books, do not mark them. These two
habits together constitute an act of indiscretion.

It is better to give a book than to lend it.

Never write upon a title-page or half-title. The blank fly-leaf is the
right place.

Books are neither card-racks, crumb-baskets, or receptacles for dead
leaves.

Books were not meant as cushions, nor were they meant to be toasted
before a fire.

Valets and maids appear to take kindly to the packing of everything
except books. I will therefore say that only small quantities (twelve
volumes to twenty) should be packed in a parcel. Boxes, either
wine-cases, or boxes specially made, should be used. Books being very
solid and heavy should be packed in strong cases, and the method of
packing them should be to place them upright alternately on back and
edge in layers. By this means they can be fitted tightly to the case
they are meant to travel in. Leather bound volumes should be wrapped up
singly before being packed, and the box should be carefully lined with
paper so that any roughness on the wood of the box may not damage the
volumes.

Book and parcel post volumes should have three or four thicknesses of
paper, and if bound volumes a strawboard on either side as well as
paper.

FOOTNOTES:

[8] Leighton (John), _Book-plate Annual_.

[9] _Enemies of Books._

_The Art of Reading._

First, how to read. The reason why so many people who read much know so
little, is because they read isolated books instead of reading one book
in connexion with another. The memory is trained by association, and if
you read two books in succession on one subject you know more than twice
as much as if you had read one book only. A good memory is a memory
which assimilates. Every one has a good memory for something. A good
memory rejects and sifts, and does not accept everything offered to it
like a pillar-box. Do not join reading societies, because they kill
individuality. Choose your subject, and work all round it. There is an
extensive literature on the subject of 'The Art of Reading,' 'The Best
Hundred Books,' &c. Most of it is useless and bewildering. The best
advice I have ever seen in print about reading was by Sir Herbert
Maxwell, and it appeared some years ago at the end of a _Nineteenth
Century_ article. It is as follows:

'If any young person of leisure were so much at a loss as to ask advice
as to what he should read, mine should be exceedingly simple--_Read
anything_ bearing on a