1.In reading，it is well to propose to ourselves definite ends and purposes.The more distinctly we are aware of our own wants and desires in reading，the more definiteand permanentwill be our learning.Hence it is a goodrule to ask ourselves frequently，“Why am I reading this book？”or，“Why am I reading it at the present time rather than at any other？”The answer may be that it is convenient；that the book happens to be at hand；or that we read to pass away the time.Such reasons are often very good，but they ought not always to satisfy us.Yet the very habit of asking these questions，however they may be answered，will help in calling ourselves to account for our reading.
2.To read with a definite object before us imparts a greater interest to the contents of any book.Any one is conscious of this who reads a story with the purpose of repeating it to an absent friend；or an essay with the design of using its facts or arguments in a debate ；or a poem with the object of remembering and reciting its finest passages.Indeed，one never learns to read effectively until he learns to read in such a spirit.
3.The private histor y of all self-educated men shows that they were not only earnest but select in their reading，and that they selected their books with distinct reference to the purposes for which they used them.Indeed，the reason why self-trained men so often surpass men who are trained by others，in the effectiveness and success of their reading，is that they know for what they read and study，and have definite aims and wishes in all their dealings with books.
4.Another good rule is this-always have some solid reading in hand，some work or author which you carry forward from one day to another，or from one hour of leisure to the next，with persistence，till you have finished what you have undertaken.
5.The writer once called upon one of the greatest of modern travellers at an early hour of the day.It was after breakfast，and though he had but a few minutesto spare，he was sitting with a book in hand-a book ofsolid history，which he was perusingday after day.Heremarked：“This has been my habit for years，in all my wanderings.It is only by reading in this way that I canovercome the distractionof my attention，as strangepersons and strange scenes present themselves before me from day to day.”
6.If several subjects seem to us equally important and interesting，we should take them in order，and giveto each for the time our chief and perhaps our exclusiveattention.“One thing at a time”is a good rule for all activity.
7.Most topics admit of the use of a considerable variety of books，each supplementing the others.For example，if we are reading the history of the Great Rebellion in England，we should read，if we can，not asingle author only，as Clarendon，but half a dozen ormore，each of whom writes from his own point of view，and supplies what another omits.
8.But，besides the formal histories of the period，there are various novels，the scenes and charactersof which are placed in those times，such as Scott’s“Woodstock；”there are also diaries，such as those of Evelyn，Pepys，and Burton；and there are memoirs，such as those of Colonel Hutchinson.There are poems，such as those of Andrew Mar vell，Milton，andDryden.There are also hundreds of political tractsand pamphletsreferring to the period.
9.We name these various classes of books，not because we would advise every one to read all these books，or even all these classes of books，as a matter of course，but in order to illustrate how great is the variety of books and reading matter that may be grouped around a single topic.
10.Every person must judge for himself how long a time he can bestow upon any single subject，or how many and various are the books regarding it which it is wise to read；but of this every one may be assured，that it is far easier，far more agreeable，far more economicalof time and energy，to concentratethe attention upon asingle subject at a time than to extend it to half a score，and that six books read in succession upon a single topic are far more interesting and profitable than twice as many which treat of distinct and unrelated topics.