‘Of Studies’ ~ Francis Bacon Summary, Explanation, Questions Answer,, MCQs, Class 11 Semester 2

‘Of Studies’ ~ Francis Bacon

Summary, Explanation, Questions Answer, Class 11 Semester 2

 Introduction to the Essay

Francis Bacon published a series of ten essays in 1597. ‘Of Studies’ is the first essay of the series. It was modified in 1612 by incorporating some more ideas and sentences and changing some words and expressions. It is one of the most popular essays of Bacon. It shows the influence of the Renaissance on the people of Elizabethan age. The Renaissance spirit awakened a desire to know the unknown. As a result, studies became an essential part of daily life. Although the world of knowledge is unlimited, it is not possible to attain limitless knowledge by reading all the books. Only a short-cut method of selective study can enrich us.

So Bacon addresses the issue to facilitate study, deals with the benefits of study and its modes and concludes with the effectiveness of study in curing some mental defects. In the text, Bacon has treated study from various angles. It begins with the purposes served by study. Then, he speaks on the utility of study and how different types of people look upon study. His classification of books into different types shows uses of books in real life. Comparative study on the relative importance of reading, conference and writing is a significant part of the essay. Bacon's observations on the different roles played by various subjects deserve special mention. The essay ends with his suggestion of remedial measures for different types of prejudices. Within a very short length, Bacon has packed a wide range of practical ideas in the essay. Because of its glorious theme and pragmatic outlook, novel ideas and logical treatment enriched Latin vocabulary and dignified style, ‘Of Studies’ is regarded as one of the jewels among Bacon's essays.

Summary of the Essay

Bacon begins his essay with a three-fold purpose of study. He points out studies not only serve the purpose of increasing knowledge, but also they give delight in leisure, improve ability in practical life, and serve for ornament. They make our expressions impressive and sharpen our skill in speech and writing. Studies are helpful in developing natural faculties of the mind. They are perfected by experience. But spending too much time in study is not good. Similarly, to judge everything in the light of bookish knowledge is faulty unless it is supported by experience.

While crafty men condemn studies and simple men admire them, wise men use them in their daily life. Bacon guides us in making use of study. We should read neither to contradict nor to believe. Rather, we should study to weigh and consider. We should accept what is convincing. Bacon classifies books into three categories: some books are to be read in parts, some to be completed, and some others to be read intensively and heartily. There are still some books which are to be read through their summaries and extracts.

Bacon points out the relative importance of reading, conference, and writing in human life. Reading is a means of gathering knowledge. It makes a full man. Conference demands a person to be ready to take part in a conversation. But writing helps a man to attain perfection in assembling ideas and expressing accurately and systematically.

Bacon mentions the impact of different subjects of study on the human mind. Studies contribute to the development of character and formation of personality. The study of history makes one wise. The study of poetry can make one witty. Similarly, the study of natural philosophy imparts deep thinking; logic and rhetoric increases the power of debate; ethics infuses values; and mathematics increases subtlety of mind. Bacon regards study as a mental exercise. Just as physical exercises cure physical disorders, studies have the potential to cure mental defects. The study of mathematics can stabilize wandering wit. Similarly, study of law-cases provides arguments and references to plead for a reason.

Critical Estimate of the Essay

Bacon’s ‘Of Studies’ is one of the most popular and oft-quoted essays ever written. Borrowing the term from Montaigne’s ‘Essais’ (‘Attempts’), Bacon started writing essays in 1597. ‘Of Studies’ was the first essay of the series of essays published in 1597. This particular essay was written to address the rising growth of demand for reading books prompted by the Renaissance spirit. Bacon here presents guidelines for various types of readers and their interests.

Within a very small compass, ‘Of Studies’ deals with a wide range of ideas presented in a very logical manner and condensed form. It reveals Bacon’s insight, good sense, and practical outlook. In this essay, Bacon focuses on the importance of studies in human life, categorizes books, mentions the advantages and disadvantages of study, and attaches distinctive values to different fields of study. His great ideas, clarity of expression, display of practical wisdom, witty arguments, and lucid presentation make this essay a masterpiece for all ages.

Bacon begins his essay by enlisting a three-fold function of studies — ‘for delight, for ornament, and for ability’. Only seven words sum up the purposes of study. This sort of precision and compactness, clarity and cadence, wit and lucidity mark the uniqueness of Bacon's style. All through the essay, Bacon maintains a dispassionate neutrality.

Bacon clearly explains the three different situations in which the three distinct purposes of study become effective. In private life and leisure, studies give us delight. In case of discourse, the use of studies is ornamental. But studies serve for ability in judgment and in performing anything skillfully. The learned use studies in handling daily affairs and plotting action plans for executing a task.

But Bacon also warns the readers against spending excessive time in studies. He opines that to spend too much time in studies is sloth. Similarly, too much use of studies for ornament is pretense and for judgment is humorous. Bacon admits that studies perfect human nature. But, along with studies, intervention of experience is essential to purify human nature. He advises us to read neither to contradict nor to believe the ideas presented in a book. Books are to be read for improving our ability to weigh and consider an issue.

Bacon excelled in categorizing books according to their utilitarian value and people according to their attitude to studies. He classifies his target population as crafty, simple and wise. Crafty men are clever people who do not study but criticize studies for moral reasons. Simple men are not good readers but they have admiration for studies and the learned. The learned are the wise people who possess the ability to make good judgments based on a deep understanding and experience.

Bacon classifies books on the basis of their importance in human life:

  Some are to be read in parts.

  Some are to be stored in memory for a particular purpose without going into a detailed understanding.

  A few books are to be read intensively with minute details.

He also makes a comparative study of the three essential linguistic skills—reading, speaking and writing. According to him, reading adds to human knowledge, conference demands a readiness to interact with others, and writing contributes to making a person exact.

Bacon concludes his essay by pointing out various subjects and their positive effect on human life in curing different types of mental sickness:

  History: Wisdom

  Poetry: Wit

  Mathematics: Concentration

  Natural Philosophy: Depth of understanding

  Ethics: Gravity

  Logic and Rhetoric: Skill to debate

He compares study with physical exercises: as physical exercises can cure physical ailments, different types of studies can cure mental diseases. For example, bowling is good for the bladder and kidney, shooting for the lungs and breast, walking for the stomach and riding for the head. Similarly, mathematics is the remedy for a wandering mind.

Bacon uses a number of poetic images to lend a poetic touch. He introduces nature imagery to claim that natural abilities are like natural plants: “for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning, by study”. He also uses food imagery: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested”.

Proverbial Quotes from 'Of Studies'

  “Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.”

  “Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them.”

  “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;”

  “Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.”

  “Distilled books are like common distilled waters.”

  “Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.”

Defects and Conclusion

Bacon's ‘Of Studies’ has a few of its own defects. His passion for Latin words and phrases makes the essay rather difficult in some parts. He used expressions such as:

  Abeunt studia in mores (Studies pass into and influence manners)

  Cymini sectores (Splitters of hairs)

In the essay ‘Of Studies’, Bacon has achieved a rare success in expressing his ideas about effectiveness of studies in a very comprehensive manner. This essay has exercised tremendous impact upon all discussion on studies in the subsequent period. In 1753, Samuel Johnson wrote an essay entitled ‘On Studies’, paying tribute to Bacon. Bacon's treatment of the subject, his style of expression, and his objectivity lend him an immortal place in the history of English essays.

Short Answer Type Questions (marks 2)

1. What purpose do studies serve?

Ans. According to Francis Bacon, studies serve for delight, ornament and ability.

2. What are the main benefits of studies?

Ans. The main benefits of studies are three-fold. They provide pleasure in leisure, serve as ornament in discussion and improve ability in practical life.

3. What does Bacon mean by 'studies serve for delight'?

Ans. By the expression 'studies serve for delight', Bacon means to say that reading books in leisure time or private life gives pleasure.

4. How, according to Bacon, do studies serve for ornament?

Ans. According to Bacon, a person can make use of a wide range of references in spoken or written discourse. During a conversation or discussion, a person can show off his/her bookish knowledge by using beautiful words in order to impress others. This is how studies serve for ornament.

5. What is meant by 'studies serve for ability'? Or, What does Bacon mean to suggest when he says, "studies serve for ability"?

Ans. Studies improve a person's knowledge and skill in handling practical issues, giving counsels, decision-making and judging situations in daily life. This is how, according to Bacon, studies serve for ability.

6. How, according to Bacon, studies are used in discourse?

Ans. Bacon argues that in discourse, a person can display his/her bookish knowledge gained through study. Thus, studies are used in discourse.

7. What can an expert do?

Ans. An expert is a person skilled in a particular field. So, an expert can execute a task properly and perhaps judge particulars one after the other.

8. What comes best from the learned?

Ans. The learned are people with a lot of knowledge and experience. General advice, design of a plan of action and techniques for monitoring everything in an orderly way come best from the learned.

9. What, according to Bacon, is the difference between an expert and a learned person?

Ans. An expert is skilled in performing a particular job but a learned person has the ability to design a plot, give general advice and handle any complicated situation in an orderly manner. An expert executes what a learned person devises. The learned are good at decision-making while the experts are skilled in executing a specific task.

10. How does Bacon look upon spending too much time in studies?

Ans. Human life is bound by time and routine. As a practical man, Bacon thinks that spending too much time in studies is a mark of laziness and unwillingness to work. Thus, he condemns this bad habit.

11. What is Bacon's opinion about too much use of studies for ornament?

Ans. According to Bacon, too much use of studies for ornament is affectation because such a showing off to impress others makes a discourse, written or spoken, unnatural and artificial.

12. What does Bacon say about making judgement wholly by rules?

Ans. Bacon holds the view that making judgement by fully depending on rules and bookish knowledge makes the judgement scholarly but comic.

13. "They perfect nature and are perfected by experience"—what is meant by this?

Ans. By this, Bacon means to say that studies makes nature perfect to a degree. However, a higher degree of perfection can be achieved only when studies are moderated by experience.

14. How are studies perfected?

Ans. According to Bacon, studies are perfected by experience. Experience is required for moderating studies.

15. "They perfect nature and are perfected by experience."—What does the word 'they' refer to? What is meant by the word 'nature'?

Ans. In Bacon's essay, the word 'they' refers to studies. The word 'nature' refers to the typical qualities and characteristics of a person.

16. What is the relationship between studies and human nature?

Ans. Studies improve human ability, knowledge and skill to a certain degree of perfection.

17. What roles do studies and experience play in shaping human nature?

Ans. Studies contribute to the development of knowledge and skill while experience moderates bookish knowledge to the highest degree of perfection.

18. What does Bacon compare with natural abilities?

Ans. Bacon compares natural abilities with natural plants.

19. What is the similarity between natural abilities and natural plants?

Ans. Natural abilities mean inherited human qualities or potential. Natural plants are the gifts of nature. Natural abilities can be improved by studies in the same way as natural plants are put in order by pruning.

20. What do studies give forth?

Ans. According to Bacon, studies give forth directions to natural abilities which are finally shaped by experience.

21. What do you mean by 'crafty men'? How do they look upon studies?

Ans. The expression 'crafty men' means wicked or deceitful persons. 'Crafty Men' condemn studies because studies help others to identify their devious design.

22. Who are 'simple men'? How do they regard studies?

Ans. The expression 'simple men' refers to common folk who lack education and training. 'Simple men' show high regard for studies because of their shortcomings in education and their dependence on the learned for general counsels.

23. Who are 'wise men'? How do studies help them?

Ans. The expression 'wise men' refers to the people who possess the ability to make good judgements based on a deep understanding and experience of life. Studies enrich the wise by providing them knowledge required for a deeper understanding. On the other side, wide experience moderates their abilities. Studies help them to use their ability, shaped by experience, in decision-making and problem-solving without making a show of their learning.

24. What, according to Bacon, should not be the aim of reading? Or, What warning does Bacon give about the objectives of reading?

Ans. Bacon warns the readers against opposing or challenging the ideas written in print. He advises neither to believe nor to accept printed literature blindly. Rather, he guides us to judge and think about the value of the content impartially.

25. What does Bacon mean by the expression 'some books are to be tasted'?

Ans. By the expression 'some books are to be tasted', Bacon means to say that there are some books which are not to be read from the beginning to the end. They are to be read in parts.

26. What sort of books is to be swallowed?

Ans. According to Bacon, those books which are not read curiously, are to be swallowed. These books are read extensively to get a general understanding of them.

27. What sort of books are to be chewed and digested?

Ans. According to Bacon, there are some books which demand intensive reading to gain an understanding of the minute details in them. Those books are to be read attentively and diligently.

28. Which books does Bacon prescribe for the deputy?

Ans. According to Bacon, there are some huge books, only summaries and extracts of which are important as reference for arguments. Bacon prescribes those books for the deputy.

29. What does Bacon mean by 'meaner sort of books'? How do they appear?

Ans. By the expression 'meaner sort of books', Bacon refers to less important books or books of little practical utility. These books appear to be attractive and bright.

30. What are 'distilled books'? What has been compared to distilled books?

Ans. 'Distilled books' are books containing only facts and information and no interpretation. These are free from the contamination of thoughts and ideas. Distilled water, meaning pure water, has been compared to distilled books.

31. Why does Bacon say 'reading maketh a full man'?

Ans. Human beings are born with some inherited abilities. These are improved and sharpened by reading. Reading makes a person complete by developing and perfecting their natural abilities in the right direction. That is why Bacon says that 'reading maketh a full man'.

32. What role does conference play in human life?

Ans. Conference extends the scope of discussion and exchange of ideas. A person who attends conferences becomes fully prepared for all seasons. Thus, conference makes a 'ready man'.

33. What is the importance of writing in human life?

Ans. Writing is a productive skill. It involves an in-depth understanding of the topic, a systematic arrangement of parts, a wide range of vocabulary, a sense of accuracy, and logical presentation. It makes a person precise and perfect.

34. Who needs to have a great memory?

Ans. A person who writes a little, needs to have a great memory to compensate for his/her shortcomings in reading.

35. Who needs to have a present wit?

Ans. A person who talks little, must have a present wit to face others in conference or discussion.

36. Who needs to have much cunningness?

Ans. A person who reads little, must be cunning enough to pretend to be a learned man.

37. What is the impact of history on human

life?

Ans. History, as Bacon says, makes a person wise by providing records of the past events. It teaches lessons to the present.

38. How can poetry influence a person?

Ans. From the Elizabethan Age, poetry is full of witty expressions. That is how it makes a person witty.

39. What is the impact of mathematics in human life?

Ans. Mathematics is helpful in developing concentration and subtlety. It makes a person stable enough to focus on a particular issue and not get distracted.

40. What is the utility of natural philosophy?

Ans. Natural philosophy helps us in developing a deep understanding of nature and our existence.

41. What is the importance of moral?

Ans. Moral is helpful in developing an ethical sense and integrating values with personality. It makes a person ethically strong and serious.

42. What is the importance of logic and rhetoric?

Ans. Logic improves our rational thinking and rhetoric modifies our art of expression. Together, logic and rhetoric enhance a person's skill in debate and argumentation.

43. What does the expression 'abeunt studia in mores' mean? Or, Explain the phrase—'abeunt studia in mores'.

Ans. The Latin expression 'abeunt studia in mores' means studies pass into character and influence manners in social interaction.

44. What hinders wit? How can it be overcome?

Ans. The only hindrance or difficulty in the way of acquiring knowledge and wit is the wrong choice of subjects. Only an appropriate subject can help us to become learned and witty.

45. What analogy does Bacon use in highlighting the healing effects of studies?

Ans. In highlighting the healing effect of studies, Bacon draws an analogy between appropriate exercises and appropriate studies. Defects of the mind can be cured by the appropriate choice of studies in the same way as the diseases of the body are cured by appropriate exercises.

46. What is the utility of bowling?

Ans. According to Bacon, bowling is good for the kidney and bladder.

47. What is the benefit of shooting?

Ans. In the opinion of Bacon, shooting is good for the lungs and breast.

48. What is the usefulness of gentle walking?

Ans. According to Bacon, gentle walking is good for the stomach.

49. What is the benefit of riding?

Ans. Bacon thinks that riding is good for the head.

50. What mental defect can be cured by studying mathematics?

Ans. According to Bacon, the study of mathematics is effective in stabilizing wandering wit. It develops concentration. Thus, it prevents the distraction of mind.

51. What is the 'Schoolmen'? Whom can the

study of the Schoolmen help?

Ans. The 'Schoolmen' are the books written by medieval scholars skilled in academic disputation. If a person cannot distinguish between two things, the study of the 'Schoolmen' may be effective.

52. What is meant by the phrase 'cymini

sectores'?

Ans. The Latin phrase 'cymini sectores' literally means hair-splitters. In its general sense, it refers to experts who make fine distinctions. Specifically, this phrase is applied to the philosophers of the Middle Ages.

53. For whom does Bacon advise the study

of the lawyers' cases? Why?

Ans. A person who wants to justify a point or an issue should study the lawyers' cases. Study of the lawyers' cases can help them to justify a point or an issue by illustrating and referencing.

54. Why does Bacon say, 'every defect of the mind may have a special receipt'?

Ans. According to Bacon, every ailment of the mind has its own remedy. It can be cured by choosing the study that acts as a remedy for that particular mental defect.

Descriptive Type Questions (marks 6)

1. What is the use of studies, as propagated by Bacon in his 'Of Studies'? Or, How does Bacon explain the chief benefits of studies in his 'Of Studies'?

Ans. In the opening line of the essay 'Of Studies', Francis Bacon classifies the benefits of studies under three distinctly different and well-defined heads. According to him, the uses of studies are three-fold: they serve for delight, ornament and ability. Studies give joy in private life and leisure. People derive pleasure out of studying interesting books and journals. The entertaining value of books attracts the readers to be absorbed in studies. The second use of studies is concerned with their ornamental value . some readers study to make a show of their learned self. They use studies to beautify both their character and discourse in the eyes of others. But the most significant of the uses is the functional values of studies. Studies improve skill and sharpen natural abilities. They enable us to get a deeper understanding of our problems and solve those efficiently. It helps us in giving counsels, in judgement, in decision - making and conducting all sorts of business. Moderated by experience, studies perfect human nature. Apart from these uses, studies also serve as a remedy for mental defects.