THE MENTOR 1916.05.01, No. 106,
American Pioneer Prose Writers

Fame In Name Only

What do we really know of them—these library godsof ours? We know them by name; their namesare household words. We know them by fame; theirfame is immortal. So we pay tribute to them by purchasingtheir books—and, too often, rest satisfied with that.The riches that they offer us are within arm’s length, andwe leave them there. We go our ways seeking for mentalnourishment, when our larders at home are full.

Three hundred years ago last week William Shakespearedied, but Shakespeare, the poet, is more alivetoday than when his bones were laid to rest in Stratford.It was not until seven years after his death that the firstcollected edition of his works was published. Todaythere are thousands of editions, and new ones appeareach year. It seems that we must all have Shakespearein our homes. And why? Is it simply to give characterto our bookshelves; or is it because we realize that theworks of Shakespeare and of his fellow immortals are thefoundation stones of literature, and that we want to benear them and know them?

We value anniversaries most of all as occasions forplacing fresh wreaths of laurel on life’s altars. Inthe memory of Shakespeare, then, let us pledge ourselvesanew to our library gods. Let us turn their glowing pagesagain—and read once more those inspired messages ofmind and heart in which we find life’s meaning.