Books
In science, read, by preference the newest works; in literature, the oldest. The classics are always modern.
— Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton • Caxtoniana: Hints on Mental Culture
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Bulwer-Lytton splits reading advice in two. Go for the newest work in science, but the oldest in literature. His claim is that the classics never truly age, so a very old book can still feel entirely current.
Context reviewed