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One of the peculiarities which distinguish the present age is the multiplication of books. Everyday brings new advertisements of literary undertakings, and we are flattered with repeated promises of growing wise on easier terms than our progenitors. How much either happiness or knowledge is advanced by this multitude of authors, is not very easy to decide. He that teaches us anything which we know not before, is undoubtedly to be loved as a benefactor; and he that supplies life with innocent amusement, will certainly be caressed as a pleasing companion. But a few of those who fill the world with books, have any pretensions to the hope either of pleasing or instructing. They have often no other task than to lay two books before them out of which they compile a third, without any new materials of their own, and with little application of judgement to those which former authors have supplied. That all compilations are useless, I do not assert. Particles of science are often widely scattered upon topics very remote from the principal subject, which are often more valuable than formal treatises, and which yet are not known because they are not promised in the title. He that collects those under proper heads is laudably employed; for though he exerts no great abilities in the work, he facilitates the progress of others, and, by making that easy of attainment which is already written, may give some mind more vigorous or more adventurous than his own, leisure for new thoughts and originality of designs. But the collections poured lately from the press have seldom been made at any great expense of time or inquiry and therefore only serve to distract choice without supplying any real want.
Which of the following statements are true about the given passage :
A. The writer condemns the vanity publications devoid of new ideas.
B. Though the writer acknowledges the contribution of the genuine writers, he appears to be worried about the prevailing publications.
C. The writer denigrates and outrightly rejects the compilation works in general.
D. Instead of being totally against the compilations, the writer opines that such works could be substantially useful, if they are done properly.
We evaluate each statement individually to test its validity based on the passage.
A. The writer condemns the vanity publications devoid of new ideas.
The writer criticises authors who simply compile books from others without adding anything new. This clearly targets vanity publications that lack original thought. The extract from the passage: "They have often no other task than to lay two books before them out of which they compile a third, without any new materials of their own..." serves as an example, which means statement A is true.
B. Though the writer acknowledges the contribution of the genuine writers, he appears to be worried about the prevailing publications.
The author says: "He that teaches us anything... is undoubtedly to be loved as a benefactor...But a few of those who fill the world with books, have any pretensions to the hope either of pleasing or instructing." So he respects genuine writers, but is concerned about the flood of shallow works. Hence,statement B is true as well.
C. The writer denigrates and outrightly rejects the compilation works in general.
The author does not reject all compilations. In fact, he writes: "That all compilations are useless, I do not assert..." and "He that collects those under proper heads is laudably employed..." So, he acknowledges that compilations can be valuable if done properly. Therefore, statement C is false.
D. Instead of being totally against the compilations, the writer opines that such works could be substantially useful, if they are done properly.
The author believes good compilations can help others by organising useful content and saving time. "...by making that easy of attainment which is already written, may give some mind more vigorous... leisure for new thoughts..."
So we have A, B, and D as true statements , making option C the correct choice.