Bread Labour [antikvár]

CHAPTER 1 THE MAGIC SPELL OF A BOOK [In a chapter of his Autobiography entitled "The Magic Spell of a Book" Gandhiji tells his readers how he was profoundly influenced by Ruskin's book Unto This Last, a copy of which was given to him by Mr. H.S.L.Polak, his coworker in South Africa, to read during his journey from Johannesburg to Durban in 1904.J The book was impossible to lay aside, once I had begun it. It gripped me. Johannesburg to Durban was a twenty-four hours' journey. I could not get any sleep that night. I determined to change my life in accordance with the ideals of the book. This was the first book of Ruskin I had ever read, During the days of my education, I had read practically nothing outside textbooks, and after I launched into active life I had very little time for reading. I cannot therefore claim much book knowledge. However, I believe I have not lost much because of this enforced restraint. On the contrary, the limited reading may be said to have enabled me thoroughly to digest what I did read. Of these books, the one that brought about an instantaneous and practical transformation in my life was Unto This Last. I believe that I discovered some of my deepest convictions reflected in this great book of Ruskin, and that is why it so captured me and made me transform my life. A poet is one who can call forth the good latent in the human breast. Poets do not influence all alike, for everyone is not evolved in an equal measure. The teachings of Unto This Last I understood to be: 1. That the good of the individual is contained in the good of all.