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Pope 158-159

The novelists, historians, and scientists 159-160

The greatest names of other literatures:—Greece, Rome, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Persia, Portugal, Denmark, Russia 161-164

The fountains of national literatures:—Homer, Nibelungenlied, Cid, Chansons, Morte D'Arthur, etc. 165-167

APPENDIX I.

The Best Thoughts of Great Men about Books and Reading 171-190

APPENDIX II.

Books Used in the Boston Public Schools as Supplementary Reading, Text-Books, etc. 191-207

THE WORLD'S BEST BOOKS.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

This book is the result of much reading and thought, teaching, lecturing, and conversation, in the direction of its subject-matter. Its purpose is fivefold: First, to call attention to the importance of reading the best literature to the exclusion of all that is inferior, by setting forth the benefits that may be derived from the former and the injuries that are sure to result from the latter. Second, to select the best things from all the literatures of the world; to make a survey of the whole field of literature and locate the mines most worthy of our effort, where with the smallest amount of digging we may find the richest ore; and to do this with far greater precision, definiteness, and detail than it has ever been done before. Third, to place the great names of the world's literature in their proper relations of time and space to each other and to the great events of history,—accompanying the picture with a few remarks about the several periods of English Literature and the Golden Age of literature in each of the great nations. Fourth, to discuss briefly the best methods of reading, and the importance of system, quantity, quality, due proportion, and thoroughness in reading, and of the ownership of books and the order in which they should be read. Fifth, to gather into a shining group, like a constellation of stars, the splendid thoughts of the greatest men upon these subjects.

The book is meant to be a practical handbook of universal literature for the use of students, business men, teachers, and any other persons who direct the reading of others, and for the guidance of scholars in departments other than their own.

1. System in reading is of as much importance as it is in the business of a bank or any other mercantile pursuit.

2. The Purposes of Reading should ever be kept in mind. They are the purposes of life; namely, health, mental power, character, beauty, accomplishments, pleasure, and the knowledge which will be of use in relation to our business, domestic life, and citizenship. Literature can aid the health, indirectly, by imparting a knowledge of the means of its attainment and preservation (as in works on physiology and hygiene); and directly, by supplying that exercise of the mind which is essential to the balance of the functions necessary to perfect health. A study of literature will develop the mind—the perception, memory, reason (especially true of science and philosophy), and the imagination (especially the study of poetry and science)—directly, by exercising those all-important faculties; and indirectly, by yielding a knowledge of the conditions of their existence and strength. On the other hand, the mind may be greatly injured, if not wholly destroyed, by pouring into it a flood of filth and nonsense; or by a torrent of even the best in literature, so rapid and long continued that it cannot be properly absorbed and digested. The evil effects of cramming the mind are only too often seen about us.

Literature can build or destroy the character both directly and indirectly. Poetry, religion, philosophy, fiction, biography, history,—indeed, all sorts of writings in some degree make us more sympathetic, loving, tender, noble, generous, kind, and just, or the opposite, by the simple power of exercise, if for no other reason. If we freely exercise the muscles of the arm, we shall have more vigor there. If we continually love, our power and tendency to love will grow. The poet's passion, passing the gates of the eye and ear into our souls, rouses our sympathies to kindred states of feeling. We love when he loves, and weep when he weeps; and all the while he is moulding our characters, taking from or adding to the very substance of our souls. Brave words change the coward to a hero; a coward's cry chills the bravest heart. A boy who reads of crime and bravery sadly mixed by some foul traitor to the race, soon thinks that to be brave and grand he must be coarse and have the blood of villainy and rashness pulsing from his misled heart. Not all the books that picture vice are harmful. If they show it in its truth, they drive us from it by its very loathsomeness; but if they gild it and plume it with pleasure and power, beware. Literature, too, can give us a knowledge of the means for the development of character, and the inspiration to make the best use of these means. Books of morals, religion, biography, science, poetry, and fiction especially hold these treasures.

In the attainment and enrichment of beauty, literature has a work to do. The choicest beauty is the loveliness of soul that lights the eye and prints its virtue in the face; and as our reading moulds the mind and heart to beauty, their servants at the doorways ever bend to their instructions and put on the livery