A Word for Books 



the big things, and every part and pecuhar- 

 ity of the biggest ones ; and I really began 

 to appreciate them, to recognize their pe- 

 culiar beauties, to feel the charm of their 

 personalities. The green tangle by the 

 roadside which, before, I had seen as a 

 pretty tangle merely, now became a lovely 

 intertwining of a dozen different shrubs and 

 vines ; and it was only Avhen each thus be- 

 gan to speak for itself to the eye that the 

 composite beauty of the group was mani- 

 fest. 



You must notice each plant if you 

 want to understand its intrinsic beauty or 

 its value in combination with others; to 

 notice it you must w^ant to know it j and 

 you are not likely to want to know any- 

 thing until you begin to try in some sys- 

 tematic fashion. Once systematically be- 

 gun in the pages of your book, the botany- 

 lesson continues in your walks and drives, 

 soon without any definite effort — ^just be- 

 cause of the new sharpness which a new de- 

 gree of attention has quickly developed in 

 your eyes. When this outdoor lesson has 

 gone on for a while you will know by sight, 



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