The Washington herald., 1908-01-11
THE OPTIMIST.

! think that there is. perhaps. no sub
jact that invites TO eheerfulness OF soul
/ and clesrness OF mind more than dis
course upon books-the trueat and most
faithful friends 20 which a man can pcs
sibIy attach himself There is no So
ciety equal to that OF books. As Dean
Farrar said once1
4 man who lives in the imperial society Of great
authors viii walk through the world with the open
eyes q wonder and the rec ptive mind II p;elIi-
s2rce. lie wiz heiese ia God ne sill believe IN
man; be win believe in conscience; he Will believe
IN duty aud. while he believes "a these no dsrk-
ness without can ever wholly qucnch thai light
within. which is a reflection Il the ligat Of God
himself ia the human soul
And Mrs Browning, in Aurora Leigh, ="
10 The same point:
read books. bad and good-soms bad. some good
At ence iga0d aims not always max good books;
Wei tempered spades tum up i'll balancing soils
in aisElng vineyards eycnl. books that prove
God beng So definitely. that mans douht
Grows seli-detined the other side the line,
Alaae atheist by suggestion: moral books
hxasptrating % license. genial books
DlsclHnting from the sun 4 human dignity
And mcHy books. which set you weeping when
me san shilfs-ay and melancholy books
Which make you augh that any one should weep
In TINS dislonted life. for one wrong more
Books that are used rightly are, without
doubt one Of the surest helps toward
living sane, healthy. and happy life.
When ones knowledge or power Of
thought fails, books are the only help.
Through books we are led into a wider
sight; we get true conception Of the
world, and the people in il, and as against
our own fallibie and single opinion. we
may get from books the wisdom and the
knowledge OF the prophets who have gone
before.
To use books is not to let books use
you. Excess in anything is 10 be avoided.
and the snuffy individual who comes 20
be known as a "booklsh" man is more
often than not an insufferable bore. Books
ars not 70 be devOured as so many read
ers-m0stly women. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the
latest and most popular novel That sort
o, tearing the heart out OF the mystery
OF an author is not in reality reading at
al, II makes no impression and is simply
sheer waste Of time and energy. As
Bacon said:
Some books are 10 be tasted othsrs 10 be
swallowed and some few to he chewed and d.
gfsted that IT, some books are 10 be read only
II parts others to he read but not attentiTely and
some few 10 be read wholly and with diligence
and attention
| think the best We get from books is
Nhen we are liberal with the book. and
give the best of ourselves to it. II the
book is not worth 50 much on our part.
then II is grave question whether il il
worth troubling over AT all.
Marx there. We get no good
By being ungeueraus. even to a book
and calculating profits 50 much help
b 50 much reading II Is rather when
We gioriously forget ourselves and plunge
soIit0rwaTd, head!Ong into 8 books profound
imTassioned fer its beauty and salt of truth
It's then We get the right good from a book
And, without preaching. or taking nv
optimistic philosophy, which seeks to find
the best in everything. too seriously. what
book in all the world is there that can be +
10 the Bible? I am with Rous-
seau.
will confess that the majesty Of the Scriptures
strikes me with admiration "a the purity Of the
Gospel hath its influence on my heart Perlse the
WORKS 4 Cur philosophers with al their pomp q
ilctlon; how mean, how contemplate they are
lmIared with the Scriptures
I agree with Milton that if everything
Else in the English language should perish /
the Bible would amply suffice To show
The whole extent Of its beauty and power !
IN very truth there is mighty little con- /
ISOLATION so dear. so universal. as the +.
consolation offered by good books The
mere forms Of certain words smile into /
Four eyes like the faces of dear friends
owe is there. and ambition, and help. and 4
SEPARATION, and the best Of comradeship. /
Is Upper cries in his "ProYerbfal Phil
.sophy:"
}, books ye monuments Of mind, concrete wis
dom q the Wisest
sweet selaces Of daily life, proof and results q
Immortality;
trees yielding all fruits whose leaves are for the
healing If the nations
irOves q knowledge. where all may eat, nor fear
flaming sword
ientle comrades kind advisers; friends comforts,
treasures.
ielF7, governments. diversitss of tongues who can
weigh your worth?