Ihavethusfarsketchedtheeventsofmylife,butIhavenotshownhowmuchIhavedependedonbooksnotonlyforpleasureandforthewisdomtheybringtoallwhoread,butalsoforthatknowledgewhiestoothersthroughtheireyesandtheirears.Indeed,bookshavemeantsomuchmoreinmyeducationthaninthatofothers,thatIshallgobacktothetimewheoread.

    IreadmyfirstectedstoryinMay,1887,whenIwassevenyearsold,andfromthatdaytothisIhavedevouredeverythingintheshapeofaprintedpagethathasewithinthereayhungryfiips.

    AsIhavesaid,Ididnotstudyregularlyduringtheearlyyearsofmyeducation;nordidIreadacctorule.

    AtfirstIhadonlyafewbooksinraisedprint--"readers"finners,acolleofstoriesforchildren,andabookabouttheearthcalled"OurWorld."Ithinkthatwasall;butIreadthemoverandover,untilthewordsweresoressedIcouldscarcelymakethemout.SometimesMissSullivaome,spellingintomyhandlittlestoriesahatsheknewIshoulduand;butIpreferredreadingmyselftobeio,becauseIlikedtoreadagainandagaihingsthatpleasedme.

    ItwasduringmyfirstvisittoBostonthatIreallybegantoreadingoodear.Iermittedtospendapartofeachdayiitutionlibrary,andtowanderfrombookcasetobookcase,andtakedownwhateverbookmyfingerslightedupon.AndreadIdid,whetherIuoodonewordiwowordsonapage.

    Thewordsthemselvesfasatedme;butItooknosciousatofwhatIread.Mymindmust,however,havebeenveryimpressiohatperiod,foritretainedmanywordsandwholesenteothemeaningofwhichIhadnotthefaiclue;andafterward,wheotalkandwrite,thesewordsaenceswouldflashoutquitenaturally,sothatmyfriendswoheriessofmyvocabul