THE BEST HUNDRED BOOKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7864, 20 May 1886, Page 6

THE BEST HUNDRED BOOKS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, —For the information of "A Commonplace Young Man,” allow me to say that the list of books was originally drawn up for our own edification and amusement only, and that the publication was an afterthought. After reading his vigorous onslaught upon us for having thus rushed into print, we are somewhat relieved to think that you. Sir, have considered the matter of sufficient interest for publication. He is concerned about us—fears we shall lose our individuality, and become “ insufferably pedantic prigs.” He asks us whether we intend, one and all, to sit down to read through the entire list, and advise other ordinary people to do the same. No, Sir, ~we do not. We were grateful to the man who took us by the hand when we were strangers, and introduced us to his circle of friends, and yet we did not find that we could make friends of them all. So are we grateful to the man who introduces us to his friends in the world of literature. We' plead guilty to having read many worthless and inferior books, and should ofttimes have been glad of a little guidance as to what to read and what to avoid. As to priggism, there is nothing like thorough faithful reading of a good book to cure a man of literary priggism. But a man is a prig most often by character and disposition; and, surely, the prig who has read no good books at all, and is a prig notwithstanding, is not the most amiable variety of that species. Next, as to the danger of losing individuality, one of the surest ways of doing so is to adopt the unsystematic, indiscriminate style of reading second and third-rate books. It is by the careful reading of firstrate books, which make us think for ourselves, that we are led to discover what our particular bent is. We do not forget that “ the golden rule in the choice of books is not to attempt to read the best books in every department of knowledge, but to be sure of reading the best in any province that we take for our own.” But we want to find out the best books, and we want to forget the shoals of worthless books that lie around. And we want to be more systematic in bur reading, not blindly driven hither and thither by every chance wind. Therefore, we trust that even “ A Commonplace Young Man ” will forgive us for the humble suggestion we have ventured to make.—l am, &c., ONE OF THE " SEVEN FRIENDS IN COUNCIL.”