"A book may be compared to your neighbour: if it be good it cannot last too long; if bad, you cannot get rid of it too early"

Henry Brooke's analogy likens books to next-door neighbors, emphasizing the effect each can have on our lives. This comparison recommends that books, just like individuals living nearby, can substantially affect our thoughts and emotions.

When Brooke describes a "excellent" book, he recommends that such a book resembles a favorable neighbor-- one whose existence is improving, soothing, and informing. A great book offers knowledge, happiness, and companionship, potentially becoming a lifelong friend. The idea that it "can not last too long" suggests that its worth is enduring which repeated engagement with it continues to yield complete satisfaction and insights. Simply as we value time invested with a good-hearted neighbor, we treasure the moments invested in reading a great book, since it constantly rewards us with new perspectives and deeper understanding.

On the other hand, a "bad" book is compared to a problematic neighbor-- one who may be troublesome, disruptive, or lacking advantageous qualities. Brooke's notion that such a book is one "you can not get rid of it too early" recommends that just as an undesirable next-door neighbor can cast a shadow over your life, a bad book can lose your time and leave you feeling disappointed or misguided. Bad books might be poorly written, doing not have in meaningful content, or often even misleading, using absolutely nothing of substance and most likely losing the time or misinforming the reader. In this regard, Brooke advises that life is too short to be burdened by negativeness or futility, whether in literature or personal relations.

Therefore, Brooke's comparison serves as an encouragement to seek and enjoy the profound benefits of reading well-selected books while also encouraging discernment and the wisdom to discard those that do not serve us well. In essence, the quote highlights the value of discernment in the options we make about the intellectual and psychological financial investments in our lives, advising us to surround ourselves, actually and metaphorically, with goodness and virtue.