THE RELIGIOUS BOOK
I think we have to find out each for himself the books that appeal to our souls. I am not a great believer in the so-called religious books. I can recommend only those I know about. First of all the Bible, then Thomas à Kempis, then the old-fashioned "Hymns, Ancient and Modern," and Mrs. Ewing's stories. With these an old copy of "Solomon's Prayer for Wisdom," and beside it, printed on a piece of parchment, Cardinal Newman's great prayer in verse, "Lead, Kindly Light."
I hope that this little talk about books will make my girls more interested in them and more anxious to make their acquaintance. They are friends that never fail us; they never deceive, they never gossip, nor can we ever find them lacking in any of the virtues. Just as long as there are books in the world we can live in the very finest society; we can be worldly and courteous with Lord Chesterfield; we can be gay at Little Trianon with Marie Antoinette; we can be powerful and rule Russia with the great Catherine; we can be diplomatic with Richelieu, and best of all we can live in our books that old, old story of hope, of suffering, and of love, the story which has been the key-note to every book that ever was
