TimeisbutthestreamIgoa-fishingin。Idrinkatit；butwhileIdrinkIseethesandybottomanddetecthowshallowitis。
Itsthincurrentslidesaway，buteternityremains。Iwoulddrinkdeeper；fishinthesky，whosebottomispebblywithstars。I
cannotcountone。Iknownotthefirstletterofthealphabet。I
havealwaysbeenregrettingthatIwasnotaswiseasthedayIwasborn。Theintellectisacleaver；itdiscernsandriftsitswayintothesecretofthings。Idonotwishtobeanymorebusywithmyhandsthanisnecessary。Myheadishandsandfeet。Ifeelallmybestfacultiesconcentratedinit。Myinstincttellsmethatmyheadisanorganforburrowing，assomecreaturesusetheirsnoutandforepaws，andwithitIwouldmineandburrowmywaythroughthesehills。Ithinkthattherichestveinissomewherehereabouts；
sobythedivining-rodandthinrisingvaporsIjudge；andhereI
willbegintomine。
ReadingWithalittlemoredeliberationinthechoiceoftheirpursuits，allmenwouldperhapsbecomeessentiallystudentsandobservers，forcertainlytheirnatureanddestinyareinterestingtoallalike。Inaccumulatingpropertyforourselvesorourposterity，infoundingafamilyorastate，oracquiringfameeven，wearemortal；butindealingwithtruthweareimmortal，andneedfearnochangenoraccident。TheoldestEgyptianorHindoophilosopherraisedacorneroftheveilfromthestatueofthedivinity；andstillthetremblingroberemainsraised，andIgazeuponasfreshagloryashedid，sinceitwasIinhimthatwasthensobold，anditisheinmethatnowreviewsthevision。Nodusthassettledonthatrobe；notimehaselapsedsincethatdivinitywasrevealed。Thattimewhichwereallyimprove，orwhichisimprovable，isneitherpast，present，norfuture。
Myresidencewasmorefavorable，notonlytothought，buttoseriousreading，thanauniversity；andthoughIwasbeyondtherangeoftheordinarycirculatinglibrary，Ihadmorethanevercomewithintheinfluenceofthosebookswhichcirculateroundtheworld，whosesentenceswerefirstwrittenonbark，andarenowmerelycopiedfromtimetotimeontolinenpaper。SaysthepoetMrUdd，“Beingseated，torunthroughtheregionofthespiritualworld；Ihavehadthisadvantageinbooks。Tobeintoxicatedbyasingleglassofwine；IhaveexperiencedthispleasurewhenIhavedrunktheliquoroftheesotericdoctrines。“I
keptHomer’sIliadonmytablethroughthesummer，thoughIlookedathispageonlynowandthen。Incessantlaborwithmyhands，atfirst，forIhadmyhousetofinishandmybeanstohoeatthesametime，mademorestudyimpossible。YetIsustainedmyselfbytheprospectofsuchreadinginfuture。Ireadoneortwoshallowbooksoftravelintheintervalsofmywork，tillthatemploymentmademeashamedofmyself，andIaskedwhereitwasthenthatIlived。
ThestudentmayreadHomerorAEschylusintheGreekwithoutdangerofdissipationorluxuriousness，foritimpliesthatheinsomemeasureemulatetheirheroes，andconsecratemorninghourstotheirpages。Theheroicbooks，evenifprintedinthecharacterofourmothertongue，willalwaysbeinalanguagedeadtodegeneratetimes；andwemustlaboriouslyseekthemeaningofeachwordandline，conjecturingalargersensethancommonusepermitsoutofwhatwisdomandvalorandgenerositywehave。Themoderncheapandfertilepress，withallitstranslations，hasdonelittletobringusnearertotheheroicwritersofantiquity。Theyseemassolitary，andtheletterinwhichtheyareprintedasrareandcurious，asever。Itisworththeexpenseofyouthfuldaysandcostlyhours，ifyoulearnonlysomewordsofanancientlanguage，whichareraisedoutofthetrivialnessofthestreet，tobeperpetualsuggestionsandprovocations。ItisnotinvainthatthefarmerremembersandrepeatsthefewLatinwordswhichhehasheard。
Mensometimesspeakasifthestudyoftheclassicswouldatlengthmakewayformoremodernandpracticalstudies；buttheadventurousstudentwillalwaysstudyclassics，inwhateverlanguagetheymaybewrittenandhoweverancienttheymaybe。Forwhataretheclassicsbutthenoblestrecordedthoughtsofman？Theyaretheonlyoracleswhicharenotdecayed，andtherearesuchanswerstothemostmoderninquiryinthemasDelphiandDodonanevergave。WemightaswellomittostudyNaturebecausesheisold。Toreadwell，thatis，toreadtruebooksinatruespirit，isanobleexercise，andonethatwilltaskthereadermorethananyexercisewhichthecustomsofthedayesteem。Itrequiresatrainingsuchastheathletesunderwent，thesteadyintentionalmostofthewholelifetothisobject。Booksmustbereadasdeliberatelyandreservedlyastheywerewritten。
Itisnotenougheventobeabletospeakthelanguageofthatnationbywhichtheyarewritten，forthereisamemorableintervalbetweenthespokenandthewrittenlanguage，thelanguageheardandthelanguageread。Theoneiscommonlytransitory，asound，atongue，adialectmerely，almostbrutish，andwelearnitunconsciously，likethebrutes，ofourmothers。Theotheristhematurityandexperienceofthat；ifthatisourmothertongue，thisisourfathertongue，areservedandselectexpression，toosignificanttobeheardbytheear，whichwemustbebornagaininordertospeak。ThecrowdsofmenwhomerelyspoketheGreekandLatintonguesintheMiddleAgeswerenotentitledbytheaccidentofbirthtoreadtheworksofgeniuswritteninthoselanguages；forthesewerenotwritteninthatGreekorLatinwhichtheyknew，butintheselectlanguageofliterature。TheyhadnotlearnedthenoblerdialectsofGreeceandRome，buttheverymaterialsonwhichtheywerewrittenwerewastepapertothem，andtheyprizedinsteadacheapcontemporaryliterature。ButwhentheseveralnationsofEuropehadacquireddistinctthoughrudewrittenlanguagesoftheirown，sufficientforthepurposesoftheirrisingliteratures，thenfirstlearningrevived，andscholarswereenabledtodiscernfromthatremotenessthetreasuresofantiquity。WhattheRomanandGrecianmultitudecouldnothear，afterthelapseofagesafewscholarsread，andafewscholarsonlyarestillreadingit。
Howevermuchwemayadmiretheorator’soccasionalburstsofeloquence，thenoblestwrittenwordsarecommonlyasfarbehindorabovethefleetingspokenlanguageasthefirmamentwithitsstarsisbehindtheclouds。Therearethestars，andtheywhocanmayreadthem。Theastronomersforevercommentonandobservethem。
Theyarenotexhalationslikeourdailycolloquiesandvaporousbreath。Whatiscalledeloquenceintheforumiscommonlyfoundtoberhetoricinthestudy。Theoratoryieldstotheinspirationofatransientoccasion，andspeakstothemobbeforehim，tothosewhocanhearhim；butthewriter，whosemoreequablelifeishisoccasion，andwhowouldbedistractedbytheeventandthecrowdwhichinspiretheorator，speakstotheintellectandhealthofmankind，toallinanyagewhocanunderstandhim。
NowonderthatAlexandercarriedtheIliadwithhimonhisexpeditionsinapreciouscasket。Awrittenwordisthechoicestofrelics。Itissomethingatoncemoreintimatewithusandmoreuniversalthananyotherworkofart。Itistheworkofartnearesttolifeitself。Itmaybetranslatedintoeverylanguage，andnotonlybereadbutactuallybreathedfromallhumanlips；——notberepresentedoncanvasorinmarbleonly，butbecarvedoutofthebreathoflifeitself。Thesymbolofanancientman’sthoughtbecomesamodernman’sspeech。TwothousandsummershaveimpartedtothemonumentsofGrecianliterature，astohermarbles，onlyamaturergoldenandautumnaltint，fortheyhavecarriedtheirownsereneandcelestialatmosphereintoalllandstoprotectthemagainstthecorrosionoftime。Booksarethetreasuredwealthoftheworldandthefitinheritanceofgenerationsandnations。
Books，theoldestandthebest，standnaturallyandrightfullyontheshelvesofeverycottage。Theyhavenocauseoftheirowntoplead，butwhiletheyenlightenandsustainthereaderhiscommonsensewillnotrefusethem。Theirauthorsareanaturalandirresistiblearistocracyineverysociety，and，morethankingsoremperors，exertaninfluenceonmankind。Whentheilliterateandperhapsscornfultraderhasearnedbyenterpriseandindustryhiscovetedleisureandindependence，andisadmittedtothecirclesofwealthandfashion，heturnsinevitablyatlasttothosestillhigherbutyetinaccessiblecirclesofintellectandgenius，andissensibleonlyoftheimperfectionofhiscultureandthevanityandinsufficiencyofallhisriches，andfurtherproveshisgoodsensebythepainswhichbetakestosecureforhischildrenthatintellectualculturewhosewanthesokeenlyfeels；andthusitisthathebecomesthefounderofafamily。
Thosewhohavenotlearnedtoreadtheancientclassicsinthelanguageinwhichtheywerewrittenmusthaveaveryimperfectknowledgeofthehistoryofthehumanrace；foritisremarkablethatnotranscriptofthemhaseverbeenmadeintoanymoderntongue，unlessourcivilizationitselfmayberegardedassuchatranscript。HomerhasneveryetbeenprintedinEnglish，norAEschylus，norVirgileven——worksasrefined，assolidlydone，andasbeautifulalmostasthemorningitself；forlaterwriters，saywhatwewilloftheirgenius，haverarely，ifever，equalledtheelaboratebeautyandfinishandthelifelongandheroicliterarylaborsoftheancients。Theyonlytalkofforgettingthemwhoneverknewthem。Itwillbesoonenoughtoforgetthemwhenwehavethelearningandthegeniuswhichwillenableustoattendtoandappreciatethem。ThatagewillberichindeedwhenthoserelicswhichwecallClassics，andthestillolderandmorethanclassicbutevenlessknownScripturesofthenations，shallhavestillfurtheraccumulated，whentheVaticansshallbefilledwithVedasandZendavestasandBibles，withHomersandDantesandShakespeares，andallthecenturiestocomeshallhavesuccessivelydepositedtheirtrophiesintheforumoftheworld。Bysuchapilewemayhopetoscaleheavenatlast。
Theworksofthegreatpoetshaveneveryetbeenreadbymankind，foronlygreatpoetscanreadthem。Theyhaveonlybeenreadasthemultitudereadthestars，atmostastrologically，notastronomically。Mostmenhavelearnedtoreadtoserveapaltryconvenience，astheyhavelearnedtocipherinordertokeepaccountsandnotbecheatedintrade；butofreadingasanobleintellectualexercisetheyknowlittleornothing；yetthisonlyisreading，inahighsense，notthatwhichlullsusasaluxuryandsuffersthenoblerfacultiestosleepthewhile，butwhatwehavetostandontip-toetoreadanddevoteourmostalertandwakefulhoursto。
Ithinkthathavinglearnedourlettersweshouldreadthebestthatisinliterature，andnotbeforeverrepeatingoura-b-abs，andwordsofonesyllable，inthefourthorfifthclasses，sittingonthelowestandforemostformallourlives。Mostmenaresatisfiediftheyreadorhearread，andperchancehavebeenconvictedbythewisdomofonegoodbook，theBible，andfortherestoftheirlivesvegetateanddissipatetheirfacultiesinwhatiscalledeasyreading。ThereisaworkinseveralvolumesinourCirculatingLibraryentitled“LittleReading，“whichIthoughtreferredtoatownofthatnamewhichIhadnotbeento。Therearethosewho，likecormorantsandostriches，candigestallsortsofthis，evenafterthefullestdinnerofmeatsandvegetables，fortheysuffernothingtobewasted。Ifothersarethemachinestoprovidethisprovender，theyarethemachinestoreadit。TheyreadtheninethousandthtaleaboutZebulonandSophronia，andhowtheylovedasnonehadeverlovedbefore，andneitherdidthecourseoftheirtrueloverunsmooth——atanyrate，howitdidrunandstumble，andgetupagainandgoon！howsomepoorunfortunategotupontoasteeple，whohadbetterneverhavegoneupasfarasthebelfry；andthen，havingneedlesslygothimupthere，thehappynovelistringsthebellforalltheworldtocometogetherandhear，Odear！howhedidgetdownagain！Formypart，Ithinkthattheyhadbettermetamorphoseallsuchaspiringheroesofuniversalnoveldomintomanweather-cocks，astheyusedtoputheroesamongtheconstellations，andletthemswingroundtheretilltheyarerusty，andnotcomedownatalltobotherhonestmenwiththeirpranks。ThenexttimethenovelistringsthebellIwillnotstirthoughthemeeting-houseburndown。“TheSkipoftheTip-Toe-Hop，aRomanceoftheMiddleAges，bythecelebratedauthorof`Tittle-Tol-Tan，’toappearinmonthlyparts；agreatrush；don’tallcometogether。“Allthistheyreadwithsaucereyes，anderectandprimitivecuriosity，andwithunweariedgizzard，whosecorrugationsevenyetneednosharpening，justassomelittlefour-year-oldbencherhistwo-centgilt-coverededitionofCinderella——withoutanyimprovement，thatIcansee，inthepronunciation，oraccent，oremphasis，oranymoreskillinextractingorinsertingthemoral。Theresultisdulnessofsight，astagnationofthevitalcirculations，andageneraldeliquiumandsloughingoffofalltheintellectualfaculties。Thissortofgingerbreadisbakeddailyandmoresedulouslythanpurewheatorrye-and-Indianinalmosteveryoven，andfindsasurermarket。
Thebestbooksarenotreadevenbythosewhoarecalledgoodreaders。WhatdoesourConcordcultureamountto？Thereisinthistown，withaveryfewexceptions，notasteforthebestorforverygoodbookseveninEnglishliterature，whosewordsallcanreadandspell。Eventhecollege-bredandso-calledliberallyeducatedmenhereandelsewherehavereallylittleornoacquaintancewiththeEnglishclassics；andasfortherecordedwisdomofmankind，theancientclassicsandBibles，whichareaccessibletoallwhowillknowofthem，therearethefeeblesteffortsanywheremadetobecomeacquaintedwiththem。Iknowawoodchopper，ofmiddleage，whotakesaFrenchpaper，notfornewsashesays，forheisabovethat，butto“keephimselfinpractice，“hebeingaCanadianbybirth；andwhenIaskhimwhatheconsidersthebestthinghecandointhisworld，hesays，besidethis，tokeepupandaddtohisEnglish。
