PROSE

BS (HONS) ENGLISH

Prof. Shahbaz Ahmad

M.A English, M.Phil. English, Ph.D. English Scholar
Ph# 0301 6811956

Superior Group of Colleges Kasur

Campus
Of Truth -Line by line meaning

WHAT is truth? said jesting Pilate, and would not stay for an answer.

Meaning … Here Francis Bacon refers to Pontius Pilate, who occupied a position of influence
in Emperor Tiberius’s court. For his involvement in the persecution of Jesus Christ, Pilate was
not looked upon favorably by Christians. He enjoyed a somewhat sullied reputation. Here Bacon
takes Pilate’s name to express how humans, in general, avoid Truth. They find Truth inconvenient
and difficult to imbibe.

Certainly there be that delight in giddiness, and count it a bondage to fix a belief; affecting free-
will in thinking, as well as in acting.

Meaning .. People do not seek Truth, and enjoy resorting to falsehood and lies. People like
ambiguity , and inaccuracy, so that they can couch the harshness of Truth in convenient language.

And though the sects of philosophers, of that kind be gone, yet there remain certain discoursing
wits which are of the same veins, though there be not so much blood in them as was in those of
the ancients.

Meaning ….. Bacon goes back to the ancient Greek philosophers, who often lost their way while
looking to ascertain what really ‘truth’ was. He laments the fact that some of these independent-
minded, free-thinking philosophers proposed that there was nothing real as ‘truth’. But, while
trying to prove the contrary, they soon wavered, and came out with conflicting decisions. These
types of thinkers have all but ceased to exist. The present day ones lack the rigor and verve of the
ancient great minds. They are paler versions of their illustrious predecessors. Nevertheless, they,
too, doubt the existence of truth, and tend to drift towards falsehood.

But it is not only the difficulty and labor which men take in finding out of truth, nor again that
when it is found it imposeth upon men’s thoughts, that doth bring lies in favor; but a natural though
corrupt love of the lie itself.

Meaning … Undoubtedly, people do make very sincere and strenuous attempts to discover ‘truth’.
They succeed, but regrettably, they find the burden and demands of ‘truth’ to be unbearable.
Expediently, they abandon the pursuit of ‘truth’, and drift towards ‘lies’ knowingly very well that
resorting to ‘lies’ is degrading. The world of ‘lies’ is dark, but people, somehow’ develop a
fascination for lies at the expense of truth.

One of the later school of the Grecians examineth the matter and is at a stand to think what should
be in it, that men should love lies, where neither they make for pleasure, as with poets, nor for
advantage, as with the merchant; but for the lie’s sake.

Meaning …Some Greek philosophers of later periods delved in to this matter. They tried to know
why and what attracts people towards ‘lies’. In poetry, some distortion of truth adds to a poem’s
literary beauty. So allowance needs to be made to accommodate fantasy and fiction as they enhance
the readers’ literary pleasure. Merchants and traders resort to a certain amount of falsehood to
entice the customers to buy their merchandize. But, why do common folks resort to lies despite
knowing its unsavory consequences.

But I cannot tell; this same truth is a naked and open day-light, that doth not show the masks and
mummeries and triumphs of the world, half so stately and daintily as candle-lights.

Meaning .. ‘Truth’ depicts everything very honestly, faithfully and transparently. There is no place
for extravagant praise or derision, superficial description or sycophantic eulogy in ‘’ truth’.
Emperors, heroes, military commanders and other men and women of prominence are described
with the minimum laudatory language. Truth builds no artificial aura of greatness around them.
So, bereft of their unrealistic praise, they appear vastly diminished in stature.

Truth may perhaps come to the price of a pearl, that showeth best by day; but it will not rise to the
price of a diamond or carbuncle, that showeth best in varied lights.

Meaning … A pearl shines in the day. A diamond or a carbuncle glow at night giving an unreal
feeling of light in the midst of total darkness. ‘Truth’ is like a pearl. It shows what is visible to the
naked eye. It can’t show anything by lighting up something unrealistically. Only ‘falsehood’ has
that capacity to make something apparent in total darkness.

A mixture of a lie doth ever add pleasure. Doth any man doubt, that if there were taken out of
men’s minds vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations as one would, and the
like, but it would leave the minds of a number of men poor shrunken things, full of melancholy
and indisposition, and unpleasing to themselves?

Meaning … A cocktail of lies and truth has the potency to please humans more than only lies or
only truth. Bacon, paradoxically, suggests the utility of such combination of lies and truth. If
everything is portrayed in their true colours with no addition of superficial praise, flaterring
comments and allusions, the society will appear drab and indolent. Vanity and aggrandizement
induce creativity, energy and intellectual activity. For example, if a poet is not felicitated or a
player is not rewarded, how will they be motivated to reach higher levels of accomplishments?
While showering praise, use of a certain amount of unreal description of one’s feat is needed.
Otherwise, the praise will be bland and ineffective.

One of the fathers, in great severity, called poesy vinum dæmonum [devils’-wine], because it
filleth the imagination; and yet it is but with the shadow of a lie. But it is not the lie that passeth
through the mind, but the lie that sinketh in and settleth in it, that doth the hurt; such as we spake
of before.

Meaning .. Some very revered men of great wisdom denigrated poetry saying it contained lies.
They felt, the poet adds fiction, exaggerations, allusions etc. to his poem to impart it some charm
and attraction for the reader. Bacon says, most of these lies actually may not stay permanently in
the mind of the reader. However, a part of such falsehood does get embedded in the reader’s mind
impairing the sense of the readers. This could indeed be a sad consequence of reading poetry.
But howsoever these things are thus in men’s depraved judgments and affections, yet truth, which
only doth judge itself, teacheth that the inquiry of truth, which is the love-making or wooing of it,
the knowledge of truth, which is the presence of it, and the belief of truth, which is the enjoying
of it, is the sovereign good of human nature.

Meaning .. So, lies, undoubtedly, deprave the mind. Truth, on the other hand, remains unblemished
always. It is absolute and does not lend itself to differing interpretations. Inquiry of truth is a
romantic pursuit that demands indulgence of the pursuer. Knowledge of truth means owning this
unique gift. When one reposes absolute faith in truth, the feeling becomes very enjoyable . It
symbolizes the ultimate good of human nature.

The first creature of God, in the works of the days, was the light of the sense; the last was the light
of reason; and his sabbath work ever since is the illumination of his Spirit. First he breathed light
upon the face of the matter or chaos; then he breathed light into the face of man; and still he
breatheth and inspireth light into the face of his chosen.

Meaning .. When God created the world, He gave the light of sense to the mankind. Using this,
human beings could see and feel the world around them. Then God gave the power of reason.
Using this, human beings could reason what was good or bad in the things happening pr being said
around them. As a result, human beings got the power of enlightenment. After this, God radiated
light that illuminated the world which was so disorderly then. Then His light fell on human beings
to make them superior in knowledge and wisdom to other species. After this, He focused his kindly
light on the face of those human beings whom He loved most.

The poet that beautified the sect that was otherwise inferior to the rest, saith yet excellently well:
It is a pleasure to stand upon the shore and to see ships tossed upon the sea; a pleasure to stand in
the window of a castle and to see a battle and the adventures thereof below: but no pleasure is
comparable to the standing upon the vantage ground of truth (a hill not to be commanded, and
where the air is always clear and serene), and to see the errors and wanderings and mists and
tempests in the vale below; so always that this prospect be with pity, and not with swelling or
pride. Certainly, it is heaven upon earth, to have a man’s mind move in charity, rest in providence,
and turn upon the poles of truth.

Meaning .. When one stands in the sea beach and gets to see ships being rocked violently by the
winds, it becomes a breath-taking experience. In the same way, one can stand by the window of a
high castle and watch the fight raging below. This also is a unique experience. In the same way,
when a human being can realize truth, he can feel as if he stands atop a high mountain enjoying its
beauty and bliss. But attaining such an exalted status must not make the man to feel proud. Instead,
he should be humble, and benign towards others. He should engage in charity.

To pass from theological and philosophical truth to the truth of civil business; it will be
acknowledged even by those that practise it not, that clear and round dealing is the honor of man’s
nature; and that mixture of falsehood is like alloy in coin of gold and silver, which may make the
metal work the better, but it embaseth it. For these winding and crooked courses are the goings of
the serpent; which goeth basely upon the belly, and not upon the feet. There is no vice that doth so
cover a man with shame as to be found false and perfidious. And therefore Montaigne saith prettily,
when he inquired the reason why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace and such an odious
charge.

Meaning … Theosophical and philosophical truth belong to a certain domain. While dealing with
our day-to-day mundane matters, one finds it difficult to stick to the truth always. To make his
business and dealings smoother, he mixes some lies to his dealings. This, at times, appears to be a
practical necessity. Although, he might succeed and emerge a winner, such conduct is vile and
degrading. It is like an alloy where a foreign element is added in small quantities to a metal like
gold and silver to give it more strength and toughness. However, such alloying robs the silver or
gold of its luster. It is like a snake that moves on its belly always, and can never stand up erect and
upright. This is why, eminent men like Montaigne declared that falsehood was universally
degrading and loathsome.
Saith he, If it be well weighed, to say that a man lieth, is as much to say, as that he is brave towards
God and a coward towards men. For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man. Surely the wickedness
of falsehood and breach of faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed, as in that it shall be the
last peal to call the judgments of God upon the generations of men; it being foretold that when
Christ cometh, he shall not find faith upon the earth.

Meaning .. When analyzed deeply, he said, it means that a person who lies is afraid of ordinary
mortals and has the temerity to face God. He is a lowly soul bereft of any wisdom or intellectual
heft. When the Day of the Judgment arrives, a person who has lied all his life, can not face God,
and will be punished for his guilt. It has been said that gradual erosion of moral values in the world
will slowly drag the earth to a state where ‘Faith’ ceases to exist.

———————————END—————————
Of Truth – Summary and Analysis

Summary

Pilate, the ancient Roman Governor of Judaea, was not much interested in knowing the meaning

of truth. He seemed to have a sceptical frame of mind. There are certainly people who frequently

change their opinions. They consider it a sign of mental slavery to have fixed beliefs. They

advocate free will in thought as well as in action. In ancient Greece there was a school of

philosophers called the Sceptics.

The discovery of truth involves a lot of time and labour. Besides, when truth has been discovered,

it acts as a kind of restraint upon the minds of men, because men cannot then change their beliefs

according to their whims. Lies are in favour not because of either of these two causes. It seems

that human beings are somehow or other attracted by lies.

Truth is like the clear day-light in which the shows and the spectacles presented on the stage of a

theatre are seen for what they are, while lies are like candle-lights in which the same shows and

spectacle appear to be far more attractive. Truth gives greater pleasure when a lie has been added

to it.

An early writer of the church described poetry as the wine of the devils. But poetry tells lies which

are received by the mind and then forgotten. Such lies do not settle down in the mind. But much

harm is done by those lies that sink into the mind and settle down there.
Only those who understand truth realise the value of truth. Truth is the supreme good for human

beings. The inquiry of truth may be described as the wooing of it; the knowledge of truth may be

described as the presence of it; and the belief of truth may be described as the enjoying of it.

The first thing that God created was light, and the final thing that He created was the rational

faculty which He bestowed upon man. Having completed His work of creation, God has ever since

been illuminating the minds of human beings with His divine spirit. Truth is important not only in

theological and philosophical fields, but also in the sphere of ordinary life. Even those who do not

practice truth know that honest and straightforward dealings show the dignity and honorable

quality of a man.

Analysis

This essay gives expression to ideas which are noble and worthy of the highest appreciation. All

great thinkers, philosophers, divines, saints, and prophets of the world have dwelt upon the

supreme value of truth. Of course, it is very difficult to decide what truth is and Pilate was perhaps

justified in not waiting for the answer to this question. Standards of truth in religious,

philosophical, and moral spheres keep changing from time to time. The only truth of which we can

be certain is scientific truth.

The essay is written in a didactic tone. The object of the writer is to instill into the mind of his

readers a love of truth. A man’s mind, he says, should turn upon the “poles of truth”. Bacon

recognizes the fact that human beings have a natural though corrupt love of lies. The lies of a poet,

be says, give pleasure. The lies of a trader bring financial return. But why people should love lies
for the sake of lies, he is unable to explain. Nobody will disagree with Bacon when he says that

false opinions, false hopes, and false judgments have a pleasing effect upon a human being.

The principal merit of this essay, however, lies in its stylistic qualities. While the ideas of the essay

are already familiar to us, it is the manner in which they are stated and conveyed to us that is more

important. Bacon shows his love of learning and his habit of introducing allusions.

Bacon gives us very vivid similes and metaphors in order to illustrate his ideas. He here compares

truth to the naked and open day-light which does not show the masques and mummeries and

triumphs of the world as half so grand and attractive as candle-lights show them. Again, truth, he

says,may claim the price of a pearl which is seen to the best advantage in day-light; but truth cannot

rise to the price of a diamond or carbuncle that shows best in varied lights. He compares falsehood

to an alloy in a coin of gold or silver.

This essay well illustrates Bacon’s gift of compression. Most of the sentences here are written in

that compact and terse style of which Bacon is a master. Allusions, aphorisms, illustrations, and

quotations make the reading of this essay a rich, entertaining experience. The condensation of

thoughts is, of course, its most-striking merit.

Style

We have seen that Bacon has a distinct style. No man’s style is more characteristic of its age that

his. Bacon’s style is still unmatched after more than five centuries. He has simplicity, strength,

brevity, clearness and precision. His essays are simple only in the sense of being free from all

affections, from any studied elegance in the choice of words in the structure of sentences. Strength
of Bacon’s style is intellectual rather than emotional. He has little taste for any energetic display

of feelings; but he says what he has to say as vigorously and tersely as possible.

Indeed the secret of Bacon’s strength lies in his conciseness. Hardly any writer, ancient or modern,

has succeeded in compressing so much meaning within so short a compass. His essays are marvels

of condensation. The secret of clearness of his style is the clearness of his thoughts.

“Of Truth” Summary and Critical Analysis:

Sir Francis Bacon starts his essay while referring the Ancient Roman Governor Pilate, who made

the situation critical without doing an analysis of truth. Pilate asked for truth but did not wait for

it. If he would have known the truth, he may have not passed the judgment to crucify the Christ.

He then talks about skeptical minds, who are not easily convincible. He doubts that Pilate was also

skeptical. Definitely, there are people who do not have strong beliefs. Numerous people are there

in the world, who change their minds frequently. They consider that fixed beliefs are a sign of

mental slavery. Whenever they think or take decisions, they use their free will; they stubbornly

ignore every belief. In Greeks, there was a school of philosophers having skeptics. They may have

died now but skeptical people are there even today in this world.

Why Do Not People Speak the Truth?

There are many reasons behind not speaking the truth. One of them is that discovery of truth

requires efforts and time. Let us do a critical analysis of this truth from real life example. There

are many courts in every country; each court has thousands of cases; in every case, either the

defendant or the plaintiff is right. Every case has been heard for many years in order to find out
who is speaking the truth. Secondly, both the parties (plaintiff and defendant) struggle to prove

themselves right. Indeed Sir Francis Bacon is right. Effort and time are required to discover the

truth. The second reason, which Bacon provides for not speaking the truth, is that it is hard to

digest. When it is discovered people hardly believe it.

Then he talks about lies. He is of the view that lies attract people but no one adopts truth. He is

confused that why people tell a lie for the sake of a lie. Nevertheless, he understands that poets sell

lie because it gives pleasure to human beings. Traders tell lies because they want to sell their goods

but lie for the sake of lie is not understandable.

How Is The Truth Different from Lie?

Bacon gives a real-life example. He says that if the audience sees a spectacle on the stage in

daylight it will look as it is. On the other hand, if the same show is presented with candlelight then

it will attract more people; it would definitely give pleasure to the audience. Lie, in the same way,

has a beautiful and shiny cover, due to which people like lie instead of truth. However, if the truth

were mixed with a lie then it would also give pleasure. Moreover, people have created their own

false beliefs, judgments, and opinions. If these things were snatched from them, their condition

would become miserable as these things give them hope and strange kind of pleasure.
Critical Analysis of “Of Truth” Shows that Poetry is Harmful?

Is poetry a lie? If so, is it harmful? No, Bacon does not think so. Early writers of the church called

poetry a devil’s wine. It is because it exaggerates things and is full of fancies. It also takes a person

in the world of imagination; therefore, they called poetry a lie and harmful to human beings. Bacon

agrees that the poetry is a lie but he denies the second allegation. He says that it is not harmful at

all. He divides lies into two categories; short-term and long-term. Poetry tells lie but people soon

forget it; therefore, it causes no harm to them. Only those lies are harmful that sink in the mind

and are difficult to forget.

Truth Ends Pride:

The light was the first thing, which the God had created. Then He bestowed men, rational faculty.

Since then, He is illuminating the human minds. Bacon advises that whenever a person takes a

decision, he should rely on his rationality. It would be based upon truth. He quotes Lucretius, who

says that realization of truth is the greatest pleasure in the world. When someone realizes the truth,

he becomes aware of its importance. He also recognizes his false beliefs and silly hopes. Truth

also nips the pride in the bud due to which a person becomes pitiful.

Importance of Truth:

If we deeply do critical analysis “Of Truth” then we realize that Bacon truth has its own

significance. Falsehood brings disgrace and truth brings honor. Even those persons, who do not

speak truth, know its worth. Furthermore, the truth is required not only in the field of theology and
philosophy but also in every field of life. Bacon refers Montaigne, who says that a liar is always

brave towards God but coward towards humans. By telling a lie, a liar directly challenges God. He

knows that he has to face God on doomsday yet he promotes falsehood. Thus, he is brave enough

to get punishment in enteral life.

At the end of the essay, we find some morality. Bacon tries his best to convince his readers and

compels them to speak the truth. The last argument, which he advances, is the “fear of doomsday”.

A liar would be punished on the Day of Judgment, says Sir Francis Bacon.

Conclusion of “Of Truth Critical Analysis”:

To conclude, Bacon in this essay persuades people to speak the truth at any cost. He appreciates

those people who stick with the truth. Thus, his tone in this essay is didactic; style is lucid and

examples are rich. Solid references from Greeks, Romans, other subjects and various philosophers

demonstrate experience and knowledge of the writer in every field of life. It seems that he has

made critical analysis of his experiences and then written “Of Truth”. In short, the whole essay is

worth reading for the person, who wants success in both the worlds.
 Of Studies
Text
"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 judgment and disposition of
business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general
counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. To spend
too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make
judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected
by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning, by study; and studies
themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.
Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not
their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. 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. And
therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need
have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he
doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep;
moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores [Studies pass into and
influence manners]. Nay, there is no stone or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit
studies; like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. 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. So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations,
if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or
find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores [splitters of hairs]. If
he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him
study the lawyers’ cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt."

Of Studies
Bacon
Explanation of the text

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

Study as an activity, in whatever form, brings us joy and enhances our thinking, speaking
and writing ability adding charm to our personality.
Their chief use for delight is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and
for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business.
Study is always a private activity which people engage in when they are alone or in the
privacy of their homes. It helps them in relaxation after a strenuous routine, when the
body and mind need to slow down. It sharpens our intellect helping us to judge things
soundly. It helps us to go about our life’s business in a more capable way.
For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general
counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned.
It enables the learned men, who have studied extensively, to critically examine issues, and
arrive at the right conclusion. They can garner data, facts and arguments or against a
particular view rationally. Such intelligent analysis of facts improves the soundness and
quality of their judgment.
To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is
affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar.
However, over-indulgence in studies leads to undesirable consequences. Setting aside
long hours in a day to study will make a man indolent. Overuse of the wisdom to analyze
ordinary commonplace issues may make the man appear pretentious and vainglorious.
Sticking too much to rules to asses situations and decide on action may invite derision
from others.
They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural
plants, that need pruning, by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too
much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.
Studying adds finesse and perfection to human nature. Experiences in life supplements
such honing of nature. A person’s abilities inherited by birth are raw. Only when they are
carefully worked upon and honed, the in-born abilities yield the best benefits to us.
Studying is the whetstone that we use to sharpen our abilities. But inferences from study
may lead to imprecise and misleading conclusions. In such situations, one’s experience in
life comes in handy to arrive at the right conclusion. So, experience is very valuable as it
supplements studies.
Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they
teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by
observation.
People who are cunning and deceitful have no appreciation for studies as they accomplish
their objectives through many crooked ways. Simple folks, however, greatly value the role
of studies in human life. Wise people inherently draw upon the ideas obtained from their
studies while solving life’s myriad problems.
Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk
and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
The aim of reading and acquiring knowledge must not be to aggressively refute other’s
views or accept the writer’s views as gospel truth. It should also not be to engage in
pointless discussion and argumentation. Studying should enable us to weigh facts and
analyze them rationally.
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.
Books of varying content and genre are to be made use of differently. Some may be given
a cursory reading, some others can be quickly sifted through. Other important books are
to be read slowly and minutely so as to truly fathom the meaning and underlying sense.
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.
One can ask an assistant to read a book and prepare a short summary of it. But such
practice should be followed for obtaining guidance on matters of lesser importance. There
are some books which are, in fact, shortened already.
Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. Reading
adds perfection to a man’s personality.
Discussing with others about the contents of a book imparts special practical skills to the
reader. Writing removes all the residual weaknesses and ignorance from the person and
enables him to remember the contents of a book.
And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little,
he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to
seem to know that he doth not.
So, writing helps to memorize facts. If a person is bashful so as not to discuss his reading
with others, he will not be able to improve his wit. If he does not read, he will remain a
somewhat stupid person.

Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep;
moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend.
Studying history makes a man wiser, studying poetry makes a man wittier: mathematics
gives sound logical sense, and philosophy imparts valuable lessons on morality.
Abeunt studia in mores [Studies pass into and influence manners]. Nay, there is no stond
or impediment in the wit but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the
body may have appropriate exercises.
Wit is a god-given gift. It is present in everybody. However, it can be sharpened by
selective studying. This is akin to the way certain weaknesses of the human body are cured
by appropriate physical exercises.

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. They cure many ailments.
So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if
his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again.
If a person is unable to concentrate, he will do well to study mathematics to focus his
wavering mind. In mathematics, a slight loss of concentration leads to grave error.This
makes the man to start all over again to do it. Thus, studying mathematics restrains the
mind from darting off elsewhere.

If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for
they are cymini sectores [splitters of hairs].
If a person does not have the ability to discern, he will be benefited by studying
Schoolmen as it trains mental ability and develops the art of expression.
If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate
another, let him study the lawyers’ cases.So every defect of the mind may have a special
receipt.
If a person is unable to garner facts and manipulate them to put across his views
convincingly, studying law will help him. Thus, every deficiency of mind can be addressed
by appropriate reading.

Of Studies | Francis Bacon | Summary

In this essay Bacon describes the importance of studies in human life. Bacon begins the essay by
enlisting three purposes of studies – “to delight, for ornament and for ability.” Studies delight most
when one is secluded and reposed. Knowledge acquired through studies serve as ornament in a
conversation. A well-read man will have a good vocabulary and greater knowledge which will
increase the worth of a conversation. Studies improve one’s judgmental and authoritative abilities.
Ordinary men can no doubt go about their daily business without difficulty but a learned man will
do so with higher efficiency. Bacon however says that studying too much is a sign of laziness and
using too many ornaments while conversing makes one look pretentious. To make judgments only
on the basis of rules is the eccentricity of a scholar.

Studies make a man perfect. Studying is not an inborn talent; it is acquired. The natural abilities
of man are to be enhanced by studies just like the growth of plants is enhanced by trimming.
Studies provide both direction and experience. Practical men often condemn studies but wise men
use it. Studies teach man to learn from observation. One must not use knowledge as a means of
contradiction or confutation. Studies must also not be used to believe or to take for granted, or to
talk and discourse but “to weigh and consider”.

Then Bacon speaks about the different ways in which different books are to be read. He says –
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”
This means some books are to be perused lightly, that is, tasted while some other books are to be
understood and enjoyed, that is, swallowed. On the other hand certain books are to be digested,
that it, to fully extract their meaning and implemented in one’s life. Therefore some books are to
be read only in parts, others are to be read with less curiosity, and some books are to be read with
attention and diligence. Bacon however also says that sometimes it may be enough to read extracts
or reviews of books made by others instead of reading the whole book by oneself. But according
to Bacon this is to be done only in case of books of less importance. He considers these “distilled
books” to distilled waters which he calls “flashy things”.
Reading makes a man complete, conversation makes a man quick and witty, and writing improves
the memory. If a man writes less he will lack a good memory, if he speaks little he will lack wit
and presence of mind, and if he reads less he will not have much knowledge.

A study of history makes a man wise while a study of poetry makes him witty. Mathematics makes
a man exact and precise and natural philosophy increases the depth of the mind. Morals make a
man grave whereas a study of logic and rhetoric makes him more comprehensive. Studies pass
into character. A man’s character is influenced and defined by the type of books he reads.

There is no disease of the mind that cannot be cured by proper study. Bowling is good for the
bladder and the kidneys, shooting for the lungs and breast, walking for the stomach and riding is
good for the head. Similarly mathematics is the remedy for a wandering mind because if a man’s
mind wanders while solving a problem he will have to begin again. If a man is unable to make
distinctions he must study schoolmen and if he is not quick in passing through matters he should
study the law. Thus Bacon concludes the essay by establishing that for every deficit of the mind a
remedy is to be found in studies.

Analysis
This essay deals with different kinds of books and their effect on the reader.The uses of studies are
classified by Bacon under three heads – the use of studies for delight; the use of studies for
ornament and the use of studies for ability. Bacon also gives us some excellent advice as to why
or how one should read. He tells us that different studies have varied effects on the human mind.

Various mental defects can be remedied by various kinds of studies. The need of experience to
supplement and perfect studies has duly been emphasized in the essay. Bacon would not be
satisfied with more bookish knowledge. The wisdom won by experience is as necessary as the
wisdom gained from books.

But it is not only the ideas that are so important in this essay. We find Bacon displaying his talent
for using the maximum economy of words in order to express his ideas. The essay is a masterpiece
of brevity and terseness. Some of his sentences read like proverbs.

Bacon’s essays abound in very appropriate and original similes. We have one such simile here
when Bacon says that “distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things”.
We could say, without any exaggeration, that it is one of the finest essays in English prose. It gives
us a number of sound maxims and a number of sentences that we can use as quotations when
occasion demands. Some of the sentences, indeed, cling to our memory without any mental effort
on our part to memorize them. This is one of the best known essays from the pen of Bacon.

Theme

The Elizabethan Age is the most creative period in English Literature. The foreign wars were over
and the Englishmen had for the first time the leisure to devote their energies to interests other than
war upon their neighbors.

Fortunately, just at this time, the great wave of the Renaissance, the new birth of letters, having
spent itself in Italy and crossing over France and Spain reached the shores of England.

With Francis Bacon begins philosophical reflections upon life, in the style of Plutarch’s “Morals”
and the “Essays” of Montaigne. Bacon’s mind was catholic in its range, but the subjects of moral
thought that interest him are comparatively few and generalized.

The method used by Bacon is to reduce reflection to the lowest terms to try to discover the
fundamental principles of conduct, the influence and the actions of men. His essays reflects his
experiences of learning. His observations do not clear his likes or dislikes. They are austere, brief
to the point of crudeness.

In the essay Of Studies, a life-long student, Bacon describes his craft. He was no plodder upon
books though he read much and that with great judgment. The subject of this essay was the one
that revolved longest in the edition of his “Essays”.

Structure

One peculiarity of this essay which deserves notice is the frequency with which Bacon repeats
himself. Thus essay has each sentence carefully selected and strung together, Bacon has gems of
thought and language, but he does not scatter them about with un calculating profusion of a
Shakespeare, non‘like wealthy men who care not how they give, but rather like those who are
spending their story with care’.

Bacon is not an optimist. He has no sentiment to lead the reader astray. He writes with brevity and
compactness. To the careless reader much of what he has written will seem common-place enough.
But to the serious reader, his thoughts are universal. The sentences are compact and simple.
Style

The passage is compressed, bold, and full of condensed thought and utterly devoid of
ornamentation. The sentences run smooth. Force and precision are its main characteristics. The
sustained passage has easy eloquence, and sentences here and there are of singular and unaffected
beauty and not thrust in but flowing continuously with the rest. Bacon writes with an air of
modesty. His passages bear the mark of a grand and confident self-esteem sometimes directly
assertive, sometimes condescending, sometimes scornful, sometimes disguised under a transparent
affectation of modesty.

There is one special characteristic of Bacon’s manner which does not admit of being illustrated
except at a prohibitive length, his long magnificent roll of sentence after sentence. Each falling
into its place, each adding new weight to what has gone before it, and all together uniting to
complete the entire effect.

His style has simplicity, strength, brevity, clearness and precision. Simplicity cannot be said to be
a characteristics in its strict sense, of his style. His passage is simple in the sense of being free from
all affection, free from any studied elegance in the choice of words and in the structure of
sentences. He avoids with equal care both pedantry and vulgarity, though he has no scruple in
using homely illustrations, where such illustrations would be more telling.

That the quality of strength in Bacon’s style is intellectual rather than emotional.