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Show What Are the Best Bed Books? Why is It that the habit of reading read-ing In bed Is so often condemned T Surely it is only taking one's recreation recre-ation In the pleasantest possible way and that Is what we all strive after ; If we do not always attain It. ' Taken In the right way it la an excellent ex-cellent cure for Insomnia, but taken in the wrong way it forms an Insidious Insidi-ous root for that disease. The fundamental point is to choose one's bed books with as much care as one would expend in selecting a house. Nobody should read a novel In bed if they wish to pass a sound undisturbed night. The Incidents of the story force themselves Into our mind until we become an actor in the tale itself, and eventually wake, with a brain that has had no rest. Then, again, a good novel or for that matter a bad one, tempts us to go on reading until we have reached the end and know tho best, or the worst. Then tho noxious Influence begins to work, for no person, even the most clear headed, can read a novel of the usual length at one time nd feel better In mind for doing bo. Moderation Moder-ation extends to reading as to every thing else, and those who like to take their literature in gulps are rarely able to appreciate its finer qualities. My 'own opinion is that the best bed books arc those which are usually usu-ally classed as serious works. Under this heading como essays, remlnls-cencesi remlnls-cencesi descriptive works and philo sophy. Best of all these are reminiscences or recollections. One can open the' book at random, skim the cream oft the stories and directly one feels drowsy, close tho book without any concern for chapter or page and close ono's eyes tor Immediate sleep. By this reading the brain has been gently exercised but not excited. It is a kind of mental massage which soothes and rests, Just as a physical massage gives our limbs a feeling of tired comfort. It may bo a doubtful compliment to nn author to slnglo out his books as being the best to mako ono tall asleep, so I will refrain from giving Individual names. Yet all those who are In my mind's eye have attained tho popularity of a shilling edition and the bed reader need not be troubled trou-bled by a ponderous tome which makes hlsarms ache to hold It. The discerning reader will have no trouble In choosing his literary med- "K fr lelne and if he take It for halt an hour last thing at night It Is on the cards that he .will have one less ailment ail-ment to complain of. . Let me take this opportunity of refuting re-futing the light of a guttering candle fallacy so dear to the heart of novelists nov-elists who depict the humble but am-bilious am-bilious hero pursuing his studies In such an uncomfortable way. . |
