Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1842-10-04
Novel Rcndinr

The following beautiful extract is from the Bos-
ton Quarterly Review. II is part ofthe preface
of Mr. Brownson's review of Zanoni
1t is never good to excite the mind or the heart
overmuch, save when it can find immediate vent
in actions which concern real life A confirmed
novel reader is always morbid; on some sides pre-
ternaturally sensitive on others preternaturally
callouS capable, it may be- of talking much fine
sentiment but wanting in that spiritual strength,
in that moral robustness which is equal to the per-
fornance of useful but difficult part in real life
The less fine sentiment we have on our lips the
more genuine feeling shall we have in our hearts,
and the more noble and generous actions shall we
perform He, who stops to SENT entalize about
poverty, will be the last TO throw his cloak over
the tattoring gabardine ofthe beggar. This is no
doubtall very antiquated and altogether old fash
Toned. But we hope our young friends, seated on
rich ottomans or reclining on soft couches, with
the last new novel still moist from the press,
will forgive this anediluvianism. 1t is with no
vinegar viSage of pietstic can't that we tell them
to throw that novel aside, to rouse themselves from
their Incidence, and go forth and devote the sensi
bilities ofther hearts, the richness oftheir iances
and the creativeness of their lmaginations to the
great and noble work Of relieving actual Distress
and of upbuldng the cause of truth and right
eousness on the earth o, my Young friends
there is not such an overpus of generous senti-
ment, of warm and noble feeling, in this cold, win
try world of ours, that you have any to waste over
a Paul Clifford or a Jack Shepherd No; go
forth into real life, and let your sensibihes flow
out for the actually poor and wretched; let the
tear SO lovely in the eye of beauty s,ort nj &C.
ttous woe. That poor mother, wrdchinp bv her
dying boy in that miserable hovel, needs il. these
poor children ragged, ncrusted with filth, GROW.
ing up to ell your penitentiaries need It. the
wrongs and outrages man is every where in1ict.
ing on man, should call it forth Throw awnv
the last new novel; go with me through these
dark lanes blind courts, in these dark cellars un
finished garrets, where poverty vice, AID crime
are crowded ogether-layer upon layer,S-where
breeds the corruption that polues our wholemor.
al atmosphere. Here my friends is volume tina,
may excite you, here is a work which you may
read. Forget yourluxury; forget your luxurious
ease; blush for your repinngs your sentimental
whimperings your vapors and indigestion, sand
remember that you are men and women and that
it isyour business to make this earth a paradise
, and every human heart meet temple for the lv.
ing God Decidedly, my young friends you
: have no occasion to seek excitement in Jack Shep
herd or in Ernest Maltravers decidedly, you have
no time to kill between dinner and the hour to dress
for the evening lecture the evening meeting, III,
theatre or the assembly No; you have duties
, high and solemn duties and no fine sentiment, nj
ability to talk sweey and pathetically of the las
I new novel, will weigh one feather in your favor
if youare not true to duty in earnest to silence thu
e groans of this neither world, and to deliver tn
Z whole creation into the glorious liberty of thu
] sons of Cod