I.THE READERS
Readers existed before books were made.
The first rude writings that were cut on the faces of smooth rocks，or inscribed on tablets of clay，or traced on bits of skin，implied the presence of people in the world who were able to decipher the letters and interpret their meaning.The Book was simply the author’s invention to make his work accessible，portable，preservable，and so more powerful.
Books，then，do not exist for their own sake，but for the sake of people.A man may compose poems or construct stories for his own amusement；he may record events or describe facts for his own discipline；but when he puts these records，these verses，these inventions into a book，claycylinder，papyrus roll，or printed volume，and sends it out into the world，his mind‘s eye is fixed on readers，real or imaginary.
There are readers，and readers.For purposes of convenience they may be divided into three classes.
First，there is the “simple reader，’‘the ordinary bookconsumer of commerce.He reads without any particular purpose or intention，chiefly in order to occupy his spare time.He has formed the habit，and it pleases him.He does not know much about literature，but hesays he knows what he likes.All is fish that comes to his net.Curiosity and fashion play a large part in directing his reading.He is an easy prey for the loud advertising bookseller.He seldom reads a book the second time，except when he forgets that he has read it before.For a reader in this stage of evolute on the most valuable advice （if，indeed，any counsel may be effectual）is chiefly of a negative character.Do not read vulgar books，silly books，morbid books.Do not read books that are written in bad English.Do not read books simply because other people are reading them.Do not read more than five new books to one old one.
Next comes the “intelligent reader，”the person who wants to know，and to whom books are valuable chiefly for the accuracy of the information which they convey.He reads with the definite purpose of increasing his acquaintance with facts.Memory is his most valuable faculty.He is ardent in the following of certain lines of investigation；he is apt to have a specialty，and to think highly of its importance.He is inclined to take notes and to make analyses.This particular reader is the one to whom lists of books and courses of reading are most useful.
Last comes the “gentle reader”the person who wants to grow，and who turns to books as a means of purifying his tastes，deepening his feelings，broadening his sympathies，and enhancing his joy in life.Literature he loves because it is the most humane of the arts.Its forms and processes interest him as expressions of the human striving towards clearness of thought，purity of emotion，and harmony of action with the ideal.The culture of a finer，fuller manhood is what this reader seeks.He is looking for the books in which the inner meanings of nature and life are translated into language of distinction and charm，touched with the human personality of the author，and embodied in forms of permanent interest and power.This is literature.
II.THE READING
Read the preface first.It was probably written last.But the author put it at the beginning because he wanted to say something particular to you before you entered the book.Go in through the front door.
Read plenty of books about people and things，but not too many books about books.Literature is not to be taken in emulsion.The only way to know a great author is to read his works for yourself.That will give you knowledge at firsthand.
Read one book at a time，but never one book alone.
Wellborn books always have relatives.Follow them up.Learn something about the family if you want to understand the individual.If you have been reading the “Idylls of the King ，”go back to Sir Thomas Malory；if you have been keeping company with Stevenson，travel for a while with Scott，Dumas，and Defoe.
Read the old books，those that have stood the test of time.Read them slowly，carefully，thoroughly.They will help you to discriminate among the new ones.
Read no book with which the author has not taken pains enough to write it in a clean，sound，lucid style.Life is short.If he thought so little of his work that he leftit in the rough，it is not likely to be worth your pains in reading it.
Read over again the ten best books that you have already read.The result of this experiment will test your taste，measure your advance，and fit you for progress in the art of reading.
Henry Van Dyke
IF
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you；If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you，But make allowance for their doubting，too；If you can wait and not be tired by waiting，Or being lied about don’t deal in lies，Or being hated don‘t give way to hating，And yet don’t look too good，nor talk too wise；If you can dreamand not make dreams your master；If you can thinkand not make thoughts your aim；If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same；If you can bear to hear the truth you‘ve spokenTwisted by knaves to make a trap for fools，Or watch the things you gave your life to，broken，And stoop and build them up with wornout tools；If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitchandtoss，And lose，and start again at your beginningsAnd never breathe a word about your loss；If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone，And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them：“Hold on！”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue，Or walk with Kingsnor lose the common touch；If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you；If all men count with you，but none too much；If you can fill the unforgiving minuteWith sixty seconds’worth of distance run，Yours is the Earth and everything that‘s in it，And what is moreyou’ll be a Man，my son！
Rudyard Kipling
