BOOKS FOR HOLIDAYS 263 



Dozens of series of excellent books, one hun 

 dred to each series, can be named, all of reason 

 ably equal merit and each better for many 

 readers than any of the others; and probably 

 not more than half a dozen books would appear 

 in all these lists. As for a &quot;five-foot library,&quot; 

 scores can readily be devised, each of which at 

 some given time, for some given man, under 

 certain conditions, will be best. But to at 

 tempt to create such a library that shall be of 

 universal value is foreordained to futility. 



Within broad limits, therefore, the reader s 

 personal and individual taste must be the guid 

 ing factor. I like hunting books and books of 

 exploration and adventure. I do not ask any 

 one else to like them. I distinctly do not hold 

 my own preferences as anything whatever but 

 individual preferences; and this chapter is to be 

 accepted as confessional rather than didactic. 

 With this understanding I admit a liking for 

 novels where something happens; and even 

 among these novels I can neither explain nor 

 justify why I like some and do not like others; 

 why, among the novels of Sienkiewicz, I can 

 not stand &quot;Quo Vadis,&quot; and never tire of &quot;With 

 Fire and Sword,&quot; &quot;Pan Michael,&quot; the &quot;Del 

 uge&quot; and the &quot;Knights of the Cross.&quot; 



Of course, I know that the best critics scorn 



