"My books are very few, but then the world is before me - a library open to all - from which poverty of purse cannot exclude me - in which the meanest and most paltry volume is sure to furnish something to amuse, if not to instruct and improve"

This quote by Joseph Howe speaks with the power of knowledge and the accessibility of learning. He acknowledges that he has few books of his own, but that the world is a library available to all. He stresses that poverty of handbag can not prevent anybody from accessing this library, as even the meanest and most paltry volume can offer something to amuse, if not to instruct and enhance. This speaks with the power of understanding and the significance of education, despite one's monetary scenario. Howe's words remind us that knowledge is power, which anybody can access it, no matter their monetary circumstance. He encourages us to take advantage of the world around us and to utilize it as a library to learn and grow.