| Author: | Lewis Carroll | ISBN: | 1230000301180 |
| Publisher: | Consumer Oriented Ebooks Publisher | Publication: | February 17, 2015 |
| Imprint: | Language: | English |
| Author: | Lewis Carroll |
| ISBN: | 1230000301180 |
| Publisher: | Consumer Oriented Ebooks Publisher |
| Publication: | February 17, 2015 |
| Imprint: | |
| Language: | English |
The Learner, who wishes to try the question _fairly_, whether this
little book does, or does not, supply the materials for a most
interesting mental recreation, is _earnestly_ advised to adopt the
following Rules:--
(1) Begin at the _beginning_, and do not allow yourself to gratify a
mere idle curiosity by dipping into the book, here and there. This would
very likely lead to your throwing it aside, with the remark "This is
_much_ too hard for me!", and thus losing the chance of adding a very
_large_ item to your stock of mental delights. This Rule (of not
_dipping_) is very _desirable_ with _other_ kinds of books----such as
novels, for instance, where you may easily spoil much of the enjoyment
you would otherwise get from the story, by dipping into it further on,
so that what the author meant to be a pleasant surprise comes to you as
a matter of course. Some people, I know, make a practice of looking into
Vol. III first, just to see how the story ends: and perhaps it _is_ as
well just to know that all ends _happily_----that the much-persecuted
lovers _do_ marry after all, that he is proved to be quite innocent of
the murder, that the wicked cousin is completely foiled in his plot and
gets the punishment he deserves, and that the rich uncle in India (_Qu._
Why in _India_? _Ans._ Because, somehow, uncles never _can_ get rich
anywhere else) dies at exactly the right moment----before taking the
trouble to read Vol. I. This, I say, is _just_ permissible with a
_novel_, where Vol. III has a _meaning_, even for those who have not
read the earlier part of the story; but, with a _scientific_ book, it is
sheer insanity: you will find the latter part _hopelessly_
unintelligible, if you read it before reaching it in regular course.
The Learner, who wishes to try the question _fairly_, whether this
little book does, or does not, supply the materials for a most
interesting mental recreation, is _earnestly_ advised to adopt the
following Rules:--
(1) Begin at the _beginning_, and do not allow yourself to gratify a
mere idle curiosity by dipping into the book, here and there. This would
very likely lead to your throwing it aside, with the remark "This is
_much_ too hard for me!", and thus losing the chance of adding a very
_large_ item to your stock of mental delights. This Rule (of not
_dipping_) is very _desirable_ with _other_ kinds of books----such as
novels, for instance, where you may easily spoil much of the enjoyment
you would otherwise get from the story, by dipping into it further on,
so that what the author meant to be a pleasant surprise comes to you as
a matter of course. Some people, I know, make a practice of looking into
Vol. III first, just to see how the story ends: and perhaps it _is_ as
well just to know that all ends _happily_----that the much-persecuted
lovers _do_ marry after all, that he is proved to be quite innocent of
the murder, that the wicked cousin is completely foiled in his plot and
gets the punishment he deserves, and that the rich uncle in India (_Qu._
Why in _India_? _Ans._ Because, somehow, uncles never _can_ get rich
anywhere else) dies at exactly the right moment----before taking the
trouble to read Vol. I. This, I say, is _just_ permissible with a
_novel_, where Vol. III has a _meaning_, even for those who have not
read the earlier part of the story; but, with a _scientific_ book, it is
sheer insanity: you will find the latter part _hopelessly_
unintelligible, if you read it before reaching it in regular course.
