-
Of Studies ,
是培根
400
年前撰写的一篇探讨读书问题的散文杂记
,
亦是英语文学中妇孺皆
知的劝学名篇。该文笔力遒劲苍幽
,
思想精深悠远
,
行
文简洁明快
,
论述深入浅出
,
分析桴鼓相应
,
读
来时
若春雨润物
,
时若激流漂石
,
时若清风拂面
,
时若万籁俱号
< br>,
令人似置身庄子《齐物论》所谓之
“
野马也
,
尘埃也
,
生物之以息相吹也
”
之境界中。
Of Studies
从读书之功用立论
,
分析了读书学习对人生不同凡响的意义。同时人们对读书学
习态度之取向、方法之别异
,
也直接影响到了学习效果的泾渭
两色。培根以为读书的功用有三
,
即
Studies serve for delight, for
ornament, and for
ability
。其在人生中的具体体现亦有三
,
即
Their chief use
for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for
ornament, is in discourse; and for
ability, is in the judgment and
disposition of business.
在作者看来
,
人们的经验与学识
,
亦直接影响
其读书之取向与效用。具体说来
,
就是
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.
由于方法之不同
,
学
习之效果也将各异。所以培根说
, To
spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use
them too
much for ornament is
affection; to make judgment wholly by their rules
is the humor of a
scholar.
这个说法颇似孟子
“
仅信书则不如无书
”
之教诲。
读书不能全凭经验判理
,
而学识亦不可脱离实际独存。经验与学识
,
< br>当是相辅相成的、彼此
互补的。在培根看来
,
这两方面的积累是人生所不可或缺的知识积淀。所以
, 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.
而对读书态度之不同
,
亦决定读书者获益之众寡。常见的现象是
, Crafty
men contemn
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.
读书不求学问长进
,
而是存
心吹毛求疵诘难作者
,
以显其能。这是另外一种庸人读书心态。怀着此种心态读书
,
焉能从中获
益
!
所以培根告诫学人
, Read not to
contradict and confuse; nor to believe and take
for granted;
nor to find talk and
discourse; but to weigh and consider.
在前苏联电影《列宁在
1918
》中
,
有这样一个情节
:
列宁为了躲避密探的追捕
,
隐蔽
朋友瓦西
里家里。晚上
,
列宁将瓦西里
给他搬来的书分作两类
,
并告诉瓦西里哪些书可以枕头
,
哪些书应当
垫脚。所谓枕头的书
,
就是需要认真拜读、仔细品味、努力思考的佳作。所谓垫脚的书
,
就是那
些文风浮浅、思想轻浅、论述表浅的
平庸之作。培根对书的认识与列宁的看法
,
可谓所见不差。
所以他说
, 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 ready wholly, and with
diligence and attention.
读书的方法
,
自然涵盖对所读之书的
选择和所读内容的鉴赏这两个方面。然而
,
在一定意义
上
,
读书的方法还包括所谓之
“
不读之读
”
。
“
不读之读
” ,
即由于种种原因
,
读者不直接阅读有
关书本的内容
,
而是通过阅读有关评介文章或他人的读书笔
记来了解有关著作的基本思想
和内容。
这种读书方式
,
其实就是现代人士所惯常凭借之学习方法。
人们采用这种学习方法
,
出于种种原因。一则原著阙如
,
无法直接欣赏
,
于是便通过阅读他人
的笔记或评介以足心愿。二
则时间有限
,
无法一一拜读
,
只好寻求便捷途径了解其大致内容要旨。自然
,
采用这种读书方法
的
,
恐怕
也有投机之嫌。
然而
,
对于孜孜以求于学问的莘莘学子而言
,
此法之运用
,
必得统筹兼顾
,
否则必然陷入人
云亦云的泥沼之中。对此
,
培根的忠告是
:Some books also may
be read by deputy and extracts
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