f a man does not
spend at least as much time in actively and definitely thinking about
what he has read as he has spent in reading, he is simply insulting
his author. If he does not submit himself to intellectual and
emotional fatigue in classifying the communicated ideas, and
in emphasising on his spirit the imprint of the communicated
emotions--then reading with him is a pleasant pastime and nothing
else. This is a distressing fact. But it is a fact. It is distressing,
for the reason that meditation is not a popular exercise. If a friend
asks you what you did last night, you may answer, "I was reading," and
he will be impressed and you will be proud. But if you answer, "I
was meditating," he will have a tendency to smile and you will have a
tendency to blush. I know this. I feel it myself. (I cannot offer any
explanation.) But it does not shake my conviction that the absence of
meditation is the main origin of disappointing stocktakings.

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

NOVELS

A MAN FROM THE NORTH
ANNA OF THE FIVE TOWNS
LEONORA
A GREAT MAN
SACRED AND PROFANE LOVE
WHOM GOD HATH JOINED
BURIED ALIVE
THE OLD WIVES' TALE
THE GLIMPSE
HELEN WITH THE HIGH HAND
CLAYHANGER
THE CARD

FANTASIAS

THE GRAND BABYLON HOTEL
THE GATES OF WRATH
TERESA OF WATLING STREET
THE LOOT OF CITIES
HUGO
THE GHOST
THE CITY OF PLEASURE

SHORT STORIES

TALES OF THE FIVE TOWNS
THE GRIM SMILE OF THE FIVE TOWNS

BELLES-LETTRES

JOURNALISM FOR WOMEN
FAME AND FICTION
HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR
THE TRUTH ABOUT AN AUTHOR
THE REASONABLE LIFE
HOW TO LIVE ON TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY
THE HUMAN MACHINE
LITERARY TASTE
MENTAL EFFICIENCY

DRAMA

POLITE FARCES
CUPID AND COMMONSENSE
WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS

(IN COLLABORATION WITH EDEN PHILLPOTTS)

THE SINEWS OF WAR: A ROMANCE
THE STATUE: A ROMANCE

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITERARY TASTE: HOW TO FORM IT***

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