BooksandSuccess
奧裡森·馬登/OrisonMarden
「Ineducation,」saysHerbertSpencer,「theprocessofself-developmentshouldbeencouragedtothefullestextent.Childrenshouldbeledtomaketheirowninvestigations,andtodrawtheirowninferences.Theyshouldbetoldaslittleaspossible,andinducedtodiscoverasmuchaspossible.Humanityhasprogressedsolelybyself-instruction;andthattoachievethebestresultseachmindmustprogresssomewhatafterthesamefashion,iscontinuallyprovedbythemarkedsuccessofself-mademen.」
「Mybooks,」saidThomasHood,「keptmefromthering,thedog-pit,thetavern,andthesaloon.TheassociateofPopeandAddison,themindaccustomedtothenoblethroughsilentdiscourseofShakespeareandMilton,willhardlyseekorputupwithloworevilcompanyorslaves.」
「WhenIgetalittlemoney,」saidErasmus,「Ibuybooks,andifanyisleft,Ibuyfoodandclothes.」
「Noentertainmentissocheapasreading,」saysMaryWorleyMontague,「noranypleasuresolasting.」Goodbookselevatethecharacter,purifythetaste,taketheattractivenessoutoflowpleasures,andliftusuponahigherplaneofthinkingandliving.Itisnoteasytobemeandirectlyafterreadinganobleandinspiringbook.
Theconversationofamanwhoreadsforimprovementorpleasurewillbeflavoredbyhisreading;butitwillnotbeabouthisreading.
Perhapsnootherthinghassuchpowertoliftthepooroutofhispoverty,thewretchedoutofhismisery,tomaketheburden-bearerforgethisburden,thesickhissufferings,thesorrowerhisgrief,thedowntroddenhisdegradation,asbooks.Theyarefriendstothelonely,companionstothedeserted,joytothejoyless,hopetothehopeless,goodcheertothedisheartened,ahelpertothehelpless.Theybringlightintodarkness,andsunshineintoshadow.
「Twenty-fiveyearsago,whenIwasaboy,」saidRev.J.A.James,「aschool-fellowgavemeaninfamousbook,whichhelentmeforonlyfifteenminutes.Attheendofthattimeitwasreturnedtohim,butthatbookhashauntedmelikeaspectereversince.IhaveaskedGodonmykneestoobliteratethatbookfrommymind,butIbelievethatIshallcarrydownwithmetothegravethespiritualdamageIreceivedduringthosefifteenminutes.」
DidHomerandPlatoandSocratesandVirgileverdreamthattheirwordswouldechothroughtheages,andaidinshapingmen』slivesinthenineteenthcentury?Theyweremereinfantswhenonearthincomparisonwiththemightyinfluenceandpowertheynowyield.EverylifeontheAmericancontinenthasinsomedegreebeeninfluencedbythem.
Howimportant,then,istheselectionofbookswhicharetobecomeapartofyourbeing.
Knowledgecannotbestolenfromus.Itcannotbeboughtorsold.Wemaybepoor,andthesheriffmaycomeandsellourfurniture,ordriveawayourcow,ortakeourpetlamb,andleaveushomelessandpenniless;buthecannotlaythelaw』shanduponthejewelryofourminds.
「Goodbooksandthewildwoodsaretwothingswithwhichmancanneverbecometoofamiliar,」saysGeorgeW.Cable.「Thebooksthatinspireimagination,whetherintruthorfiction;thatelevatethethoughts,aretherightkindtoread.」
CottonMather』sEssaytodoGoodreadbytheboyFranklininfluencedthelatter』swholelife.Headvisedeverybodytoreadwithapeninhandandtomakenotesofalltheyread.