书友(Companionship of Books)

amanmayusuallybeknownbythebookshereadsaswellasbythecompanyhekeeps:forthereisacompanionshipofbooksaswellasofmen;andoneshouldalwaysliveinthebestcompany,whetheritbeofbooksorofmen.

agoodbookmaybeamongthebestoffriends.itisthesametodaythatitalwayswas,anditwillneverchange.itisthemostpatientandcheerfulofcompanions.itdoesnotturnitsbackuponusintimesoftroubleordistress.italwaysreceivesuswiththesamekindness,amusingandinstructingus

inyouth,andcomfortingusinage.

bookspossessanextracthavingthefundamentalpropertiesofimmortality.theyarebyfarthemostlastingproductsofhumaneffort.templesandstatuesdecay,butbookssurvive.timeisofnoaccountwithgreatthoughts,whichareasfreshtodayaswhentheyfirstpassedthroughtheirauthor＇s

mindsagesago.theonlyeffectoftimehasbeentosiftoutthebadproducts,fornothinginliteraturecanlongsurvivebutwhatisreallygood.

booksintroduceusintothebestsociety:theybringusintothepresenceofthegreatestmindsthathaveeverlived.wehearwhattheysaidanddid.weseethemasiftheywerereallyalive;wesympathizewiththem,enjoywiththem,hurtwiththem;theirexperiencebecomesours,andwefeelasifwewere,inameasure,actorswiththeminthesceneswhichtheydescribe.

thegreatandgooddonotdieeveninthisworld.embalmedinbooks,theirspiritswalkabroad.thebookisalivingvoice.itisanintellecttowhichonestilllistens.henceweeverremainundertheinfluenceofthegreatmenofold.thegreatintellectsoftheworldareasmuchalivenowastheywereagesago.