者须狡猾绝顶，方能无知而似有知。历史使人睿智，诗歌使人灵秀，数学使人精微，科学使人深刻，伦理使人庄重，逻辑修辞使人善辩：但有所学，均利秉性。人之心智但有残障，均可读适当之书加以克服，一如身体百病，皆可假相宜之运动来医治。保龄益腰肾，射箭利胸肺，徐步益肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。若心智不专，可令习数学，盖推演须专注，稍有旁骛即须重来；若不擅辨异，可使研经院哲学，盖此辈最喜条分缕析；若不善统合细察，不善推此及彼，旁征博引，可令读讼师之案卷。凡此种种心智缺陷，皆有对应之良方。