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 marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learnd  To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor 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, de give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experienc
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. 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 bothers; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, 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 subtitle; 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 lik
So if a mans 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 sectors. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up o
ne thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers" cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.
译文
读书可以作为消遣，可以作为装饰，也可以增长才干。孤独寂寞时，阅读可以消遣。高谈阔
论时，知识可供装饰。处世行事时，知识意味着才干。练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节，然纵观统筹、全局策划，则舍好学深思者莫属。
sort of等于什么读书太慢的人驰惰，为装潢而读书是欺人，完全按照书本做事就是呆子。  求知可以改进人性，而经验又可以改进知识本身。人的天性犹如野生的花草，求知学习好比修剪移栽。学问虽能指引方向，但往往流于浅泛，必须依靠经验才能扎下根基
有的书可以请人代读，然后看他的笔记摘要就行了。但这只应限于不太重要的议论和质量粗劣的书。否则一本书将像已被蒸馏过的水，变得淡而无味了。
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.
例如打球有利于腰背，射箭可扩胸利肺，散步则有助于消化，骑术使人反应敏捷，等等。同样道理，一个思维不集中的人，他可以研习数学，因为数学稍不仔细就会出错。缺乏分析判断的人，他可以研习而上学，因为这门学问最讲究细琐的辩证。不善于推理的人，可以研习法律案例。如此等等。这种心灵上的缺陷，都可以通过学习而得到改善。