Of Studies by Francis Bacon

“People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates,” said Thomas Szasz. The saying tells that self is not sticking by nature, or what one is from the time of its birth; but it is something nurtured, or developed through time. Such quotation can be realized from one of the best essays of all time, which is “Of Studies” by Francis Bacon. As the essay generally implies the purposes of written records such as of history and literature, it can also be entailed from such how a person can search deeper in himself. And through examination deeper of one’s life, he can find the purpose in life. Hence, “Of Studies”, in some point of view, serves reading of books as a tool in finding his reason for living.

“Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man” is the most impressive statement a reader can find in Bacon’s essay. Reading, in such statement, mainly points out the importance of knowledge in one’s life. Making a full man indicates the importance of a person’s memory in living his life. Conventions, facts, cultures theories, principles, and ideologies shape a man’s behavior and perspectives towards attaining happiness. Conferencing a ready man shows the man’s ability to express through declarations of what he knows and arguments of what he believes is true. Here, reading makes a man a good conversationalist; as such, one is able to find meaning in life with upright communication in relationships with people. Writing an exact man signifies efficiency of his daily activities in life. In search of his meaning, the use of logic helps him surpass any kind of natural or human-related obstacle. Moreover, the quotation extends that “And, therefore, if a man writes little, he had needed have a great memory; if he confers little, he had need of a ready wit; and if he read little, he had need of much cunning to seem to know that he knoweth not.” Such statement