Books looked on as to their readers or authors do at the very first
mention challenge pre-eminence above the world's admired fine things.
Books are the glass of council to dress ourselves by. They are life's
best business: vocation to these hath more emolument coming in than all
the other busy terms of life. They are fee-less councillors, no delaying
patrons, of easy access, and kind expedition, never sending away empty
any client or petitioner. They are for company the best friends; in
doubts, counsellors; in damp, comforters; Time's perspective; the home
traveller's ship, or horse, the busy man's best recreation; the opiate
of idle weariness; the mind's best ordinary; Nature's garden and
seed-plot of Immortality. Time spent, needlessly, from them is consumed,
but with them twice gained. Time captivated and snatched from thee by
incursions of business, thefts of visitants, or by thy own carelessness
lost, is by these redeemed in life; they are the soul's viaticum; and
against death its cordial. In a true verdict, no such treasure as a
library.--B. WHITELOCKE.