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t； get； and keep on getting of worldly material。 The fairy tale is tabooed because； as the sordid parent alleges； it makes youth unpractical。
One consequence of this deplorable condition is； as I have noticed （and as Judge Methuen has； too）； that the human eye is diminishing in size and fulness； and is losing its lustre。 By as much as you take the God…given grace of fancy from man； by so much do you impoverish his eyes。 The eye is so beautiful and serves so very many noble purposes； and is； too； so ready in the expression of tenderness； of pity； of love； of solicitude； of compassion； of dignity； of every gentle mood and noble inspiration； that in that metaphor which contemplates the eternal vigilance of the Almighty we recognize the best poetic expression of the highest human wisdom。
My nephew Timothy has three children； two boys and a girl。 The elder boy and the girl have small black eyes； they are as devoid of fancy as a napkin is of red corpuscles； they put their pennies into a tin bank； and they have won all the marbles and jack… stones in the neighborhood。 They do not believe in Santa Claus or in fairies or in witches； they know that two nickels make a dime； and their golden rule is to do others as others would do them。 The other boy （he has been christened Matthew； after me） has a pair of large； round； deep…blue eyes； expressive of all those emotions which a keen； active fancy begets。
Matthew can never get his fill of fairy tales； and how the dear little fellow loves Santa Claus！ He sees things at night； he will not go to bed in the dark； he hears and understands what the birds and crickets say； and what the night wind sings； and what the rustling leaves tell。 Wherever Matthew goes he sees beautiful pictures and hears sweet music； to his impressionable soul all nature speaks its wisdom and its poetry。 God！ how I love that boy！ And he shall never starve！ A goodly share of what I have shall go to him！ But this clause in my will； which the Judge recently drew for me； will； I warrant me； give the dear child the greatest happiness：
‘‘Item。 To my beloved grandnephew and namesake； Matthew； I do bequeath and give （in addition to the lands devised and the stocks； bonds and moneys willed to him； as hereinabove specified） the two mahogany bookcases numbered 11 and 13； and the contents thereof； being volumes of fairy and folk tales of all nations； and dictionaries and other treatises upon demonology； witchcraft； mythology； magic and kindred subjects； to be his； his heirs； and his assigns； forever。''
III
THE LUXURY OF READING IN BED
Last night； having written what you have just read about the benefits of fairy literature； I bethought me to renew my acquaintance with some of those tales which so often have delighted and solaced me。 So I piled at least twenty chosen volumes on the table at the head of my bed； and I daresay it was nigh daylight when I fell asleep。 I began my entertainment with several pages from Keightley's ‘‘Fairy Mythology；'' and followed it up with random bits from Crofton Croker's ‘‘Traditions of the South of Ireland；'' Mrs。 Carey's ‘‘Legends of the French Provinces；'' Andrew Lang's Green； Blue and Red fairy books； Laboulaye's ‘‘Last Fairy Tales；'' Hauff's ‘‘The Inn in the Spessart；'' Julia Goddard's ‘‘Golden Weathercock；'' Frere's ‘‘Eastern Fairy Legends；'' Asbjornsen's ‘‘Folk Tales；'' Susan Pindar's ‘‘Midsummer Fays；'' Nisbit Bain's ‘‘Cossack Fairy Tales；'' etc。； etc。
I fell asleep with a copy of Villamaria's fairy stories in my hands； and I had a delightful dream wherein； under the protection and guidance of my fairy godmother； I undertook the rescue of a beautiful princess who had been enchanted by a cruel witch and was kept in prison by the witch's son； a hideous ogre with seven heads； whose companions were four equally hideous dragons。
This undertaking in which I was engaged involved a period of five years； but time is of precious little consideration to one when he is dreaming of exploits achieved in behalf of a beautiful princess。 My fairy godmother （she wore a mob…cap and was hunchbacked） took good care of me； and conducted me safely through all my encounters with demons； giants； dragons； witches； serpents； hippogriffins； ogres； etc。； and I had just rescued the princess and broken the spell which bound her； and we were about to ‘‘live in peace to the end of our lives；'' when I awoke to find it was all a dream； and that the gas… light over my bed had been blazing away during the entire period of my five…year war for the delectable maiden。
This incident gives me an opportunity to say that observation has convinced me that all good and true book…lovers practise the pleasing and improving avocation of reading in bed。 Indeed； I fully believe with Judge Methuen that no book can be appreciated until it has been slept with and dreamed over。 You recall； perhaps； that eloquent passage in his noble defence of the poet Archias； wherein Cicero （not Kikero） refers to his own pursuit of literary studies： ‘‘Haec studia adolescentiam alunt； senectutem oblectant； secundas res ornant； adversis perfugium ac solatium praebent； delectant domi； non impediunt foris； PERNOCTANT nobiscum； peregrinantur； rusticantur！''
By the gods！ you spoke tally； friend Cicero； for it is indeed so； that these pursuits nourish our earlier and delight our later years； dignifying the minor details of life and affording a perennial refuge and solace； at home they please us and in no vocation elsewhere do they embarrass us； they are with us by night； they go with us upon our travels； and even upon our retirement into the country do they accompany us！
I have italicized pernoctant because it is that word which demonstrates beyond all possibility of doubt that Cicero made a practice of reading in bed。 Why； I can almost see him now； propped up in his couch； unrolling scroll after scroll of his favorite literature； and enjoying it mightily； too； which enjoyment is interrupted now and then by the occasion which the noble reader takes to mutter maledictions upon the slave who has let the lamp run low of oil or has neglected to trim the wick。
‘‘Peregrinantur？'' Indeed； they do share our peregrinations； these literary pursuits do。 If Thomas Hearne （of blessed memory！） were alive to…day he would tell us that he used always to take a book along with him whenever he went walking； and was wont to read it as he strolled along。 On several occasions （as he tells us in his diary） he became so absorbed in his reading that he missed his way and darkness came upon him before he knew it。
I have always wondered why book…lovers have not had more to say of Hearne； for assuredly he was as glorious a collector as ever felt the divine fire glow within him。 His character is exemplified in this prayer； which is preserved among other papers of his in the Bodleian Library：
‘‘O most gracious and merciful Lord God； wonderful is Thy providence。 I return all possible thanks to Thee for the care Thou hast always taken of me。 I continually meet with most signal instances of this Thy providence； and one act yesterday； when I unexpectedly met with three old MSS。； for which； in a particular manner； I return my thanks； beseeching Thee to continue the same protection to me； a poor； helpless sinner；'' etc。
Another prayer of Hearne's； illustrative of his faith in dependence upon Divine counsel； was made at the time Hearne was importuned by Dr。 Bray； commissary to my Lord Bishop of London； ‘‘to go to Mary… Land'' in the character of a missionary。 ‘‘O Lord God； Heavenly Father； look down upon me with pity；'' cries this pious soul； ‘‘and be pleased to be my guide； now I am importuned to leave the place where I have been educated in the university。 And of Thy great goodness I humbly desire Thee to signify to me what is most proper for me to do in this affair。''
Another famous man who made a practice of reading books as he walked the highways was Dr。 Johnson； and it is recorded that he presented a curious spectacle indeed； for his shortsightedness compelled him to hold the volume close to his nose； and he shuffled along； rather than walked； stepping high over shadows and stumbling over sticks and stones。
But； perhaps； the most interesting story illustrative of the practice of carrying one's reading around with one is that which is told of Professor Porson； the Greek scholar。 This human monument of learning happened to be travelling in the same coach with a coxcomb who sought to air his pretended learning by quotations from the ancients。 At last old Porson asked：
‘‘Pri'thee； sir； whence comes that quotation？''
‘‘From Sophocles；''quoth the vain fellow。
‘‘Be so kind as to find it for me？'' asked Porson； producing a copy of Sophocles from his pocket。
Then the coxcomb； not at all abashed； said that he meant not Sophocles； but Euripides。 Whereupon Porson drew from another pocket a copy of Euripides and challenged the upstart to find the quotation in question。 Full of confusion； the fellow thrust his head out of the window of the coach and cried to the driver：
‘‘In heaven's name； put me down at once； for there is an old gentleman in here that hath the Bodleian Library in his pocket！''
Porson himself wa