弗朗西斯·培根的《论读书》是一篇非常重要的文学批评作品。这篇文章探讨了读书对于个人智慧和知识的重要性，以及如何正确地阅读和理解书籍。
首先，培根强调了阅读对于个人成长的重要性。他认为，通过阅读，人们可以从书中吸取智慧和知识，不断丰富自己的思想和见解。他还提到了阅读对于培养个人品格和审美情趣的重要性。这种观点对于今天的读者仍然具有启发意义，提醒我们要重视阅读的力量和影响。
其次，培根强调了正确的阅读方法。他认为，读者应该对书籍持有怀疑和批判的态度，不盲目地接受书中的观点。他提倡主动思考和质疑，并与书中的内容进行对话。这种主动的阅读方法对于培养批判性思维和独立思考能力至关重要。
最后，培根还提到了阅读的广泛性和多样性。他认为，读者应该涉猎各种不同类型和领域的书籍，以开阔自己的视野和增加知识面。这种广泛阅读的观点对于今天的读者来说仍然非常重要，因为它有助于培养综合素养和跨学科思维能力。
总的来说，弗朗西斯·培根的《论读书》是一篇具有深远影响的文学批评作品。它强调了阅读对于个人成长和智慧的重要性，教导了正确的阅读方法，并鼓励读者进行广泛的阅读。这篇文章仍然对于今天的读者具有启发意义，值得我们认真思考和借鉴。
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 judgment 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 marshaling 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 judgment only 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 water, 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 stand 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. It 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.
Excerpt From Essays By Francis Bacon
［参考译文］
论读书
弗朗西斯·培根
读书可以怡情，足以傅彩，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，然综观统筹，全局策划，则非好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰，文采藻饰太盛则矫，全凭条纹断事乃学究故态。读书补天然之不足，经验又补读书之不足，盖天生才华犹如自然花草，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，无知者慕读书，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，少数则须细读，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，淡则无味矣。
读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常做笔记者须记忆特强，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，漫步利肠胃，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 译）
［注释］
-ornament [ˈɔːnəmənt] n. 装饰，修饰。王佐良先生将之译为“傅彩”；傅，涂也，译得精当。世间只抓皮毛者，常附会为“博采”，误也。
in privateness and retiring : in seclusion and retirement
-plots [plɒts] n. 计划 plans
except they be : except they should be
maketh : old use makes
had need have : would require to have; ought to have
if a man's wit be wandering : if a man's wit should be wandering
Abeunt studia in mores : Latin from Ovid, Heroides, ⅩⅤ, 83: Studies pass into the character.
cymini sectores : Latin people who pay too much attention to details
［作者简介］
弗朗西斯·培根（Sir Francis Bacon, 1561-1626)，英国著名的哲学家、科学家、思想家。他是莎士比亚的同时代人，近代英国思想史上重要的代表人物之一，也是近代哲学史和科学史上具有里程碑意义的杰出人物之一。