Excerpt from Encyclopedia for the Home: A Complete Library of the Best Literature of the Best Authors; Selected With a View to Home Reading, and the Inspiring, Ennobling, Elevating, Refining Influence in the Home Life More than a mere introduction to any single-author, however, it is the a1m to make this volume the literary Open door - not to the east. Nor to any section, but to the entire world of letters. Through this open' door we. Will enter at the most interesting moment, being ushered into a vast congress of writers of all climes and all ages. Each is seeking to bestow upon us the best he has to give. Casting aside in forgetfulness our un preparedness, due to neglect or lack of opportunity in the past, the common usages of good society compel us to feel at home at this reception. Concealing from even ourselves for the moment the countless demands upon our time, duty compels us to enjoy the hour to the' uttermost. The hour Not one, but many hours - yea days, weeks and months may be passed in this goodly company with profit to ourselves and to those with whom we will come in contact and upon whom will reflect the lofty thought, the polish and the understanding we shall acquire in this classic society. Nor will the flight of time dim the friendships we shall make or the vistas of sound thought and the avenues of pleasure our new acquaintances open to us. Throughout the fleeting years the' 'open door shall beckon, enticing us to brief sessions with old and hon ored friends and inviting us to make new ones. And these friends are the kind that are firm and true. Neither trouble nor adversity will cause them to desert us. If we drink deeply of the proffered glass of friendship, if we quaff in hearty spirit from the loving-cup, loneliness shall become a forgotten term, meaning naught to us. Who would be lonely when on the book shelf or table near at hand rests a magic casket, which needs but to be lifted and opened to send trooping forth an army of comforters and entertainers. To prove such a boon this work was designed. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.