_by Carter S. Cole._
_Illustration by Dan Smith._
If it were proposed to give, in a brief statement on this subject,
even a succinct account of the whole field, or the simplest sort
of scientific review, there would be little room for anything
else to appear in this volume. In fact, one deservedly famous
frankly avowed that he would not attempt to say anything on the
subject unless he had given the matter at least a month’s careful
consideration, and yet it is much more than likely that the
clientele for whom this particular book is especially designed
would not take the trouble to read an article that had been
prepared after such prolonged and ponderous thought.
The one thing that has characterized all literature, even
before the art of printing was known, no matter what may be the
definition of the word, is this: Whatever has pith, human interest,
originality and action, however slowly it may have worried its
way through the tired or befuddled brain of those persons whose
privilege it is to see the matter before publication, will be quick
to catch the eye of an ever alert public.
This is as true of science as of fiction: as universal in poetry
as in prose. A single illustration will suffice: Quite recently a
book, in many ways abstruse, appealing, apparently, to a limited
class of readers, had just that touch of tenderness, that trail of
truth, that caused a tremendous sale, and exhausted the edition in
a remarkably short time.
It was once asked what part of a newspaper was most interesting;
the answer from many readers and from many lands was practically
the same: it depends entirely upon who does the reading. This is
quite as true of literature in general as of one part. When we
reflect for an instant we must acknowledge that in every thinker’s
life there are periods that differ materially in the attitude
towards reading; that some special line is apt to predominate,
even in one who is known to be a general reader: it may vary with
time, place, conditions—in fact, under almost all conceivable
circumstances—but there is never a time when there are not more
readers in any line than there are books worth while to meet their
needs, or to satisfy their demands; in short, it is just as true
to-day as before or since the thought was expressed in words—Brains
are always at a premium.
[Illustration]