pioneer Kentucky and Indiana, where half a dozen volumes formed a
family library and even newspapers were few and far between. There was
no room for mental dissipation, and the few precious volumes that could
be obtained were read and re-read until their contents were fully
mastered. When Sir Henry Irving was asked to prepare a list of the
hundred best books he replied, "Before a hundred books, commend me to
the reading of two, the Bible and Shakespeare." Fortunately these two
classics came at an early age within the reach of Lincoln and the
frequency with which he quotes from both at all periods of his career,
both in his writings and in his conversation, shows that he had made
good use of them. The boy Lincoln not only read books, he made copious
extracts from them, often using a smooth shingle in the absence of
paper and depending upon the uncertain light of the log fire in his
father's cabin. Such use of books makes for intellectual growth, and
much of Lincoln's later success as a writer can be referred back to
this careful method of reading.

Lincoln's later reading shows considerable variety within certain
limits. He himself once remarked that he liked "little sad songs."
Among, his special favorites in this class of poetry were "Ben Bolt,"
"The Lament of the Irish Emigrant," Holmes' "The Last Leaf," and
Charles Mackay's "The Enquiry." The poem from which he most frequently
quoted and which seems to have impressed him most was, "Oh, Why Should
the Spirit of Mortal be Proud?" His own marked tendency to melancholy,
which is reflected in his face, seemed to respond to appeals of this
sort. Among his favorite poets besides Shakespeare were Burns,
Longfellow, Hood, and Lowell. Many of the poems in his personal
anthology were picked from the poets' corner of newspapers, and it was
in this way that he became acquainted with Longfellow. Lincoln was
especially fond of humorous writings, both in prose and verse, a taste