Of Studies
论读书
Of Studies is one of Francis Bacon's classic essays from his great work of Essays . In it, Francis Bacon explains how and why study and knowledge is important and lays out the value of knowledge in practical terms. Bacon is considered the father of the English essay with Montaigne the father of the French essay.
《论读书》是弗兰西斯·培根的经典散文之一，选自著名的《培根随笔》。培根在文中阐述了读书和知识的重要性，并结合具体实践，陈述了知识的价值。若蒙田为法国随笔作家之父，培根便是英国随笔之父。
Bacon considers to what use studies might be put. He is less interested in their theoretical promise than in their practical utility — a proclivity more English, perhaps, than French. Bacon's writing in Of Studies is direct and pointed. From his opening sentence Bacon gets directly to the point: “Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.” He then elaborates on how studies are useful in these three ways. And he wastes no words in detailing the use of “studies” for a Renaissance gentleman. One of the attractions of Bacon's essay is his skillful use of parallel sentence structure, as exemplified in the opening sentence and throughout Of Studies . This stylistic technique lends clarity and order to the writing, as in “crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them,” which in its straightforward assertiveness exhibits confidence and elegance in addition to clarity and emphasis.
培根主要思考读书可以有哪些用途，与思考事物理论前景的法国人不同，英国人培根对事物的实际用途更感兴趣，因此《论读书》的写作风格也是直截了当的，针对性强。文章从一开始便直奔主题：“读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。”随即培根深入分析读书这三方面的用处。培根接着论述读书对成为文艺复兴时期一位绅士的重要性，没有一句赘言。这篇散文的迷人之处在于培根平行结构句的出彩使用，开篇首句和下文的许多地方都表现出这样的文采。“有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者羡读书，唯明智之士用读书”，这样的文体风格给全文增添了清楚明了、整洁有序的光彩。简单直接的论断不仅使主题明晰、重点突出，更显示了作者的自信和优雅。
