The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1902-05-11
~ren ses, Books, and whyl'


subject being the The Ten Best
Books. and why" The article is
confined to 600 words and we rec
gard it production Of high literary
merit. and well worthy Of reproduction
in these columns:
"The field of literature is coeNten-
sive with the known history OF our
race. In this domain It Is bewilder-
ingly difficult TO select the ten best
hooks. but personally | prefer the
following. for the reasons assigned:
I. The Bible. The Bible gives us
an account of this world. both Ia It's
origin and government. as the work
Of an Almighty Creator. exhibits
mans relations to God, and with what
hopes he ought to live and die--sub-
jeots uudeniably the most momentous
that can occupy human thought-and
teaches solid. imperishable morals,
the parents of all human duties.
@ Shakespeare. Shakespeare ge-
Mus Is so transcendent that it will
be contemporary with minds OF gen.
erations yet unborn His thoughts
passions. feelings strains Of fancy.
FIRE the blood to greater endeavor
while his wisdom. ridicule and sagac.
ity teach us Of the inhnitudes OF Ma.
ture and Man. We acquire from him
historical knowledge legendary lore.
simplicity and sincerity in expression.
and. together with the Bible, gives
US discrimination In the choice of
words. and a nice. rich and constant
vocabulary
3. Plutarch's Lives Plutarch, In
my Judgment. was the greatest biog.
rapher OF antiquity. lie has shown
us brilliant insight into the lives
and customs of the ancient civilized
peoples He has taught us how great
vices. accompanied with great abili.
ties. may tend TO the ruin of state
and he informs us how ambition at
tended with magnanimity how ava
rice directed by political sagacity.
how envy and revenge armed with
personal valor and popular support
will destroy the most sacred establish
ments; that equanimity is more de-
sirable than the highest privileges of
a corrupt mind; and that the most
distinguished situations in this life
are less to be envied than those quiet
allotments where science Is the sup.
port of virtue.
4. Aesop's Fables. BY these fas.
.cinating little stories we are taught
many valuable and useful lessons, en-
forcing moral truths and precepts that
cannot be improved upon even by the
varied luxuries of modern literature
They enrich the mind with striking H.
lustrations and argumentative facts
that carry conviction home to the
most corrupt of moral sensibilities.
g. Emersons Essays. BY Emer
sons great thoughts, rich language
force and power we are taught what
real literature. genuine manhood and
p,oral principle are, making us all am
bitious. lovabe. conscientious, honor
able. and giving us an insight into
the beautiful. the ideal. the true ant
the pure
fiction, | regard this as the worlds
greatest book OF entertainment L
destroys the extravagant tales OF an
cient chivalry. dispels the painful
gloom OF melancholy, adds to th'
cheerfulness of the gay. encourages
our respect for womanhood. and i'm
bues us with sentiment and emotion
all couched In beautiful languag,
and pleasing style.
Z. Origin of Species DARWIN B,
this work we are given knowledg'
of the fauna. fora and biological an,
geological conditions. setting forth
hypothesis of evolutionary biology
teaching us natural selection and OF
ganic adaptation, aud spontaneou
variations and correlations of growth
controlled by some internal organizin
principle; and sets forth the idea O
perfect graduation in the progress O
things.
s. Uncle Toms Cabin (Stowe) -
This book entertalnngly and eloquent
ly explains the horrors of human sla
very. and portrays the eyt enect
that arise theretorm. Il sets forth
through a strain OF fiction, the fundG
mental principles of human libert
and the cardinal sentiments of mar
hood; and by means of IT'S pathos an
reasoning, inculcates in our very b,
ing incentive 90 do greater aud bette
things toward our fellow creatures.