Books are to mankind what memory is to the individual. They contain the history of our rac

e, the discoveries we have made, the accumulated knowledge and experience of ages．They picture for us the marvels and beauties of nature, help us out of difficulty, comfort us in sorrow, change hours of tiredness into moments of delight, fill our minds with good ideas and happy thoughts, and lift us out of and above ourselves. And also, books can help transport us to mountains or the seashore, and visit the most beautiful parts of the earth, without fatigue, inconvenience, or expense. In a sense they give us an even more vivid idea than the actual reality. So, precious and priceless are the blessings which the books scatter around our daily paths．We walk, in imagination, with noblest spirits, through the most fascinating regions.