The State guard., 1847-09-21
A DEMOCRAT.
For he State Guard.

l ieouih5 uSc' HF lutld IS dlUiOSt Ce luged with books, and those books ar, within the g.asp,of all; hence, all ar, to greater CT less degree, book worms It would then seem that the rising gen. eration is destined 10 occupy a position in the scale of being lmental and mora | far higher than the preceding. Such : reflection would fill the bosom of iht Philanlhropist and the Christian witl the warmest emotions of love and grati, Jude to the great Author of all good, lol the multiplied benefits conferred, and privileges granted. For ii is certainly gratifying to believe that there is a pro gressve advancement of the human spe ces-that each generation partakes more and more of the nature of thai Being whose tender merces are over all his works. Could We be convinced of this Truth, then might We hope that a period would arrive, when vice and i'm morality, ignorance and prejudice su- peislition and mental imbecllny would be no more, and man stand forth proud g in the image of his Maker.
 But would ask the candid and intel ligent, if the great mass of books of the present age, is calculated 10 exeiclse a salutary influence on mind and mor- als?
 fear ihat would have d tendency directly 10 the reverse. fear that by them morals are corrupted, intellect cramped, and all the finer feelings Of the soul blun,ed-that our people are more ebamored with the gambols and irolicks of fancy. than with he tactics of Logic, and that the tendency is 10 change the vigorous and healthy intel- feet, tbe matter of fact and reasoning character of our people, into beings of passion, of impulse, aud sickly seni- mentality. Can any cool, di,climina> ting mind come to a different conclusion? If not, is it not the duty of every lover of his race, every haler of vice, and ads niirer of virtue, 10 aid in turning his fel lows from a course which must ultimate. ly end in the overthrow of virtue and the utter extinction of all manly and vigorous thought2
 Works of fiction, visionary tales or novels in some shape, are 10 be found m every dlrection-they are easily ob, tained by the young and old, and are at present shaping the character of the ii, sing generation. From their influence what may we expect?
 A generation of visionary enthusiasts, of llcentions and efeminate men--and females their equas-should an effort be made 10 prevent the rapid mul, tiplication of novels :? Yes. Why Frst-ihey are so easily comprehended that no labor or study is necessary in their perusal, consequently, a loose and careless habit is acquired, even wher more grave and important books are to be examined, even then the principles. motives and ends of the author are nei their sought nor attained, and the mind of the reader is not enriched nor strengthened.
 Secondly-Light reading destroys all relish for books of any other character. The result is, that those works intended to strengthen the mind, improve the moral feelings, to refine and ennobe the sentiments, 10 investigate ihe principles of truth, to trace effects from their cuu> ses, 10 explain and illustrate the laws of nature, are almost entirely abandoned, and thus the labors of the learned and good have been spen. in vain; the world IS too much aborsed in strange and fan cifLl pictures 10 profit by the Frecepts Of wisdom and experience. Again the tendency of fiction is to uasettle the mind clamp its energy, aud give to one faculty an lndue influence over tre remainder il is known by all, that the mind Is com posed of number of faculties each their appropriate office and boundary. should one swell beyond ils llmir, the remainder will naturally contract or di- minish, and the equlab;um will be des troyed. Tue imagination can clone be { strengthened by tales of fiction. This faculty is enlarged but it's eniargcmsn, disarranges he entire mind.
 The novel render may have vivid imagination but ii is llregulaled, and, is not uniraquenlly employed in filing he aind with unsubslaniial dreams and vain delusions, to .he exclusion of all those high pursuits N hich ought 10 eh.. l ploy the faculties oi lalional being ) Again, there should bc perfect harmony between the moral feelings and the cons duct. Ehen a tale of sorrow has been poured into the ear, and sympathy exci. ted for the suffer, an effoit should be i'm medately made for relief. When the emotions oi sympathy have been again and again excited without a correspond. lng effort for the relief of the afflicted the tender feelings of the soul become weak, and "thal moral condition is pro- duced which we call selfishness, or hard ness of heart' There is now no bow els of compassor for the suffering tears of sympathy for the afflicted, no libs eral hand for the poor and destitgle.- This character performs not an obllga- ton imposed upon our ace by the giea' Create. Bun a still stronger reason why this species of reading should be stopped, is it's demoralizing influence - Here inc broad field of vice is laid be- fore the young, the fountain of corrup lion, the rivulets of sin and folly-love