Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk anddiscourse; 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 andattention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; butthat would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilledbooks are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

　　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，摘要也可请人代作，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。

　　Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; and writing and exact man. Andtherefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he hadneed have a present wit; and if he read little, he head need have much cunning, to seem toknow that he does not.

　　读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常动笔者须记忆特强，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。

　　Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.

　　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，逻辑修辞使人善辩。凡有所学，皆成性格。

　　Nay there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like asdiseases 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 thelike.

　　人之才智如有滞碍，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。保龄利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑马利头脑，诸如此类。

　　So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his witbe called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or finddifferences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beatover matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study thelawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

　　如智力不集中，可令读数学，因为演题须全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演;如不能辩异，可令读经院哲学，因为研究经院哲学者吹毛求疵者也;如不善分析论证，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。