Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-08

an 10 mend their bad habits, correct thell
mistaken views, and to return unto thell
nelghbors their dues.
Especially were these good people con.
cerned about books. Had they borrowed
or mad they loaned they We're equally So
Everyone examined carefully his books,
ana II perchance one was found not his
own Ii was forthwith returned to its
rghtful owner.
Dire penalties We're imposed on those
| persons harporins such books beyond the
| New Year. Their names were conspicu-
ousiy posted in the town meeting house,
ana thereafter no one would lend to them
| I'LL the borrowed book was returned and
"a penalty of an equivalent of one small
Pig had been paid.
| So ii came to be the fashion on New
| year day for everyone to return any
books he had borrowed. AS the people
| went from house to house making New
iear calls one could see books in their
| hands. or tucked under their arms, and
there was glad expression on their
| faces.
| 1t was a good custom. Everywhere love
abounded and hard cider was served.
| IFublshed by the society for the Promo
ton of Promptly Returning Books to
| 1helr Rlghtful owners bangor Com
| mercial.
| Horace E. Scudder has just finished the
| first draft of his biography of Lowell. 1t
1901.
The new and cheaper edition of the Ste
venSOn letters contains one from Alan
Breck to Private Terrence Mulvaney,
with Alan's comments on the changes in
| the art of war since the days of his Skin
mish in the roundhouse of the brig Cove
| nant.
Writing on the choice of books. Hamil
ton W. Mabie says: Edward Fitzgerald
| loved Il book. his biographer tells u.s.
which he could carry to the fire and hold
| in his hand. There was a fine note of af-
fectionateness which ran through his in
tercourSe with books. no less than with
men. He was something of the recluse
though nothing of the cynic He hated a
crowd, detested London avoided high
| intimacy, Of privacy. His friends were
in his heart; he rarely spoke of Thack-
cray save as dear old Thackeray." 1t
is. perhaps, due to this passion Of select
ing the best and living with them on
| terms of intimacy that gave his EXPIRES
sion sharp individuality and a touch of
distinction. The presence of these quail
| ties goes far to explain! the extraordinary
charm of his transla tons, not only from
| the Persian. but from the Spanish.
Individuality and distinction are close
| imparts the browning quality to mans
character. thought or style. comes to
those only who make definite choice
| among the many things which are Of
| fered, and elect to hold few. and these
| of the best, close to their hearts. A
man must stand apart from the crowd if
| ne is 10 dttdlll uiSllllCtfltSS VI taste
| character.
The danger of having access to a
multitude of books is the substitution of
| discursive interests for commanding
and organizing principle of intellectual
| life. That man is most fortunate who
has many friends, but few intimates; for
| the beauty and sweetness of intimacy
evaporate when it's circle is extended too
| far.
ITO be a man of one book is to narrow
| ones interests to a single relationship
| a richness
| expressing ones nature on different
| sides: to be a man of many books is to
| sacrifice quality and distinction to mis-
| cellaneous intercourse. 1t is wise to know
| many books, but to be. intimate with
| few: to keep in touch with the general
movements, OF literature. but to sit at
| ones fireside with the choice spirits; and
| the elect b. the grace OF insight, of
Knowledge or OF art are few even in the
| most prolific generation.
There are many eSSayiStS whose ac-
| quaintance is well worth making. but
| there is only one Charles Lamb. There
are many critics OF life. but there
ways to hold his mind open to the truth
ana his spirit to those who are appointed
| to deepen the feeling for life by touching
it with the fresh hand; but the heart
must be kept for the few who. by some
| affinity with us. reveal themselves as the
| friends OF the soul
Polish enthusiasm for the novelist,
Henry X. SienkiewicZ, is great-so great
| that the Poles intend to celebrate his
| twenty-tfth literary anniversary by
| the gift to him of a fine house and es-
| tate.
| Some one has compiled the following
literary prescriptions which are of in
| tereSt:
| For clearness read Macauley.
For logic read Burke and Bacon.
| For action read Homer and Scott.
| For Sublmity of conception read NIL
| ton.
For vivacity read Stevenson and Kip
| ling.
| For imagination read Shakespeare and
| Job
For elegance read Virgil, Milton and
| Arnold.
For common sense read Benjamin
Franklin.
For simplicity read Burns, Whittier and
! Bunyan.
| For smoothness read Addison and Haw-
| thorne.
| For interest in common things read
Jane Austen.
| For humor read Chaucer, CervanteS
| and Mark Twain.
| For choice OF individual words read
| Keats Tennyson and Emerson.
| For the study of human nature read
Shakespeare and George Eliot.
| For loving and patient observation OF
! nature read 1horeau and Walton.
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