Section I.—Reading.
HE that reads to be amused, will be like him that eats to gratify his appetite—an epicure. But he who reads to obtain useful information, and to improve his mind, will be like him who eats to sustain nature—strong and healthy. The former will be satisfied with nothing but dainties—the latter will prefer plain strong food.
Sir William Jones rose to great eminence. When he was a mere child, he was very inquisitive. His mother was a superior woman of great intelligence, and he would apply to her for the information which he desired; but her constant reply was, “Read and you will know.” This gave him a passion for books, which was one of the principal means of making him what he was. But, it is not every one who reads that will become wise.
Robert Hall.
This great man, when he was a boy about six years of age, was sent to a boarding school, where he spent the week, coming home Saturday and returning Monday. When he went away on Monday morning, he would take with him two or three books from his father’s library to read at the intervals between the school hours. The books he selected, were not those of mere amusement, but such as required deep and serious thought. Before he was nine years old, he had read over and over again, with the deepest interest, Edwards on the Affections, Edwards on the Will, and Butler’s Analogy.
