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1、CompanionshipofBooksAmanmayusuallybeknownbythebookshereadsaswellasbythecompanyhekeeps;forthereisacompanionshipofbooksaswellasofmen;andoneshouldalwaysliveinthebestcompany,whetheritbeofbooksorofmen.Agoodbookmaybeamongthebestoffriends.Itisthesametodaythatitalwayswas,and
2、itwillneverchange.Itisthemostpatientandcheerfulofcompanions.Itdoesnotturnitsbackuponusintimesofadversityordistress.Italwaysreceivesuswiththesamekindness,amusingandinstructingusinyouth,andcomfortingandconsolingusinage.Menoftendiscovertheiraffinitytoeachotherbythemutua
3、llovetheyhaveforabook---justastwopersonssometimesdiscoverafriendbytheadmirationwhichbothentertainforathird.Thereisanoldproverb,“Loveme,andlovemydog.”Butthereismorewisdominthis:”Loveme,lovemybook.”Thebookisatruerandhigherbondofunion.Mencanthink,feel,andsympathizewithe
4、achotherthroughtheirfavoriteauthor.Theyliveinhimtogether,andheinthem.Agoodbookisoftenthebesturnofalifeenshriningthebestthatlifecouldthinkout;fortheworldofaman'slifeis,forthemostpart,buttheworldofhisthoughts.Thusthebestbooksaretreasuresofgoodwords,thegoldenthoughts,wh
5、ich,rememberedandcherished,becomeourconstantcompanionsandcomforters.Bookspossessanessenceofimmortality.Theyarebyfarthemostlastingproductsofhumaneffort.Templesandstatuesdecay,butbookssurvive.Timeisofnoaccountwithgreatthoughts,whichareasfreshtodayaswhentheyfirstpassedt
6、hroughtheirauthor'sminds,agesago.Whatwasthensaidandthoughtstillspeakstousasvividlyaseverfromtheprintedpage.Theonlyeffectoftimehasbeentosiftoutthebadproducts;fornothinginliteraturecanlongsurvivebutwhatisreallygood.Booksintroduceusintothebestsocietytheybringusintothepr
7、esenceofthegreatestmindsthathaveeverlived.Wehearwhattheysaidanddid;weseethemasiftheywerereallyalive;wesympathizewiththem,enjoywiththem,grievewiththem;theirexperiencebecomesours,andwefeelasifwewereinameasureactorswiththeminthesceneswhichtheydescribe.Thegreatandgooddon
8、otdieeveninthisworld.Embalmedinbooks,theirspiritswalkabroad.Thebookisalivingvoice.Itisanintellecttowhichonestilllistens.我们往往可以从一个人所