Studies serve for delight, for ornament1, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse2; and for ability, is in the judgment3 and disposition4 of business. For expert and execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best form those that are learned.
 
To spend too much time in studies is sloth5; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly 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 proyning (pruning) by study; and studies themselves do give forth6 directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.
 
Crafty7 men contemn8 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 curiously9; 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 books; else distilled10 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 witty11; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic12 and rhetoric13 able to contend. Abeunt studia in morse. (Studies pass into the character.)
 
Nay14 there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought15 out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling16 is good for the stone and reins17; 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 demonstrations18, 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 cyminisectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate19 another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.