按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
them from memory； while Burke's companions were Demosthenes；
Milton； Bolingbroke； and Young's 'Night Thoughts。'
Curran's favourite was Homer； which he read through once a year。
Virgil was another of his favourites； his biographer； Phillips；
saying that he once saw him reading the 'Aeneid' in the cabin
of a Holyhead packet； while every one about him was prostrate
by seasickness。
Of the poets； Dante's favourite was Virgil； Corneille's was Lucan；
Schiller's was Shakspeare； Gray's was Spenser； whilst Coleridge
admired Collins and Bowles。 Dante himself was a favourite with
most great poets； from Chaucer to Byron and Tennyson。 Lord
Brougham； Macaulay； and Carlyle have alike admired and eulogized
the great Italian。 The former advised the students at Glasgow
that； next to Demosthenes； the study of Dante was the best
preparative for the eloquence of the pulpit or the bar。 Robert
Hall sought relief in Dante from the racking pains of spinal
disease； and Sydney Smith took to the same poet for comfort and
solace in his old age。 It was characteristic of Goethe that his
favourite book should have been Spinoza's 'Ethics；' in which he
said he had found a peace and consolation such as he had been able
to find in no other work。 （12）
Barrow's favourite was St。 Chrysostom； Bossuet's was Homer。
Bunyan's was the old legend of Sir Bevis of Southampton； which in
all probability gave him the first idea of his 'Pilgrim's
Progress。' One of the best prelates that ever sat on the English
bench； Dr。 John Sharp； said〃Shakspeare and the Bible have made
me Archbishop of York。〃 The two books which most impressed John
Wesley when a young man； were 'The Imitation of Christ' and Jeremy
Taylor's 'Holy Living and Dying。' Yet Wesley was accustomed to
caution his young friends against overmuch reading。 〃Beware you
be not swallowed up in books；〃 he would say to them； 〃an ounce of
love is worth a pound of knowledge。〃
Wesley's own Life has been a great favourite with many thoughtful
readers。 Coleridge says； in his preface to Southey's 'Life of
Wesley；' that it was more often in his hands than any other in his
ragged book…regiment。 〃To this work； and to the Life of Richard
Baxter；〃 he says； 〃I was used to resort whenever sickness and
languor made me feel the want of an old friend of whose company I
could never be tired。 How many and many an hour of self…oblivion
do I owe to this Life of Wesley； and how often have I argued with
it； questioned； remonstrated； been peevish； and asked pardon； then
again listened； and cried； 'Right！ Excellent！' and in yet heavier
hours entreated it； as it were； to continue talking to me； for
that I heard and listened； and was soothed； though I could
make no reply！〃 （13）
Soumet had only a very few hooks in his library； but they were of
the bestHomer； Virgil； Dante； Camoens； Tasso； and Milton。 De
Quincey's favourite few were Donne； Chillingworth； Jeremy Taylor；
Milton； South； Barrow； and Sir Thomas Browne。 He described these
writers as 〃a pleiad or constellation of seven golden stars； such
as in their class no literature can match；〃 and from whose works
he would undertake 〃to build up an entire body of philosophy。〃
Frederick the Great of Prussia manifested his strong French
leanings in his choice of books； his principal favourites being
Bayle； Rousseau； Voltaire； Rollin； Fleury； Malebranche； and one
English authorLocke。 His especial favourite was Bayle's
Dictionary； which was the first book that laid hold of his mind；
and he thought so highly of it； that he himself made an abridgment
and translation of it into German； which was published。 It was a
saying of Frederick's； that 〃books make up no small part of true
happiness。〃 In his old age he said； 〃My latest passion will
be for literature。〃
It seems odd that Marshal Blucher's favourite book should have
been Klopstock's 'Messiah；' and Napoleon Buonaparte's favourites；
Ossian's 'Poems' and the 'Sorrows of Werther。' But Napoleon's
range of reading was very extensive。 It included Homer； Virgil；
Tasso； novels of all countries； histories of all times；
mathematics； legislation； and theology。 He detested what he
called 〃the bombast and tinsel〃 of Voltaire。 The praises of Homer
and Ossian he was never wearied of sounding。 〃Read again；〃 he
said to an officer on board the BELLEROPHO〃read again the poet
of Achilles； devour Ossian。 Those are the poets who lift up the
soul； and give to man a colossal greatness。〃 （14）
The Duke of Wellington was an extensive reader； his principal
favourites were Clarendon； Bishop Butler； Smith's 'Wealth of
Nations；' Hume； the Archduke Charles； Leslie； and the Bible。 He
was also particularly interested by French and English memoirs
more especially the French MEMOIRES POUR SERVIR of all kinds。
When at Walmer； Mr。 Gleig says； the Bible； the Prayer Book；
Taylor's 'Holy Living and Dying；' and Caesar's 'Commentaries；' lay
within the Duke's reach； and； judging by the marks of use on them；
they must have been much read and often consulted。
While books are among the best companions of old age； they are
often the best inspirers of youth。 The first book that makes a
deep impression on a young man's mind； often constitutes an epoch
in his life。 It may fire the heart； stimulate the enthusiasm； and
by directing his efforts into unexpected channels； permanently
influence his character。 The new book； in which we form an
intimacy with a new friend； whose mind is wiser and riper than
our own； may thus form an important starting…point in the
history of a life。 It may sometimes almost be regarded
in the light of a new birth。
From the day when James Edward Smith was presented with his first
botanical lesson…book； and Sir Joseph Banks fell in with Gerard's
'Herbal'from the time when Alfieri first read Plutarch； and
Schiller made his first acquaintance with Shakspeare； and Gibbon
devoured the first volume of 'The Universal History'each dated
an inspiration so exalted； that they felt as if their real lives
had only then begun。
In the earlier part of his youth； La Fontaine was distinguished
for his idleness； but hearing an ode by Malherbe read； he is said
to have exclaimed； 〃I too am a poet；〃 and his genius was awakened。
Charles Bossuet's mind was first fired to study by reading； at an
early age； Fontenelle's 'Eloges' of men of science。 Another work
of Fontenelle's'On the Plurality of Worlds'influenced the
mind of Lalande in making choice of a profession。 〃It is with
pleasure；〃 says Lalande himself in a preface to the book； which be
afterwards edited； 〃that I acknowledge my obligation to it for
that devouring activity which its perusal first excited in me at
the age of sixteen； and which I have since retained。〃
In like manner； Lacepede was directed to the study of natural
history by the perusal of Buffon's 'Histoire Naturelle；' which he
found in his father's library； and read over and over again until