Value_of_Books

Books are the storehouse of information, knowledge and wisdom. They contain the thoughts and emotions, may, the very soul of the masterminds of all ages. Jn the words of Milton, a good book is the lifeblood of a roaster spirit, embalmed and treasured ‘ upon purpose to a life beyond life. Thus it deepens our under¬standing of life and makes us familiar with a variety of human experiences. Holmes has such a great reverence for books that he humbly writes. “When Providence throws a good book in my way, bow to Its degree and purchase it as an act of piety. Books are the best guide for youth and recreation for the old. They give us company in solitude, console us in distress, pacify our passions, and make us forget the cares and anxieties of the world. They sharpen our intellect and broaden our outlook. They are our never failing friends. When our friends and relatives desert us in the hour of difficulties, they stand by us like a true friend and give us relief in woe. In the words of Bacon, they serve for delight, for ornament and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in privateness and retiring, for ornament is in discourse, for ability is in the judgement and disposition of business. To spend too much .time in studies is sloth : to use them too much for ornament is affectation ; to make judgment wholly by their rules is humour of a scholar. They perfect nature and are perfected by experience. Books are the source of innocent pleasure and entertainment to us. They offer us opportunities for a welcome escape from the monotony of routine life. They take us to distant places ; the pictures of the past flash before our eyes. They are an excellent diversion which rich and poor alike can afford, as printing press has made books cheaper and easier of access. Moreover, libraries are there which enable us to read costly books which we cannot afford to buy. Millions of men and women derive an immense pleasure from them. Books indeed provide interesting form of recreation if we develop a real taste for reading. Reading make a full man, conference a ready man and writing an exact man. The variety of books is endless, and different kinds of books serve different purposes. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. There are books of the hour which provide momentary ‘amusement and do not require serious reading. On the other hand, there are books for all times which have an element of permanence and universality; these books live for ever and appeal to all men irrespective of country or clime. In case of such books we must .weigh and consider whatever we read. One who has digested only a few pages of a good book is far more learned than one who has read many books without digesting any. We should not read to contradict, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. Careful study alone will add to our knowledge, expand our mental horizon and make us wiser and happier. Excessive reading has an ill effect on our health. It makes us book, irritable and reserved. In the words of Louis Stevenson, books are a mighty bloodless substitute for lift. He has condemned hook the study of which, he thinks, is the weariness of flesh. Bat If books are completely neglected, it results in the barrier mind, and make us ignorant, orthodox and superstitious complete neglect of books is as undesirable as too mach study of books. It is proper on our part to adopt a middle course in order to derive the maximum pleasure and wisdom from books, we should make a judicious selection of them, The market is flooded with all sorts of books. Some of them are more dangerous than scorpion and more poisonous than a snake. They will natu¬rally have an immoral influence on our mind, and we should keep them at an arm’s length. Moreover, we have limited time out disposal, and it is not humanly possible to read all types of good books. Consequently we have to choose those books which suit our taste and temperament. We should not waste our time in reading those books which do not suit our nature, howsoever good and bene¬ficial they may be. The vast number of books has created a conclusion. It becomes essential to make sure of our taste first and then make the selection of books, carefully and wisely in accord with the taste.