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Reading
With a little more deliberation in the choice of their pursuits；
all men would perhaps become essentially students and observers； for
certainly their nature and destiny are interesting to all alike。 In
accumulating property for ourselves or our posterity； in founding a
family or a state； or acquiring fame even； we are mortal； but in
dealing with truth we are immortal； and need fear no change nor
accident。 The oldest Egyptian or Hindoo philosopher raised a corner
of the veil from the statue of the divinity； and still the trembling
robe remains raised； and I gaze upon as fresh a glory as he did；
since it was I in him that was then so bold； and it is he in me that
now reviews the vision。 No dust has settled on that robe； no time
has elapsed since that divinity was revealed。 That time which we
really improve； or which is improvable； is neither past； present；
nor future。
My residence was more favorable； not only to thought； but to
serious reading； than a university； and though I was beyond the
range of the ordinary circulating library； I had more than ever come
within the influence of those books which circulate round the world；
whose sentences were first written on bark； and are now merely
copied from time to time on to linen paper。 Says the poet Mr
Udd； 〃Being seated； to run through the region of the
spiritual world； I have had this advantage in books。 To be
intoxicated by a single glass of wine； I have experienced this
pleasure when I have drunk the liquor of the esoteric doctrines。〃 I
kept Homer's Iliad on my table through the summer； though I looked
at his page only now and then。 Incessant labor with my hands； at
first； for I had my house to finish and my beans to hoe at the same
time； made more study impossible。 Yet I sustained myself by the
prospect of such reading in future。 I read one or two shallow books
of travel in the intervals of my work； till that employment made me
ashamed of myself； and I asked where it was then that I lived。
The student may read Homer or AEschylus in the Greek without
danger of dissipation or luxuriousness； for it implies that he in
some measure emulate their heroes； and consecrate morning hours to
their pages。 The heroic books； even if printed in the character of
our mother tongue； will always be in a language dead to degenerate
times； and we must laboriously seek the meaning of each word and
line； conjecturing a larger sense than common use permits out of
what wisdom and valor and generosity we have。 The modern cheap and
fertile press； with all its translations； has done little to bring
us nearer to the heroic writers of antiquity。 They seem as
solitary； and the letter in which they are printed as rare and
curious； as ever。 It is worth the expense of youthful days and
costly hours； if you learn only some words of an ancient language；
which are raised out of the trivialness of the street； to be
perpetual suggestions and provocations。 It is not in vain that the
farmer remembers and repeats the few Latin words which he has heard。
Men sometimes speak as if the study of the classics would at length
make way for more modern and practical studies； but the adventurous
student will always study classics； in whatever language they may be
written and however ancient they may be。 For what are the classics
but the noblest recorded thoughts of man？ They are the only oracles
which are not decayed； and there are such answers to the most modern
inquiry in them as Delphi and Dodona never gave。 We might as well
omit to study Nature because she is old。 To read well； that is； to
read true books in a true spirit； is a noble exercise； and one that
will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the
day esteem。 It requires a training such as the athletes underwent；
the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object。 Books
must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written。
It is not enough even to be able to speak the language of that
nation by which they are written； for there is a memorable interval
between the spoken and the written language； the language heard and
the language read。 The one is commonly transitory； a sound； a
tongue； a dialect merely； almost brutish； and we learn it
unconsciously； like the brutes； of our mothers。 The other is the
maturity and experience of that； if that is our mother tongue； this
is our father tongue； a reserved and select expression； too
significant to be heard by the ear； which we must be born again in
order to speak。 The crowds of men who merely spoke the Greek and
Latin tongues in the Middle Ages were not entitled by the accident
of birth to read the works of genius written in those languages； for
these were not written in that Greek or Latin which they knew； but
in the select language of literature。 They had not learned the
nobler dialects of Greece and Rome； but the very materials on which
they were written were waste paper to them； and they prized instead
a cheap contemporary literature。 But when the several nations of
Europe had acquired distinct though rude written languages of their
own； sufficient for the purposes of their rising literatures； then
first learning revived； and scholars were enabled to discern from
that remoteness the treasures of antiquity。 What the Roman and
Grecian multitude could not hear； after the lapse of ages a few
scholars read； and a few scholars only are still reading it。
However much we may admire the orator's occasional bursts of
eloquence； the noblest written words are commonly as far behind or
above the fleeting spoken language as the firmament with its stars
is behind the clouds。 There are the stars； and they who can may
read them。 The astronomers forever comment on and observe them。
They are not exhalations like our daily colloquies and vaporous
breath。 What is called eloquence in the forum is commonly found to
be rhetoric in the study。 The orator yields to the inspiration of a
transient occasion； and speaks to the mob before him； to those who
can hear him； but the writer； whose more equable life is his
occasion； and who would be distracted by the event and the crowd
which inspire the orator； speaks to the intellect and health of
mankind； to all in any age who can understand him。
No wonder that Alexander carried the Iliad with him on his
expeditions in a precious casket。 A written word is the choicest of
relics。 It is something at once more intimate with us and more
universal than any other work of art。 It is the work of art nearest
to life itself。 It may be translated into every language； and not
only be read but actually breathed from all human lips； not be
represented on canvas or in marble only； but be carved out of the
breath of life itself。 The symbol of an ancient man's thought
becomes a modern man's speech。 Two thousand summers have imparted
to the monuments of Grecian literature； as to her marbles； only a
maturer golden and autumnal tint； for they have carried their own
serene and celestial atmosphere into all lands to protect them
against the corrosion of time。 Books are the treasured wealth of
the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations。
Books； the oldest and the best； stand naturally and rightfully on
the shelves of every cottage。 They have no cause of their own to
plead； but while they enlighten and sustain the reader his common
sense will not refuse them。 Their authors are a natural and
irresistible aristocracy in every society； and； more than kings or
emperors； exert an influence on mankind。 When the illiterate and
perhaps scornful trader has earned by enterprise and industry his
coveted leisure and independence； and is admitted to the circles of
wealth and fashion； he turns inevitably at last to those still
higher but yet inaccessible circles of intellect and genius； and is
sensible only of the imperfection of his culture and the vanity and
insufficiency of all his riches； and further proves his good sense
by the pains which be takes to secure for his children that
intellectual culture whose want he so keenly feels； and thus it is
that he becomes the founder of a family。
Those who have not learned to read the ancient classics in the
language in which they were written must have a very imperfect
knowledge of the history of the human race； for it is remarkable
that no transcript of them has ever been made into any modern
tongue； unless our civilization itself may be regarded as such a
transcript。 Homer has never yet been printed in English； nor
AEschylus； nor Virgil even works as refined； as solidly done； and
as beautiful almost as the morning itself； for later writers； say
what we will of their genius； have rarely； if ever； equalled the
elaborate beauty and finish and the lifelong and heroic literary
labors of the ancients。 They only talk of forgetting them who never