本文緣於當今高中國文教材之編選，頗有重白話而輕文言、強調本土而忽略傳統之趨勢，漸捨棄歐陽修〈秋聲賦〉，多採簡媜〈夏之絕句〉，遂有感而發。推考我國古典文論之源遠流長，其闡揚文理，彰乎甚明；妙抉文旨，昭然可表；以之應用於剖析古今文章利弊，如庖丁解牛，切中肯綮。遂取〈秋聲賦〉為試金石，以較論〈夏之絕句〉；分別從「命題的平易自然」、「立意的深刻顯豁」、「運材的切要精當」、「布局的靈活周密」、「措辭的簡潔巧妙」五方面考量。就命題言：歐公平實貼切，簡媜有意弄奇；就立意言：歐公文旨突顯，簡媜依稀隱微；就運材言：歐公精要練達，簡媜還須去沉；就布局言：歐公嚴謹條貫，簡媜猶欠圓轉；就措辭言：歐公造語新鮮，簡媜瑕瑜互見。綜而言之：歐公簡而有法，其主盟北宋文壇，固足以永傳而不朽；簡媜繁而且縟，雖有譽於當代，實尚待乎鎔裁。至於高中國文教材於兩篇範文之取捨，權衡之際，亦可以思之矣！

Many versions of Chinese textbook for senior high school students have chosen Summer Quatrain (Jian Jane) instead of The Ode of Autumn Sound (O'Yang Shiu). This article compares these two writings in respect of their subjects, conceptions, materials, arrangements and wordings. I conclude that O'Yang's essay is simple and logical, while Jian's is complex and over-elaborate. Therefore, O'Yang's writing is more appropriate than Jian's for senior high school students as a model essay.