THEIR FAVOURITE BOOKS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XV, Issue V, 3 August 1895, Page 127

THEIR FAVOURITE BOOKS.

Cowper read only his Bible and his prayer-book. Hallam said that Livy was the model historian. Chopin rarely read anything heavier than a French novel.

Auber hated reading, and never read save under compulsion.

Caesar Borgia had a library of works relating mostly to art.

Titian read his prayer book and the Matamorphoses of Ovid.

Voltaire’s favourite classical author was Juvenal, the satirist.

Rossini, for nearly thirty years, read nothing but French novels. Jean Paul Richter had only five or six books, all philosophical. Paul Veronese thought there was no book equal to the ‘ Aineid.’ Lord Clive said that Robinson Crusoe beat any book he ever read. Franklin read all he could find relating to political economy and finance. Michael Angelo was fondest of the books of Moses and the Psalms of David. Beethoven was not a great reader, but occasionally found pleasure in a novel. Bach was no great reader, but much enjoyed books of jokes and funny stories. Hogarth was fond of joke books and farces, and enjoyed them immoderately. Cherubini was a lover of botany, and made collections of works on the subject. Mario, the great tenor, read anything he could obtain relating to sports or hunting. George 111., for many years of his life, read nothing but his Bible and Prayer-book. ‘ Papa ’ Haydn liked stories, aud he said ‘ The more love there is in them the better.’ Saint John Chrysostom never tired of reading or of praising the works of the Apostle John. Da Vinci read Pindar and thought him the noblest poet who ever wrote in any language. Swift made a special study of the Latin Satirists, and imitated their style and language. Heine seldom read anything but poetry, but he read that with the most scrupulous attention.