Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-19
A LESSON IN READING.
'" m work recently published enti, ed .s.i AVID Ear
nsst"l

/ LE-SSON In hEADlNG.
~" work recently published enln,e ed a..i AVID Ear
| nesi"l
bookl There is magic in the souud' Tall
oil The necromancer OF old, with his charms his wanC
and his incantation. he is a driveller TO that ne
cromaneer OF our days. great authori His charm
-, mat NO lit the cover of book; his incarnation
| se pieiaee-his wand a pen; but what can equa
Their power1 The spell is upon us! The actus
| world around us is gone We are roaming in fa
distant lands We see, called up the shades ofth,
ocean, the b,ule.held, by turns claim us Tor ,hei
own We love, we hate, we fear we hcpe-an,
wake from our trance to find that we are sitting oui
city with book in our handl
Honor be, then, to those gifted ones Of their kind
who can thus delight and instruct US No praise o,
reward can be too much when they are amongst
US, nor any homage too great when they are passed
| away.
| The works Of an author are his embamed mind
which must endure forever, If sufficiently imbued
with the spices OF poetry, wit and WISDOM; and
grateful to the eye of student are the we'll under
stood hieroglyphics on this mental mummy case,
| that tell OF the worthy preserved within, What
was the groveling art Of the Egyptians to this 7
MIND and Body-the Poet and the Monarch-Ho.
mer and King Cheopsl
There are some who do not love books. There
are some who do not love virtue, and knowledge,
and refinement, and happiness; but lovers Of these
are also lovers OF books
It's gnevous, however, to think that many UNI
4
idea how book should be read Without giving
the matter thought, they 90 in the beaten track
and all the while imagine that they are reading to
the best advantage; thus is their custom 10 enter
their library or chamber, take down book, dispose
u on the reading desk, place an armchair before H.
trim Their lamp II II be night sit down and begin 10
read Now declare, that in very many instances.
thus II by no means the way TO enjoy your author
NO: put out your reading lamp, fold up the desk
ana place the armchair IN its place against the
,,fh, k..l II.
proper Tor study, take book under your arm and
sally forth. Having fairly delivered yourself from
the thraldom of custom, you must now seek out
some spot where the eve, in turning from the page
sees an illustration IN all around, and there read and
mediate until you are, for ;he time lost to your
seI and have power to think only with the thoughts
OF your author.
Let usnoie few of the grea, imaginative writers
of England.
To commune with Wordsworth. cast vour.eIf \,
inii length on the soft sward by the margin of rip
ping stream, with green boughs hanging over your
head, and the merry chipping Of birds heard all
around. In the distance are the blue mounta ms
and there rises up against them the smoke from an
encampment Of gypsies.
Scott should be read in an apartment hung with
relics of the feudal ages, and lighted by windows
painted with heradc ornaments. A richly carved
hlgh-backed Old chair is occupied by the student
and IN lew minutes he is in the days of chivalry
and romance.
sell on rock by the shore when the sky looks
wild and stormy. A few distant white sails are ali
that tell oil the existence of man, and no sound
breaks the feeling OF utter loneliness save the faint
murmur OF the tide on the beach below
Choose Pope for your companion in a bou OF an
apartment fitted up with the most fasdious elegance
iictures, busts and vases disposed around and
the light falls gently from windows half yelled by
curtains of rose colored silk. There feast on the
exquisltely refined wit and philosophy Of Pope,
w lSl rnf e =,
richest china.
Read Milton in some sequestered nook of a cathe- |
dra where the dim, religious light" of the gorgeous
painted window and the distant swell of the choir
Illustrate The page of the great Christian poet.
Seat yourself on stile in the country, and read
Goldsmith. The corn field is full Of reapers-some |
are at work, and others are lying in the shade of
hedge, laughing and drinking. Over the trees pee ps
Tue sPlre OF the picturesque old village church. and
The red brick house OF the squire looks down from
and OF Goldsmith.
Study the philosophic Fielding in the travellers
room OF country inn, which is little world in it,
sell. Quests are arriving-others are departing
bells are rlnging-the landlady is calling; but let
not this disturb you, for probably the very same
hing is occurring on the page before YOU
Enjoy the mIrtk-movns Smoet at an open win.
low which looks down into crowded street. Fine
gentlemen adveaturerS, sailors ladies' OF easy virtue
,atchpoes. pass along, and form living portrait
saIeIy 'O Illustrate the volume.
Moore must give forth his fiscinations in A bower
oil vine leaves, intermXed with roses. Let cup of
WINE be at your SIDE and read and quaff until YOU
iee that this world is full of sunshine and ha ppnesss
and that he who srieves is but a fool.
he ruins of some old abbey shall be your study
Tor the pure and ardent Shelley. There read-and
m the pauses OF your reading, look around on the
memorial OF past state Of man, and mediate on his
future destiny.
And where shall he oar study for the master.
mind, Shakspeate2 The lonely sea-shore-the
green shades of the orest-the busy resorts of the
town-al! those spots which we have sns!y claimed
Tor others, may be successfully claimed for shak-
speare, for sii have inspired his universal genius
Each play shall have different study, and this de.
Votion, soemnly declare, will require only Of the
student of Shakespeare.
Thus, by our vagabond and eccentric mode Of
reading, is every shabbIly printed book converted
INTO pictorial edition. There are many authors
who should never be read out Of library: il is
their proper and perfect illustration; but hope |
have convinced you that this not always the case
An enthusiastic student will never regret its conye.
nlences, but will, on occasion, make a messy bank
ms chair-Ihe stump OF ole tree his reading desk
whilst his lamp is the glorious sun itself!