* "Books are to be tasted..." This refers to reading quickly, getting a sense of the book's overall theme and style. You might skim the table of contents, read the first chapter, or even just a few key paragraphs.
* "...others swallowed..." This refers to reading quickly and absorbing the information, but not necessarily thinking deeply about it. This could be for enjoyable fiction, or for quick research where you need the information but not a deep analysis.
* "...and some chewed and digested..." This refers to careful, thoughtful reading where you analyze the text, engage with the ideas, and make connections to other things you know. This is best for complex or important books where you want to truly understand and learn from them.
This quote highlights the different ways we can approach reading, and how the approach depends on our goals.