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it is difficult to imagine the mental state of the man who； after reading
Hazlitt's essay； is not urgently desirous of reading some poetry before his
next meal。 If the essay so inspires you I would suggest that you make a
commencement with purely narrative poetry。
There is an infinitely finer English novel； written by a woman； than
anything by George Eliot or the Brontes； or even Jane Austen； which
perhaps you have not read。 Its title is 〃Aurora Leigh；〃 and its author E。B。
Browning。 It happens to be written in verse； and to contain a considerable
amount of genuinely fine poetry。 Decide to read that book through； even if
you die for it。 Forget that it is fine poetry。 Read it simply for the story and
the social ideas。 And when you have done； ask yourself honestly whether
you still dislike poetry。 I have known more than one person to whom
〃Aurora Leigh〃 has been the means of proving that in assuming they hated
poetry they were entirely mistaken。
Of course； if； after Hazlitt； and such an experiment made in the light of
Hazlitt； you are finally assured that there is something in you which is
antagonistic to poetry； you must be content with history or philosophy。 I
shall regret it； yet not inconsolably。 〃The Decline and Fall〃 is not to be
named in the same day with 〃Paradise Lost；〃 but it is a vastly pretty thing；
and Herbert Spencer's 〃First Principles〃 simply laughs at the claims of
poetry and refuses to be accepted as aught but the most majestic product
of any human mind。 I do not suggest that either of these works is suitable
for a tyro in mental strains。 But I see no reason why any man of average
intelligence should not； after a year of continuous reading； be fit to assault
the supreme masterpieces of history or philosophy。 The great convenience
of masterpieces is that they are so astonishingly lucid。
I suggest no particular work as a start。 The attempt would be futile in
the space of my command。 But I have two general suggestions of a certain
importance。 The first is to define the direction and scope of your efforts。
Choose a limited period； or a limited subject； or a single author。 Say to
yourself： 〃I will know something about the French Revolution； or the rise
of railways； or the works of John Keats。〃 And during a given period； to be
settled beforehand； confine yourself to your choice。 There is much
pleasure to be derived from being a specialist。
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The second suggestion is to think as well as to read。 I know people
who read and read； and for all the good it does them they might just as
well cut bread…and…butter。 They take to reading as better men take to drink。
They fly through the shires of literature on a motor…car； their sole object
being motion。 They will tell you how many books they have read in a year。
Unless you give at least forty…five minutes to careful； fatiguing
reflection （it is an awful bore at first） upon what you are reading； your
ninety minutes of a night are chiefly wasted。 This means that your pace
will be slow。
Never mind。
Forget the goal； think only of the surrounding country； and after a
period； perhaps when you least expect it； you will suddenly find yourself
in a lovely town on a hill。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
XII DANGERS TO AVOID
I cannot terminate these hints； often； I fear； too didactic and abrupt；
upon the full use of one's time to the great end of living （as distinguished
from vegetating） without briefly referring to certain dangers which lie in
wait for the sincere aspirant towards life。 The first is the terrible danger of
becoming that most odious and least supportable of personsa prig。 Now a
prig is a pert fellow who gives himself airs of superior wisdom。 A prig is a
pompous fool who has gone out for a ceremonial walk； and without
knowing it has lost an important part of his attire； namely； his sense of
humour。 A prig is a tedious individual who； having made a discovery； is so
impressed by his discovery that he is capable of being gravely displeased
because the entire world is not also impressed by it。 Unconsciously to
become a prig is an easy and a fatal thing。
Hence； when one sets forth on the enterprise of using all one's time； it
is just as well to remember that one's own time； and not other people's
time； is the material with which one has to deal； that the earth rolled on
pretty comfortably before one began to balance a budget of the hours； and
that it will continue to roll on pretty comfortably whether or not one
succeeds in one's new role of chancellor of the exchequer of time。 It is as
well not to chatter too much about what one is doing； and not to betray a
too…pained sadness at the spectacle of a whole world deliberately wasting
so many hours out of every day； and therefore never really living。 It will
be found； ultimately； that in taking care of one's self one has quite all one
can do。
Another danger is the danger of being tied to a programme like a slave
to a chariot。 One's programme must not be allowed to run away with one。
It must be respected； but it must not be worshipped as a fetish。 A
programme of daily employ is not a religion。
This seems obvious。 Yet I know men whose lives are a burden to
themselves and a distressing burden to their relatives and friends simply
because they have failed to appreciate the obvious。 〃Oh； no；〃 I have heard
the martyred wife exclaim； 〃Arthur always takes the dog out for exercise
at eight o'clock and he always begins to read at a quarter to nine。 So it's
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
quite out of the question that we should。 。 。〃 etc。； etc。 And the note of
absolute finality in that plaintive voice reveals the unsuspected and
ridiculous tragedy of a career。
On the other hand； a programme is a programme。 And unless it is
treated with deference it ceases to be anything but a poor joke。 To treat
one's programme with exactly the right amount of deference； to live with
not