The great good of study in harmony and counterpoint is that it
increases one's appreciation. As soon as we begin to understand the
spirit of good writing we begin to play better, _because we see more_.
We begin, perhaps in a small way, to become real music-thinkers. By
all these means we learn to understand better and better what the
meaning of true writing is. It will be clear to us that a composer is
one who thinks pure thoughts in tone, and not one who is a weaver of
deceits.




CHAPTER XV.

MUSIC AND READING.


"Truly it has been said, a loving heart is the beginning of all
knowledge."--_Thomas Carlyle._

A beautiful thing in life is the friendship for books. Every one who
loves books pays some day a tribute to them, expressing thankfulness
for the joy and comfort they have given. There are in them, for
everybody who will seek, wise words, good counsel, companies of great
people, fairies, friends for every day, besides wonders we never see
nor dream of in daily life.

Some of the great men have told us about their love for books; how
they have saved penny by penny slowly to buy one, or how after the