BOOKS FOR HOLIDAYS 



and the second at least does not show moral 

 turpitude. At times in the tropics I have been 

 exceedingly sorry I could not learn to like 

 bananas, and on round-ups, in the cow country 

 in the old days, it was even more unfortunate 

 not to like prunes; but I simply could not make 

 myself like either, and that was all there was 

 to it. 



In the same way I read over and over again 

 &quot;Guy Mannering,&quot; &quot;The Antiquary,&quot; &quot;Pen- 

 dennis,&quot; &quot;Vanity Fair,&quot; &quot;Our Mutual Friend,&quot; 

 and the &quot;Pickwick Papers&quot;; whereas I make 

 heavy weather of most parts of the &quot;Fortunes 

 of Nigel,&quot; &quot;Esmond,&quot; and the &quot;Old Curiosity 

 Shop&quot; - to mention only books I have tried to 

 read during the last month. I have no question 

 that the latter three books are as good as the 

 first six; doubtless for some people they are 

 better; but I do not like them, any more than 

 I like prunes or bananas. 



In the same way I read and reread &quot;Mac 

 beth&quot; and &quot;Othello&quot;; but not &quot;King Lear&quot; 

 nor &quot;Hamlet.&quot; I know perfectly well that the 

 latter are as wonderful as the former I 

 wouldn t venture to admit my shortcomings 

 regarding them if I couldn t proudly express 

 my appreciation of the other two! But at my 

 age I might as well own up, at least to myself, 



