Wesley,' that it was more often in his hands than any other in his
ragged book-regiment. "To this work, and to the Life of Richard
Baxter," he says, "I was used to resort whenever sickness and
languor made me feel the want of an old friend of whose company I
could never be tired. How many and many an hour of self-oblivion
do I owe to this Life of Wesley; and how often have I argued with
it, questioned, remonstrated, been peevish, and asked pardon; then
again listened, and cried, 'Right! Excellent!' and in yet heavier
hours entreated it, as it were, to continue talking to me; for
that I heard and listened, and was soothed, though I could
make no reply!" (13)

Soumet had only a very few hooks in his library, but they were of
the best--Homer, Virgil, Dante, Camoens, Tasso, and Milton. De
Quincey's favourite few were Donne, Chillingworth, Jeremy Taylor,
Milton, South, Barrow, and Sir Thomas Browne. He described these
writers as "a pleiad or constellation of seven golden stars, such
as in their class no literature can match," and from whose works
he would undertake "to build up an entire body of philosophy."

Frederick the Great of Prussia manifested his strong French
leanings in his choice of books; his principal favourites being
Bayle, Rousseau, Voltaire, Rollin, Fleury, Malebranche, and one
English author--Locke. His especial favourite was Bayle's
Dictionary, which was the first book that laid hold of his mind;
and he thought so highly of it, that he himself made an abridgment
and translation of it into German, which was published. It was a
saying of Frederick's, that "books make up no small part of true
happiness." In his old age he said, "My latest passion will
be for literature."