"I have found a book which interests me very much. You may have seen it; if not I hope you will get it. It is entitled, 'Ten Great Religions' by James Freeman Clarke. I have read the chapter on Buddhism with great interest. It is admirably written, in a liberal and philosophic spirit, and I am sure will interest you. What I have read of it leads me to believe that we have taken too narrow a view of the subject of religion." Again, when a fit of sickness confined him to the house, he says-- "I am taking advantage of this enforced leisure to do a great deal of reading. Since I was taken sick I have read the following: Sherman's two volumes, Leland's 'English Gypsies', George Borrow's 'Gypsies of Spain', Borrow's 'Rommany Rye', Tennyson's 'Mary', seven volumes of Froude's England, several plays of Shakespeare, and have made some progress in a new book, 'The History of the English People,' by Prof. Green of Oxford." For light literature, Garfield usually turned to Thackeray, Scott, Dickens, Jane Austen, Kingsley, or Honoré de Balzac. He was fond of poetry, and his voluminous scrap-books contained many gems, from one of which we cull the following verses, said to be his especial favorites.-- "Commend me to the friend that comes When I am sad and lone, And makes the anguish of my heart The suffering of his own, Who coldly shuns the glittering throng At pleasure's gay levee And comes to gild a sombre hour And give his heart to me. "He hears me count my sorrows o'er; And when the task is done He freely gives me all I ask,-- A sigh for every one. He cannot wear a smiling face When mine is touched with gloom, But like the violet seeks to cheer The midnight with perfume. "Commend me to that generous heart Which like the pine on high, Uplifts the same unvarying brow To every change of sky, Whose friendship does not fade away When wintry tempests blow, But like the winter's icy crown Looks greener through the snow. "He flies not with the flitting stork. That seeks a southern sky, But lingers where the wounded bird Hath lain him down to die. Oh, such a friend! He is in truth, Whate'er his lot may be A rainbow on the storm of life, An anchor on its sea." CHAPTER XX. Tide of Unpopularity.--Misjudged.--Vindicated.--Re-elected.--The De Golyer Contract.--The Salary Increase Question.--Incident related by President Hinsdale. It was impossible for a man of strong independent views like Garfield, to mount the ladder of fame so rapidly without meeting some opposition.