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Of Studies by Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon's essay "Of Studies" discusses the benefits of different types of study. It addresses three main purposes of study: for delight, ornamentation, and developing abilities. Bacon notes studies should be bounded by experience to avoid being too broad. He recommends not reading to contradict others but to weigh and consider ideas. Books should be tested, swallowed whole, or chewed and digested. Different studies like history, poetry and mathematics develop different skills. Overall, the essay provides guidance on effective methods for reading and studying various subjects.

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Carol Michelle Buadlart
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277 views27 pages

Of Studies by Francis Bacon

Francis Bacon's essay "Of Studies" discusses the benefits of different types of study. It addresses three main purposes of study: for delight, ornamentation, and developing abilities. Bacon notes studies should be bounded by experience to avoid being too broad. He recommends not reading to contradict others but to weigh and consider ideas. Books should be tested, swallowed whole, or chewed and digested. Different studies like history, poetry and mathematics develop different skills. Overall, the essay provides guidance on effective methods for reading and studying various subjects.

Uploaded by

Carol Michelle Buadlart
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Of Studies by Francis

Bacon
Francis Bacon
Father of English Essays

Alexander Pope described Bacon as “the wisest, brightest,


and meanest of mankind.”

Bacon has been called the Father of Empiricism

Bacon has been called the Father of Empiricism

He is the master of Aphoristic Style


His major works are the following:

Advancement of Novam New Atlantis Essays


Learning Organum
Of Studies
The title “Of Studies” means the collective
studies that a person does in his life.

The main idea of “Of Studies” by Francis


Bacon is the benefits of reading.

The essay provides the right method to read


different branches of knowledge and discus
ses
their benefits.
Of Studies
Three main purposes of studies

A. Delight

B. Ornament

C. Ability
Problems with
three
categories of
studies
Spending too much time in
studying leads to lack of
productivity.
Needles display of learning
makes you sound like an
empy vessel.
Eccentric scholars blindly
follow rules and principles.
This spoils their inherent
talent and judgmental
power.
Natural abilities are like natural plants, that
need pruning, by study; and studies
themselves do give forth directions too
muchat large, escept they be bounded in by
experience.
Attitudes of different
people towards study
Crafty men condemn studies, simple men
admire them, and wise men use them; for
they teach not their own uses; but that is a
wisdom withoutthem, and above them, won
by observation.
Advise on how to
read
Read not to contradict and confute; nor to
believe and take for granted; nor to find talk
and discourse but to weigh and consider.
Books categorized into three
1.Some books are to be tested;
2. others to be swallowed, and
3. some few to be chewed and digested.
Distilled books are like common distilled
waters, flashy things.
Different modes of
studying
Reading maketh a full man;
conference a ready man; and
writing an exact man.
Advantages of different
studies
Histories make men wise; poets witty; the
mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep;
moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to
contend.
"abuent studia in mores"
- Ovid's Heroides
Studying cures mental
incapacities
So if a man's wit be wondering, 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 sectors [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.
References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkYEFAuCvFs

https://literaryyog.com/of-studies-by-francis-bacon/
#:~:text=The%20main%20idea%20of
%20%E2%80%9COf,knowledge%20and%20discusses%20their
%20benefits.

https://www.psy.gla.ac.uk/~steve/best/BaconJohnson.pdf

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