議論文的關于優美段落比較有名的是培根的《論讀書》，例如：讀史使人明智，議論優美有那讀詩使人靈秀，段落數學使人周密，關于科學使人深刻，議論優美有那論理學使人莊重，段落邏輯修辭之學使人善辯：凡有所學，關于皆成性格。議論優美有那
原文：
讀書足以怡情，段落足以博彩，關于足以長才。議論優美有那其怡情也，段落最見于獨處幽居之時；其博彩也，關于最見于高談闊論之中；其長才也，議論優美有那最見于處世判事之際。段落練達之士雖能分別處理細事或一一判別枝節，然縱觀統籌、全局策劃，則舍好學深思者莫屬。
讀書費時過多易惰，文采藻飾太盛則矯，全憑條文斷事乃學究故態。讀書補天然之不足，經驗又補讀書之不足，蓋天生才干猶如自然花草，讀書然后知如何修剪移接；而書中所示，如不以經驗范之，則又大而無當。
有一技之長鄙讀書，無知者慕讀書，唯明智之士用讀書，然讀書并不以用處告人，用書之智不在書中，而在書外，全憑觀察得之。讀書時不可存心詰難作者，不可盡信書上所言，亦不可只為尋章摘句，而應推敲細思。
書有可淺嘗者，有可吞食者，少數則須咀嚼消化。換言之，有只須讀其部分者，有只須大體涉獵者，少數則須全讀，讀時須全神貫注，孜孜不倦。書亦可請人代讀，取其所作摘要，但只限題材較次或價值不高者，否則書經提煉猶如水經蒸餾，淡而五味矣。
讀書使人充實，討論使人機智，筆記使人準確。因此不常做筆記者須記憶特強，不常討論者須天生聰穎，不常讀書者須欺世有術，始能無知而顯有知。
讀史使人明智，讀詩使人靈秀，數學使人周密，科學使人深刻，論理學使人莊重，邏輯修辭之學使人善辯：凡有所學，皆成性格。人之才智但有滯礙，無不可讀適當之書使之順暢，一如身體百病，皆可借相宜之運動除之。滾球利睪腎，射箭利胸肺，慢步利腸胃，騎術利頭腦，諸如此類。如智力不集中，可令讀數學，蓋演算須全神貫注，稍有分散即須重演；如不能辨異，可令讀經院哲學，蓋是輩皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物闡證另一物，可令讀律師之案卷。如此頭腦中凡有缺陷，皆有特藥可醫。
【原文】
Of Studies
——Francis Bacon
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 learned.
To spend too much time in
studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament is affection; 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 do give forth directions too
much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.
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 confuse; 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 ready 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
distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.
Reading
makes 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 subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic
and rhetoric able to contend.
Abeunt studia in mores. Nay there is no
stond 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 sectores. 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.