PROFIT by Montgomery Belgion INTRODUCTION BY MORTIMER J. ADLER La lecture me profitoit mieux. 1950 HENRY REGNERY COMPANY CHICAGO Copyright 1945 in the United States of America and through- Manufactured in the United States of America By the American Book-Knickerbocker Press, Inc., New York INTRODUCTORY NOTE 21003 244 1950 Library School' Having devoted much of my life to learning, and to teaching others, how to profit from reading, I was, I suppose, an obvious choice to write an Introduction to Montgomery Belgion's book on the subject. Reading for Profit, however, needs no introduction from me, nor from anybody else. It is perfectly able to stand on its own feet and to make its way unassisted. What I have to say here is not, therefore, intended to be an Introduction. I am glad to have an opportunity to express my appreciation of Montgomery Belgion's book and to recommend it to others, partly because it recalls my pleasant association with him years ago when he lived in New York as an editor, newspaper man and writer, but more because it does something extremely well that is always needed. Mr. Belgion has developed in Reading for Profit a theory and a philosophy of literature; and in doing it, he not only gives the reader an excellent guide and a sound basis for understanding and evaluating what he reads, but also gives a sense of the continuity of literature and thought. In an informal but very effective way, Reading for Profit does what the Great Books Program is designed to do: it helps to awaken an appreciation of the life of the mind and of the spiritual legacy of the past, of the great wealth that is stored up for us in books. Mr. Belgion's deep love of literature, his strong ethical convictions, his infectious enthusiasm are irresistible even though one does not agree with all of his strongly expressed opinions. It is pleasant to welcome another ally in a good cause! Chicago 26 July 1950 MORTIMER J. ADLER M668890 |