[323] A collection of fragments about the famous King Arthur and his Round Table. They crop out in every age of English literature. Read the book with Tennyson's "Idylls of the King,"—a poem inspired by Malory's "Morte D'Arthur,"—Cervantes' "Don Quixote," and Twain's "Yankee in the Court of King Arthur," Lanier's "Boy's King Arthur," Ritson's "Ancient English Metrical Romances," Ellis' Introduction to the Study of the same, Preston's "Troubadours and Trouvères," Sismondi's "Literature of Southern Europe," Chapon's "Troubadours," and Van Laun's "History of French Literature" may be referred to with advantage by the student of Malory.
[324] A collection of Chinese odes.
[325] This and the last are recommended, not for intrinsic merit, but for breadth, and to open the way to an understanding of and sympathy with four hundred millions of mankind who hold these books in profound veneration. (China, as early as 5th cent. b. c.)
[326] This is the Bible of the Sufis of Persia, one of the manifestations of that great spirit of mysticism which flows like a great current through the world's history, side by side with the stream of Rationalism. It found certain outlets in Schelling, Swedenborg, Emerson, etc., and is bubbling up even now through the strata of worldliness in the United States in the shape of Theosophy. (7th cent.)
[327] Read Saint Hilaire's "Buddha" and Arnold's "Light of Asia." They will open great regions of thought.
[328, 329] These are epitomized by Talboys Wheeler in his "History of India." Very interesting and broadening. (Very ancient.)
[330-332] Not valuable reading intrinsically, but as opening the doors of communication with the minds and hearts of whole races of men, most useful. The Vedas are the Bible of the Hindus, and contain the revelation of Brahma (15th cent.). The Koran is the Mohammedan Bible (6th cent.). The Talmud belongs to the Rabbinical literature of the Jews, and is a collection of Jewish traditions (3d cent.).
[333] The works of Hooker, Swedenborg, Newton, Kepler, Copernicus, Laplace, should be actually handled and glanced through to form a nucleus of experience, around which may gather a little knowledge of these famous men and what they did. This remark applies with more or less of force to all the names on the second shelf. Few can hope to read all these books, but it is practicable by means of general works, such as those mentioned in Column 13, to gain an idea of each man, his character and work; and there is no better way to put a hook in the memory on which such knowledge of an author may be securely kept, than to take his book in your hands, note its size and peculiarities (visual and tactual impressions are more easily remembered than others as a rule), glance through its contents, and read a passage or two.