There is some great wisdom in the essays of Sir Francis Bacon. Essay number 50 "Of Studies" is interesting.
Histories make men wise; [the study of] poets [make men] witty; [the study of] the mathematics [make men] subtile; [the study of] natural philosophy [make men] deep; [the study of] moral[s] [make men] grave; [the study of] logic and rhetoric [make men] able to contend.
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 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 maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.
http://www.literaturepage.com/read/f...ssays-102.html
http://www.literaturepage.com/read/f...on-essays.html