and to turn its thoughts over and over in the mind till they suggest others of a cognate character. We are not mere vessels to be filled at a tap. We have within ourselves hidden fountains of thought and reflection which can only be opened up by the engineering skill of a master mind. The question after reading one of the best books should be—not, What have I received? but, What have I been led to originate? New trains of reflection will be started if we pause on our way; and the existence of these in the mind is the best proof we could have, not only that we have been reading a good author, but that we have been reading in the right method.

WHAT BOOKS TO READ.

CHAPTER XIX.

WHAT BOOKS TO READ.

IN the previous chapter I considered the general principles which should guide the reading of those whose time is limited and whose opportunities are few. I propose now to indicate what kind of books it would be best for such readers to take up. It is easy to say, as I have done, that only the best should engage your attention; but the question arises as to what are the best books. It is not impossible to answer this inquiry in general terms, though each reader must be left to his own judgment as to which among these best books he will make his chosen companions. What are the best books?

The best books absolutely are those which tell most of man and the world in which he lives; the best books relatively are those which appeal most persuasively to the good instincts within the reader, and awaken the harmonious exercise of all his

faculties. For purposes of instruction, education, and mental training, the best books are those which are suited to the capacities of the reader, awaken most readily his attention, strengthen his reason, and store his memory. Euclid may be the best book for a given purpose; but, as it does not appeal to all the faculties of the soul, and does not therefore awaken a harmony within the man, it cannot be classed among the absolutely best books. Homer has colour and atmosphere, completeness, and orblike symmetry; he is a harpist who touches all the strings of the heart and of the mind; and so one generation of students after another testify to his unsurpassed excellence. He is among the kings and emperors of authors.

One thing is clear: that no one man can read all the books that have been published. A selection must be made. In making a choice, one of the first things that has to be considered is individual taste. Minds are not cultivated alike; and as there is such a varied field, it is sheer waste to drive the mind in directions to which it has an aversion. All general remarks and advice have to be received, then, with caution. If this chapter sends you to consult with a cultured man, a lover of books, and one possessed of common sense, it will answer the end for which it is written. In the selection of