[1911] We have said that a man may be known by the company he keeps in his books.

Let us mention a few of the favourites of the best-known men.
Plutarch's admirers have already been referred to.

Montaigne also has been the companion of most meditative men.

Although Shakspeare must have studied Plutarch carefully, inasmuch as he copied from him freely, even to his very words, it is remarkable that Montaigne is the only book which we certainly know to have been in the poet's library; one of Shakspeare's existing autographs having been found in a copy of Florio's translation of 'The Essays,' which also contains, on the flyleaf, the autograph of Ben Jonson.
Milton's favourite books were Homer, Ovid, and Euripides.

The latter book was also the favourite of Charles James Fox, who regarded the study of it as especially useful to a public speaker.