The use of a really good novel cannot be overestimated.
It not only serves as recreation, but it introduces us to phases of human nature that otherwise we would know nothing whatever about.

A very great change from the day's work can be found in a good novel and a very happy change.
If the air in the theaters were fresher and good seats did not cost so much a good play, well acted, would be better than a good novel.
Sometimes it freshens us up to play a game after the day's work is over, and for those who love music there is of course the greatest rest in that.

But there again comes in the question of cost.
Why does not some kind soul start concerts for the people where, for a nominal admission, the best music can be heard?
And why does not some other kind soul start a theater for the people where, for a very small price of admission, they can see the best plays and see them well acted?
We have public libraries in all our cities and towns, and a librarian in one large city loves to tell the tale of a poor woman in the slums with her door barred with furniture for fear of the drunken raiders in the house, quietly reading a book from the public library.
There are many similar stories to go with that.

If we had really good theaters and really good concerts to be reached as simply and as easily as the books in our public libraries, the healthy influence throughout the cities would be proportionately increased.

The trouble is that people cater as much to the rich with their ideas of a national theater as the theatrical syndicate itself.
I could not pretend to suggest amusements that would appeal to any or every reader, but I can make my point clear that when one is tired it is healthy to have a change of activity before going to rest.
"Oh," I hear, "I can't! I can't! I am too tired." I know the feeling.
I have no doubt the man who wrote for nearly two days had a very strong tendency to go right to bed, but he had common sense behind it, and he knew the result would be better if he followed his common sense rather than his inclination.