Reading make 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 psent 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 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 sectors. If 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.
本文另一篇翻譯：
談讀書
讀書之用有三：一為怡神曠心，二為增趣添雅，三為長才益智。
怡神曠心最見于蟄伏幽居，增趣添雅最見于高談雄辯，而長才益智則最見于處事辨理。雖說有經驗才能就一事一理進行處置或分辨，但若要通觀全局并運籌帷幄，則還是博覽群書者能勝任。
讀書費時太多者皆因懶散，尋章摘句過甚者顯矯揉造作，全憑書中教條斷事者則乃學究書癡。天資之改善須靠讀書，而學識之完美須靠實踐；因天生資質猶如自然花木，需要用學識對其加以修剪，而書中所示則往往漫無邊際，必須用經驗和閱歷界定其經緯。
講究實際者鄙薄讀書，頭腦簡單者仰慕讀書，惟英明睿智者運用讀書，這并非由于書不示人其用法，而是因為其用法乃一種在書之外并高于
讀書不可存心
有些書可淺嘗輒止，有些書可囫圇吞棗，但有少量書則須細細咀嚼，慢慢消化；換言之，有些書可只讀其章節，有些書可大致瀏覽，有少量書則須通篇細讀并認真領悟。有些書還可以請人代閱，只取代閱人所作摘錄節要；但此法只適用于次要和無關緊要的書，因濃縮之收如蒸餾之水淡而無味。
讀書可使人充實，討論可使人敏銳，筆記可使人嚴謹；故不常作筆記者須有過目不忘之記憶，不常討論者須有通權達變之天資，而不讀書者則須有狡詐詭譎之伎倆，方可顯其無知為卓有見識。
讀史使人明智，讀詩使人靈透，數學使人精細，物理使人深沉，倫理使人莊重，邏輯修辭使人善辯，正如古人所云：學皆成性；不僅如此，連心智上的各種障礙都可以讀適當之書而令其開豁。
