Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst

Answer

Explain with reference to the context: “Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst.” [2020] ✪✪✪ Or, What are the influences that the books should have on The American Scholar? [2017] Or, How is the scholar influenced by the books of the past? [2015]

The powerful influence of books has been discussed in Ralph Waldo Emerson’s (1803–1882) essay “The American Scholar” (1837). After Nature, books are the second great teacher. However, Emerson cautions that reading should be an active and creative process. The scholar must use books for inspiration, not for imitation. He must read with judgment and freedom, keeping his mind alive and original.

Value of the Books of the Past: Emerson says that books carry the wisdom of great minds. The authors of the past studied Nature and life intensely and recorded their thoughts. Their books contain truth and beauty. Emerson calls them “master-minds.” He believes that these works help the scholar understand the world. However, he also reminds us that the truths of one age cannot remain true for all ages. 

Right Use of Books: Emerson gives his famous line, 

“Books are the best of things, well used; abused, among the worst.” 

Books are helpful only when they awaken thought. If the scholar reads blindly, he becomes a slave to other minds. He must read only to gain light and power. 

Freedom from Book-Worship: Emerson warns that many readers become slaves to books. He says that a reader should not be “the parrot of other men’s thinking.” The scholar must not follow the old blindly. He should take what fits his own age and reject what is dead or narrow. True creative reading means independence. It refers to reading to find one’s own voice, not to repeat another’s.

Books as Inspiration for the Present Age: Emerson says, 

“Each age, it is found, must write its own books.” 

The scholar should read the past to write for the future. He