Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-06-17
THE CHOICE OF hooks.
twritten FOR ZINE Times. /,


cherish theml Not the only friends,
indeed. II they were, then would L
be miserable beyond measure. How
blessed is the fellowship which we
have with men and women whom We
know and whose friendship we de-
light in. But through books we
greatly enlarge the circle of, our
Knowledge and enter into fellowship
with those whom, 1t may be. we have
never had the pleasure of meeting in
person: and, indeed, with those of
other lands and other ages. As we
are careful in the selection of our
personal friends so should we exer-
else the greatest care i'm the selec-
ticn of books-our friends-both for
ourselves and for those dependent
upon us for instruction and leader
ship, our children and our pupils.
The limit placed upon our time for
reading as well as what Is contained
in books makes II imperative that we
exercise wisdom in the books we
choose for reading. imagine that
II he lived in our time even Solomon.
40 said, "Of the making of books
there is no end" would be astounded
beyond expression by the annual out
put of our printing presses. Wise is
the man who. from the vast num-
her of books already in existence and
to which thousands of titles are being
added each year, good. bad and in
different shall he able to select those
best suited to his intellectual and
spiritual needs, to the time he has
for reading and the amount of mon
ey he has to invest in literature.
1t is necessary for the man or wo-
man who desires to be well Informed
or to perform the duties of citizen
ship intelligently to read a few well
edited newspapers and magazines
But ones reading time should not all
bo given to this type OF literature
Reserve good part of such time
for the reading of books: let these
bc well selected and let them vary
in the kind OF subjects of whcih they
treat. That is to say we should not
give ourselves entirely TO fiction as
too many people do. Good fiction is
we'll worth while but the character
that is built on fiction alone will be
licking in that harmonious develop
nent which is so desirable i'm men
and women. Our public libraries or
the smaller variety often err here
/ am always glad to see these institu-
tons in our smaller as well as large
towns and cities. But they would do
far more real and lasting good to
the communities where they do busi-
ress If they would add a few scienti-
fic, historical, political, technical.
biographical and other books to the
list sf those available for use. The
demand for these would doubtless he
small at first, but the public would
come more and more to an appre-
citation of the helpfulness of this
class of books and would, in tho
same degree. make use of It.
Francis Bacon sums up the value
OF books when he says, Studies
serve for delight, for. ornament, and
for ability; they perfect nature, and
are perfected by experience Some
hooks are to be tasted. others are to
be read only in parts: others to be
read but not curiously; and some few
to be read wholly. and with diligence
and attention"
Ruskin says: "All books are di-
visible into two classes, the books of
the hour, and the books OF all time.
This is n good distinction and ono
tnat should he marked.
Let us get acquainted with books
and as in other things. let us abhor
the evil among them and cleave to
the good. Good books will he friends
worth while, to instruct, comfort and
hless us. Let us buy some we'll Sc.
iccted Volumes, rent others, II avail
able. and borrow still others. WHY
buy book that you will read but
once, and that casually. IL your
neighbor has II and will lend it TO
YOU? There are n number of excel
lent private libraries i'm Fort Mill
whose owners have invariably offered
the writer the use of their books, the
one condition being that they he well
cared for and returned within rea-
sonable time. This is a great kind.
ness on their part and one may well
fhltll the conditions both from the
desire to do right and because he
may wish to borrow another book.
J. w. II. ID.