Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-09-26
NEWSPAPER READERS.

Il
Newspaper readers may be divided in.
to several classes, according TO their
modes of reading. We may specify, for
example, the thorough reader. 1t is a
man who sees comparatively few newspa-
pers, or at least concerns himself with
few, and these he thinks it best TO read to
some purpose. He often reads the entire
the advertisements. He thinks the contents
were printed to be read, he therefore
reads it thoroughly. Such are usually
aged men, or those who are somewhat
secluded.
The chance reader IS Of altogether OPP
posite habits. lie picks up the sheet,
and his eve rests upon some short para.
about at random, glunces up and down
across the columns, turns the sheet I'M
consciously, and in the course Of five min
utes changes The sides dexterously do
zen tlmes.-fls eye rests where it may
happen, and he usually reads, but ne has
70 idea oil keeping up with the news"
The curSory reader pfides himself on
actually reading about one line in four
OF course a correct style, and studied
succession OF sentences are lost to him.
he sezes on the catch word, and gains
general idea of what the writer would be
at.
The unSkiJW reader is not sufficiently
acquainted with the way IN which
/ do (oe 4 tar
term it) to know where be should look
for the prominent articles Of intelligence.
Ii follows that ifhe has but few minutes
for reading, he may employ that time in
reading some of the miscellaneous para.
graphs which were designed for those
who have more time to read the news of
the day. He does not know how TO seize
on the i'm ortant matters first.
The partial reader looks only for arti-
Giles of certain kind. He has no wish
to be informed on subjects oui of his pre-
clse line. If the newspaper contains any.
thing relative to his favorHe topic, he de.
YOURS that portion; and if it does not
abound in articles on that subject, he
thinks it poorly conducted.
| The stupid reader has so little iniorma
ton, that he cannot be interested in the
general range of Intelligence. To take
hold on his mind, the paragraph must be
some shocking narrative of disaster or
vilany, or some pretty gross wittjcism.-
The papers are often dull to him, because
he cannot comprehend the intelligence
they bring.
The systematic reader is the successful
one. He looks over the articles an course,
not reading each ore at the time, but
choosing those, es he passes along, which
are important enough to command the
time for perusal lie thus seizes the
prominent intelligence first, Certain por
tons of the sheet he does not examine in
his first reading, because to them are as
signed miscellaneous articles of seconda
ry Importance but the portions which
he does examine he examines in course.
At the second opportunity, he goes over
the sheet again reading those articles
which he was obliged to omit at the
| first.
The 'reH informed reader is interested
in intelligence from al quarters of the
world. He can understand it, and he is
DESTROYS Of "keeping up with the times, "
He reads not TO crafty curiosity merely
but to gain the information which he
knows he ought to have. He reaos for
instruction, as well as for pleasure. The
movements Of mankind he makes the sub.
iect Of thought, and seeks TO discover new
practical principles from them. But time
would fell us, to describe all the classes
I of newspaper readers. They vary indie.
fuitely ard extend through many grades
of intelligence aud cultivation,