Of Studies SAQ
Of Studies – An Essay on the Importance of Conventional Education
Francis Bacon [1561-1626]
SAQ – 2 Marks
45 Important Questions
Unit – I
1. *What are the three uses of study that Bacon specifies in his essay, “Of Studies”?
👉Bacon specifies three different uses of study. Firstly, studies are a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. Secondly, it has an ornamental value. It provides the power of eloquence with a perfect ease. Finally, it increases one’s ability to execute various jobs properly.
OR
Bacon specifies three different uses of study. Firstly, studies are a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. Secondly, it has an ornamental value. Thirdly, studies help one to develop one’s ability to judge and help to handle one’s affairs with perfect ease and success.
Related Questions
[I] What are the three main uses of study stated by Bacon in his essay, “Of Studies”?
[II] According to Bacon, what are the three purposes of studying?
[III] What are the three purposes of studies enlisted in the essay ‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon?
[IV] What are chief uses of studies?
[V] According to Bacon, what are the chief uses of studies?
[VI] What, according to Francis Bacon, are the chief usages of studies?
[VII] What are the advantages of studies?
[VIII] What are the chief benefits of study as proposed in the essay ‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three main benefits of study. Firstly, studies are a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. Secondly, it has an ornamental value. It provides the power of eloquence with a perfect ease. Finally, it increases one’s ability to execute various jobs properly.
[IX] What are the main benefits of study in the essay ‘Of Studies’ by Francis Bacon?
[X] What are the benefits of studying according to Francis Bacon?
——————
2. *“To spend too much time in studies is sloth…..” Explain.
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Francis Bacon specifies the drawbacks of spending too much time in studies. Bacon warns us that to spend too much time in studies is a mark of idleness, to use them inordinately for ornament is vanity or to judge only by their rules is the eccentricity of a scholar.
Related Questions
️[I] According to Bacon, what are the drawbacks of spending too much time in studies?
[II] What is Bacon’s view about ‘too much use of studies for ornament’ in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
[III] What are the abuses or disadvantages of studies?
——————
3. *How has Bacon compared natural abilities to natural plants?
👉In the essay, “Of Studies” Bacon has compared natural abilities of a man with the natural plants. Natural plants need pruning and maintenance. Similarly, natural abilities in man have to be properly channelized by study to bring in perfection.
Related Questions
[I] In what way natural abilities are linked to natural plants?
[II] What does Bacon say about natural abilities of a man in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
[III] How does Bacon describe the relationship between natural abilities and studies?
[IV] “—-are like natural plants, that need pruning, by study.” Bring out the comparison lied in this line.
——————
4. *How are studies treated by different types of men?
👉The three categories of men including simple, crafty and wise treat studies in three different ways. Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire it and wise men use it for their benefit.
Related Questions
[I] What are the acceptances of studies in various ways by the people?
[II] How do the various kinds of men give importance to studies?
——————
5. Who among the ‘crafty men’, ‘simple men’ and ‘wise men’ can use studies properly?
👉Bacon says that crafty men consider study useless and simple men wonder for it as they are ignorant. Study has no purpose to both of them. Only the wise men who are intelligent and mature can make best use of studies.
6. Why should one read?
👉One should read in order to develop the power of understanding, comprehension and consideration and not to contradict and confute others, nor to blindly believe others without thinking for himself.
Related Question
In this essay Bacon pointed out some purposes of studies. What are they?
——————
7. “They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience.” Explain.
👉Bacon says that human nature is perfected by studies. Originally human nature has its limitations. Learning gives human nature a satisfactory turn, but it is not enough. Only experience can give the final mould and adjustment in one’s temperament, attitude and mode of activity.
8. *How do reading, conference and writing develop a man?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon says about the importance of reading, conference and writing in the life of a man. He says reading makes a full man, conference makes him ready to face all types of people and to deal with all types of affairs and writing perfects him, and thus creating an exact man.
Related Questions
[I] What are the purposes of studies to cultivate different skills?
[II] What are the objectives or different modes of studies?
[III] What did Bacon say about the importance of reading, conference and writing in the life of a man in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
——————
9. *How did the different subjects help man?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ on the importance of conventional education Bacon specifies how studying books of different subjects help in the development of one’s personality. He says that the study of histories generate wisdom in a man, poems make him witty, mathematics makes him subtle, physics makes him delve deep into matters, moral ethics make a man serious or grave whereas a study of logic and rhetoric makes him more comprehensive.
Related Questions
[I] How do books of different subjects help in the development of one’s personality?
[II] How does study of different subjects influence a reader’s character?
——————
10. *How many types of books are there as mentioned by Bacon in “Of Studies”? How should books be utilized?
👉Bacon mentioned three types of books in his essay, “Of Studies”.
He says that some books are to be tasted, some to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested, that is, some books are to be read only in parts, some to be read but not minutely, while others should be read with care, diligence and perfect attention.
Related Questions
[I] Describe different types of books as described by Bacon in ‘Of Studies’.
[II] How should different types of books be read, according to Bacon?
[III] How has Bacon classified books in his ‘Of Studies’?
——————
Unit – II
11. *“……..distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things.” What are ‘distilled books’? Why are they are compared to ‘distilled waters’? Explain.
👉By ‘distilled books’, Bacon means the summaries and epitomises of books. He thinks that books lose their characteristic charms when they are summarised. According to him, water when distilled becomes tasteless or flashy, and like the distilled water, the distilled books also become dull and insipid or tasteless.
Related Questions
[I] What books are called ‘distilled books’ and why?
[II] “……..distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things.” Explain the message of the essayist in the line mentioned above.
👉The essayist has compared distilled books to common distilled waters. They are flashy things. According to Bacon, when water is distilled, it loses its taste and becomes flashy. Likewise, when a book is summarized, it loses its characteristic charms.
[III] Explain the meaning of ‘flashy things’ in ‘Of Studies’.
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon has used the word ‘flashy’ in the sense of ‘insipid’ or ‘tasteless’. This is an archaic use.
By ‘flashy things’ Bacon means summarized or epitomized books which have been compared to ‘common distilled waters’. According to him, water when distilled becomes tasteless or flashy, and like the distilled water, the distilled books also become dull and insipid or tasteless when they are summarised.
——————
12. What does Bacon say about the curative value of study?
👉Just as the proper exercise can cure many defects and deformations of the human body, likewise, studies can cure many mental defects of human beings. For a wondering mind that cannot concentrate on anything, study of mathematics would be a very good exercise. Again, if a man cannot recall references to classify his arguments, the law cases will be the perfect remedy for him.
Related Question
What remedies does Bacon suggest for mental defects of human beings in his essay, “Of Studies”?
👉Bacon suggests that the man lacking in concentration should study mathematics. According to him, the person who lacks the ability to discern and distinguish should study the books of Medieval Schoolmen. One who cannot pass through the matters rapidly in the mind and call up one thing to prove and illustrate another must study the lawyers’ cases.
——————
13. What are the advices to the readers given by Bacon?
👉Bacon advises to his readers that a man needs to possess great memory if he writes less, needs to have a pleasant wit if he discusses little, and should be seeming-wise if he knows little.
Related Question
What are the warnings given by Bacon to the readers?
——————
14. What idea do you form of Bacon’s general outlook on life from your reading of “Of Studies”?
👉Bacon was a pragmatic person. He did not share the scholar’s love of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. He valued men and affairs by the materialistic outlook. His general outlook on life is that one should use his knowledge to enrich his mind. He judges the worth of everything on the basis of its practical utility.
Related Question
Write in brief about Bacon’s outlook on life as you find in his essay, “Of Studies”.
👉In his essay, “Of Studies” Bacon’s general outlook on life is that one should use his knowledge to enrich his mind. He judges the worth of everything on the basis of its practical utility.
——————
15. Explain the phrase ‘to beat over matters’.
👉The phrase ‘to beat over matters’ means to make a rapid survey. In Novum Organum it is mentioned as the mind of man is altogether slow, and so unfitted to pass to remote and different examples by which conclusions are tried, as it were by fire.
Related Question
What does the phrase ‘to beat over matters’ mean in Bacon’s essay, “Of Studies”?
👉In Bacon’s essay, “Of Studies” the phrase ‘to beat over matters’ indicates making rapid survey. Novum Organum mentions it as the mind of man ‘is very slow and unfit for the transition to the remote and heterogeneous instances, by which axioms are tried as by fire’.
——————
16. Mention the salient features of Bacon’s style in his essays?
👉Bacon’s presentation of the subjects in his essays is marked by his aphoristic, rhetorical style, anti-thetical statements, constant use of imagery and figurative language, his extensive use of allusions and quotations, his flexibility and his wit. Above all, Bacon’s style is characterized by terseness and brevity.
17. *“Abeunt studia in mores.” Explain.
👉The expression has been taken from Bacon’s essay “Of Studies”. It is a Latin expression means ‘studies pass into characters’. He means to say that studies play greater role in building our character.
Related Questions
[I] “Abeunt studia in mores.” Explain the meaning of the expression.
[II] What is meant by the line ‘Abeunt studia in mores’?
[III] What is meant by the Latin phrase ‘Abeunt studia in mores’?
[IV] What is meant by these Latin words ‘Abeunt studia in mores’?
[V] “Abeunt studia in mores” From where has this expression been taken and what is the meaning of this Latin expression?
[VI] “Abeunt studia in mores” Where from has Bacon quoted it? What does it mean?
[VII] What stands for ‘Abeunt studia in mores’?
[VIII] What does Bacon want to mean using the phrase ”Abeunt studia in mores”?
👉By using the Latin phrase taken from Ovid’s ‘Heroides’ in his famous essay, “Of Studies” Bacon gives a message about the great role of studies in our life. The expression means ‘studies pass into and influence manners’ which expresses that studies play greater role in building one’s character.
[IX] Where from has Bacon quoted the expression ‘Abeunt studia in mores’? What does the expression mean?
👉Bacon has quoted this expression from one of the epistle of the Roman poet Ovid. The Latin expression means ‘studies become manifest in character’. He means to say that studies play greater role in building human character.
——————
18. *Who are ‘cymini sectores’ in “Of Studies”?
👉’Cymini sectores’ is a Latin term meaning experts in hair splitting i.e. splitters of hairs. They are the philosophers of the Middle Ages who have the capacity to differentiate and distinguish things. Bacon says that if a man cannot differentiate things easily, he can go through the works of philosophers of the Middle Ages who were the hair splitters of things.
Related Questions
[I] What is meant by the phrase ‘cymini sectores’?
[II] Who, according to Bacon, are ‘cymini sectores’ and why are they called so?
——————
19. Who are the expert-men, according to Bacon? How do they differ from the learned men?
👉Men who are helped by their experience and by learning are called expert-men, according to Bacon. They can analyze and indicate various elements of steps. They can advise about a work or a planning. So, they differ from learned men.
20. “So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.” Comment.
👉In the concluding expression the essayist, Bacon categorically points out that proper and disciplined education can have influence upon the intellect. It can influence the reader’s mind also, that means studies can help to increase concentration and perseverance.
Unit – III
21. How do reading, conference and writing develop a man?
👉There are three modes of studies–reading, conference and writing. Reading makes a full man by giving him knowledge and information, conference makes a man ready to face all types of people and to deal with all types of affairs, and writing provides a man accuracy so that he can make free use of his knowledge.
Related Question
Explain the different modes of Studies.
——————
22. In “Of Studies” Bacon has pointed out some purposes of studies. What are they?
👉The real purpose of reading, according to Bacon, is to develop the power of understanding, comprehension and consideration. It also teaches on not to confute and contradict others, nor to blindly believe others without thinking for himself.
23. Mention some disadvantages of studies as revealed in Bacon’s “Of Studies”?
👉Study perfects human nature. But, according to Bacon, one becomes inactive and of sedentary habit if one spends much time in studies. Too much use of studies makes one’s language artificial and over refined.
24. Name at least two physical exercises recommended for curing physical diseases as suggested by Bacon in his essay ‘Of Studies’.
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon has suggested some physical exercises for curing physical diseases in one’s body. The physical exercises recommended by Bacon are bowling, shooting, gentle walking, riding, and the like.
According to Bacon, 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.
Related Questions
[I] How do the different exercises benefit our body?
[II] How, according to Francis Bacon, do bowling, shooting, walking gently and riding help a man?
——————
25. *“Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.” When does study ‘serve for ornament?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three different uses of study — studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
By ‘studies serve for ornament’ the essayist means study has an ornamental value. It provides the power of eloquence with a perfect ease in use of rhetoric in one’s speech, oration and writing.
Related Questions
[I] What does Bacon mean by ‘studies serve for ornament’ in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
[II] How does Bacon describe studies as ornaments?
——————
26. *What does Bacon mean by ‘studies serve for ability’ in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three different uses of study — studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
By ‘studies serve for ability’ the essayist means studies help one to develop one’s ability to judge and help to handle one’s affairs with perfect ease and success.
Related Questions
[I] What is meant by ‘studies serve for ability’?
[II] What is the chief use of studies for ability according to Francis Bacon?
——————
27. *What does Bacon mean by ‘studies serve for delight’ in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three different uses of study — studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
By ‘studies serve for delight’ the essayist means study is a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. It is a source of pleasure especially for one who leads a solitary and retired life.
Related Question
What, according to Bacon, is the chief use of studies for delight?
——————
28. How do studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three different uses of study — studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. It gives one pleasure in solitariness, enhances one’s rhetorical skill and increases one’s capability and efficiency in work.
29. What is the attitude of a simple man and a wise man about studies, according to Bacon in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ on the importance of conventional education Bacon mentions three categories of men—crafty, simple and wise who have different attitudes about studies and who treat studies in three different ways.
Crafty men consider studies useless, and so they condemn studies, simple men who are ignorant wonder for studies and admire them simply. Studies are of no purpose to both of them. Only the wise men who are intelligent and mature can make best use of studies for their benefit.
Related Questions
[I] How do various people react to studies?
[II] What is the difference between the crafty men and simple men in their approach towards studies?
——————
30. How, according to Bacon, should ‘the meaner sort of books’ be read?
👉According to Francis Bacon, ‘the meaner sort of books’ should be read only skimming through, not fully consuming them as they are not considered important enough to warrant a deep and thorough reading. Bacon also advises his readers to read summarizes or extracts made by others for this sort of books.
Unit – IV
31. What is meant by ‘some books are to be tasted’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon has used a food imagery to make his readers understand the right approach to different kinds of books. In case of some food items we may merely taste them. Similarly, according to Bacon, some books of lesser importance may be tasted only.
32. What, according to Bacon, should a man do if his wit wanders?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon says studies of particular subjects can cure one’s many mental and intellectual disabilities. For example, Bacon recommends that if a man’s wit wanders i.e. who cannot concentrate on anything, he should study Mathematics which would be a very good exercise for him to recover from this disability.
Related Question
What study does Bacon suggest for those who cannot concentrate their mind?
——————
33. How, according to Bacon, does a man become perfect?
👉According to Bacon, a man becomes perfect only by following the three modes of studies– reading, conference and writing which play greater role in building perfect human nature. He says reading makes a full man, conference makes him ready to face all types of people and to deal with all types of affairs and writing perfects him, and thus creating an exact man.
34. Why should those who lack concentration of mind study Mathematics?
👉According to Bacon, those who lack concentration of mind should study Mathematics because in Mathematics they have to pay much more attention than other subjects. In Mathematics, a slight loss of concentration leads to grave error that makes them to do the calculation again from the beginning. Thus, studying mathematics restraints the mind from darting off elsewhere. So, the essayist advises people lacking concentration on anything to study mathematics to develop their power of concentration.
35. Who are crafty men referred to in Bacon’s ‘Of Studies’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ on the importance of conventional education Bacon mentions three categories of men—crafty, simple and wise who have different attitudes about studies and who treat studies in three different ways.
According to Bacon, crafty men are those who condemn studies considering them useless.
36. What exercise is good for the stone and reins and the stomach?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon has suggested some physical exercises for curing physical diseases in one’s body. The physical exercises recommended by Bacon are bowling, shooting, gentle walking, riding, and the like.
According to Bacon, 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.
37. What are Bacon’s views on studies in his essay ‘Of Studies’?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon argues that studies are useful for delight, ornament, and ability. Firstly, studies are a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. Secondly, it has an ornamental value. It provides the power of eloquence with a perfect ease. Finally, it increases one’s ability to execute various jobs properly.
38. According to Bacon, how do studies contribute to a person’s character and moral development?
👉According to Bacon, studies contribute a lot to a person’s character and moral development. Bacon says that human nature is perfected by studies. Studying books of different subjects help in the development of one’s personality. According to Bacon, histories generate wisdom in a man, poems make him witty, mathematics makes him subtle, physics makes him delve deep into matters, moral ethics make a man serious or grave whereas a study of logic and rhetoric makes him more comprehensive. And thus studies pass into characters.
39. What is the main purpose of studies as conveyed by Francis Bacon?
👉The main purpose of studies as conveyed by Francis Bacon in his essay ‘Of Studies’ is to apply knowledge in practical life. Bacon specifies three different uses of study — 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 judgement and disposition of business.
40. “Some books also may be read by deputy,” Explain what is meant by this line.
👉Through the above mentioned line the famous essayist Francis Bacon in his essay ‘Of Studies’ refers to those books which are of lesser importance containing lesser logical merit. According to Bacon, these types of books should be assigned to read by a deputy because they are inferior in quality. By suggesting this, Bacon means that reading such books will be a mere waste of time and energy.
Unit – V
41. What kind of books should be chewed and digested?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon has used a food imagery to make his readers understand the right approach to different kinds of books. In case of some food items we carefully chew for proper digestion. Similarly there are some important books which are to be understood properly by careful reading and should be kept into own mind for our own benefit.
42. When should the lawyers’ cases be studied?
👉Just as the proper exercise can cure many defects and deformations of the human body, likewise, studies can cure many mental defects of human beings. Bacon says when one cannot pass through the matters rapidly in the mind and call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, he should study the lawyers’ cases.
43. How do the different people use the techniques of studies?
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Francis Bacon describes how people can use studies for delight, for ornament, and for ability, and how different subjects can help one to develop one’s power of wisdom, imagination and thinking. Firstly, studies are a source of delight in our leisure time and solitude. Secondly, it has an ornamental value. Thirdly, studies help one to develop one’s ability to judge and help to handle one’s affairs with perfect ease and success. Bacon also says how different subjects like history, poetry, and philosophy can develop one’s power of wisdom, imagination and thinking.
44. How does Bacon view the relationship between studies and practical experience?
👉According to Francis Bacon, both studies and practical experience are interrelated to each other, and they should be as complementary. For Bacon, the study is always related to the application of knowledge in practical life. The knowledge gained from studying should be applied and tested in real-world situations which is truly valuable. Bacon believes that while studies provides the foundation, practical experience makes one’s knowledge refine and valid to use it in decision-making and action.
At the very beginning of his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three main purposes of study including studying for gaining delight, for ornamenting one’s life, and for improving one’s ability.
45. What are the ‘distilled books’ and how those books should be read?
👉 By ‘distilled books’, Bacon means the summarizes and epitomizes of books. He thinks that books lose their characteristic charms when they are summarized. According to him, water when distilled becomes tasteless, or flashy and like the distilled water, the distilled books also become dull and insipid or tasteless when they are summarized.
According to Francis Bacon, as ‘distilled books’ are of lesser importance, they should be read only skimming through, not fully consuming them. Bacon also advises his readers to read summarizes or extracts made by others for this sort of books.
——————
WBCHSE Sample Questions
1. What is meant by the phrase ‘cymini sectores’?……(2)
👉’Cymini sectores’ is a Latin term meaning experts in hair splitting i.e. splitters of hairs. They are the philosophers of the Middle Ages who have the capacity to differentiate and distinguish things. Bacon says that if a man cannot differentiate things easily, he can go through the works of philosophers of the Middle Ages who were the hair splitters of things.
2. What is meant by ‘studies serve for ability’?……(2)
👉In his essay ‘Of Studies’ Bacon specifies three different uses of study — studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. By ‘studies serve for ability’ the essayist means studies help one to develop one’s ability to judge and help to handle one’s affairs with perfect ease and success.
——————
