Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-05-14


that and other frivolous books would be
amply sufficient to work il. Excuse me,
Emily, but | must say you spend quite
too much money and time upon light read
ing"
"You class all works of the Imagination,
whether poetry or prose, under the head
Of light reading, | suppose p
| "To be sure ! do"
"And as such, you Of course, condemn
them ?"
81 do have several reasons. Ny first
objection to novels and tales, is because
they are not true"
"The incidents may not be. but the spirit
Of them is, if the writer be equal 10 the
subject.
81 care nothing about the spirit take
| a plain. literal view Of the matter. II
tell a faIschood, however trick it ont in
| the seductive colors of the Imagination, it
is fasehood still, and see but little diff
ference between speaking and writing
one"
Or in acting one, you might add"
thought Emily, as the little RISE Of Au-
gusta, with regard 10 the cape. suggested
!
the momcntary inclination which she felt
to express what she thought and requested
her TO name her principal objection to
| poetry"
at gives" she replied, "too much scope
to the imagnaton--a faculty, which. in
my opinion, should be checked instead of
being INDUCED, and this objection may be
added to the one l have already given
against novels and tales"
"lf the Imagination luxuriates amid
scenes of innocence and purity or if il;
portrays those which are vicious and cor
rupt, only to expose and condemn them, ]
can see no harm in its indulgence
Mr.. Norton, who had entered. some
minutes before, unperceived by the girls
when Emily ceased speaking, came for
ward. "If you will permit me to take q
share in this conversatio0,' said lie. 81
would remark that if the Imagination be
properly regulated, there are few evils t.
be apprehended from its indulgence. On
the contrary, much good NAV. in many in.
stances accrue from it, as ! might easily
point out, were not fearful Of too severely
taxing your patience. will content my
self with observing, that it abundant!y mu.
tipies the sources Of enjoyment, especially
to cultivated minds think, when ] en-.
tered, that you were expressing your disap
probation of light reading. or rather that
part Of it which is fictitious
Il was replied Augusta, "although, 70
my own part, | don't pretend to rel!
altogether upon my own Judgment | hay'
heard very worthy and sensible person
remark, that the time spent in reading the
tales, novels, and even poetry, with which
we are at present flooded, was worse than
thrown away"
They object to them, suppose, on tho
ground that they instil romantic notion!
can never be realized, but many of the
more recent works of fiction are not in III
least objectionable in that respect. \ 'aIt
may be. and is frequently, made an agrcea'
bic vehicle for reproying folly and vice.
i is true that many Of the earlier novels
represent the principal characters as mod
els Of perfection. 1t is supposed there
fore. that q young lady. given to reading
them. should chance to have 4 sutton, woU,,
expect of him the same exalted qualities
and that. as the bright veil woven b!
Fancy. is gradually withdrawn. she wou}c
experience disappointment and even dis
gust
DO you think, uncle" said Emily, tia
such instances arc of very frequent occur
rcnccr"
II think not" he replied, 80 frequent as
has been imagined. once heard a young
girl, by no means remarkable for her per
sonal or mental endowmcnts, declare. tina
if she ever married, the person whom she
h0nored with her choice. must be {
"Thaddcus." Three months afterwards
she accepted Of an otitr-the first she eve
had-from man, who, although worth,
and Industrious, was plain in person, an,
coarse in manners. The match was con
sidered very eligible one. and | ncvc
could find that she made herself unhappy
bv drawing comparisons between her hus
band and Thaddeus of Warsaw. Do no
suppose, however, that would have ligh
reading, especially works of fiction, su
percede that which is more solid. ! woul.
have it resorted TO as a relaxation. instead
of the foolish title tattle with which man,
fill up their vacant hours, who have NJ
fondness for reading Emily, 90 get Hum
holds Travels. and Cunningham's Lives o
the Painters and Soul ptors. As they ar
true as we'll as interesting, think August
will be pleased with them"
u believe ! lent you the Lives Of tn
Painters and Soul ptors, last winter, did
not. Augusta"
Yes, | believe you did"
"And did YOU not find them interesting
said Mr.. n orton.
4 sliUht color sufiusCd her checks rs sh