New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-07

noble and YOU shall be. Do you long TOT
the conversation OF the wise? Learn 10
understand it. and you shall hear 1t. But
on no other terms? No If you VIII no.
rise to us we cannot stoop to you.
You must rise to the level Of our thoughts
II you would be gladdened by them anu
share our feelings. If you would recognize
our presence
In the following lists will found many
worthy additions to ones little library
for example. poems fitted to take up po-
sitions i'm our Poets Corner that has
become a much more interesting shrineto
many Of us personally than is the south
Transient Of Westminster Abbey. Here
will be found book Of travel or advent
ure TO suit every mood-the last new
novel or the reprint Of some old favorite'
the latter long ago read and rcread until
its characters seem among our Oldest and
most intimate friends. now perhaps Of
fered in some charmingly distinctive
earb. or with illustrations that tell the
books story with fresh charm. and SO
claim a place on ones shelves. although
the book itself. in less attractive guise,
may long have stood there.
With the long Winter evenings. too.
comes time for the historical reading we
are always planning to do-either the
general story OF a nation or an age, or
the picturesque and detailed description
of some particular episode or parsonage.
The new scientific work makes its appeal,
too. but to a much smaller audience. The
CT ~
strongly appeal to many Of us, and. last
Of all, what we are inclined to think most
charming. the good memoir or biography,
thoroughly agreeing with the following:
1--WE are inclined highly to recommend
choice biographies. Our motive in taking
home the written life Of a great man is
the sympathetic introduction Of our souls
to aims purposes, conception. and plan OF
life, nObler than we. perchance, have
been accustomed to cherish. We see vir-
tue in action. 1t is peepshOw into an
other soul On the whole, we do not know
a better equipment for our shelves
than a well-chosen set Of biographies OF
men and women who have struggled,
fallen. risen again. suffered, been tempt
ed. fought. conquered, and held on to the
last, steadfast in their faith, enduring 10
the end"
Nor can there be found pleasure in any
other form so cheap. so enduring, 50 ben
eficial to ones character as may be ex-
tracted from the pages Of a good book.
either from one Of the new volumes Of the
Winter which we approach with Ger
tain curiosity. akin 10 that with which
we watch the new acquaintance whose
character appeals to US sufficiently TO
hope he may prove the new friend We are
always looking for; or the old book which
reveals fresh charm at each new read
ing and each time it is taken down calls
up visions of past readings as well az Of
present pleasure Sir George Otto Ire
velyan sums up a readers pleasures and
rewards SO charmingly that We may do
well to echo his words before directing
the readers attention to the carefully Sc
lected and classified lists which follow
1.-THE true writer is much. but the true
reader is something likewise. And, in
deed. when We study the lives Of those
favored and honOred few who were really
and genuinely both true readers ana true
writer's, it is worthy Of notice that they
were proud. with a deeper and purer
pride, Of their love Of books than of their
faculty for producing them Shelley re-
garded himself as a student who was u
poet at odd times. GibbOn did not set SO
high value on his history as on that i'm
vncible love Of reading which. TO use his
own words. he would not exchange
against the treasures OF India Cowper
never wrote so straight from the heart as
when ne described the joys Of the hour
when the curtains are drawn upon the
lamplight and freight Of a Winters
evening 10 Doe spent in converse with the
best company Of all ages and nations
And among the list Of those who
love literature for itself he alone can
claim to bee enrolled who as long as ne
has books ana leisure To read them is
never consciously poor. never entirely
unhappy. never solitary never unem-
poyed lie alone is a true reader who
can make "a profession Of reading ass men
make a profession Of scientific research"
IN PRAISE OF BOOKS.
Book lovers grateful tribute pay.