The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1848-09-16
For Tie Cecil Wing
Light Rcading."NOyclS.

thousand fictitious works or books OF
fiction which flood the world and glut
the market in this age of intellectual
wonders, ambitious poets, and visionary
novelists7 Men of science may be nu-
mprous, but the name of Fiction's vota-
ries is Legion. Science and the arts
may be progressing, but the science of fic,
ton far outstri ps its competitors, leaving
them as far in the rear as the lightning
telegraph of Morse does the clustering
locomotive. The arts and sciences NAV
exult in the power they have attained
over the elements in reducing them to
almost unqualified subjection to the fiat
Of man; but the whole moral universe
bids fair soon to acknowledge subsection
and obedience to the fatal pen OF fiction.
We hear OF reforms in politics, and re-
forms in Government, but far greater
reform is needed in the field ofliterature
The physical constitution of man is in
great danger of becoming degencraed
and enfeebed by the foreign and cor
rupted Injuries which the rules of FASH
ionable society prescribe for him TO sub
sist upon, but the natural food of the
mind is far more corrupted and perverted,
and this intellectual poison commune
Gates its own fatal properties to that plant
of celestial growth which it pretends to
nourish. Many have supposed that the
deluge corrupted the vegetation Of the
earth and vitlated the atmosphere sur
rounding the earth, and that these COM
bIned effects have curtailed the duration
OF human life, since the antedluvlan
ages, to the present longevity of man; but
there seems to be second deluge ar
preaching, if it has not already arrived,
upon the moral world which promises
to be tentold more fatal to mankind, for
it affects not merely animal life but the
life of the soul, and heScends with its
corruptng influence. from generation to
generation, so long as paper or parch-
ment may be preserved, or hereditary
qualities transmitted.
Experience, observation, or fancy has
often presented to my mind the striking
resemblance which the effects of novel
reading bears to those OF intemperance
upon the mind of man. That there are
many points OF resemblance no one will
deny. If intemperance enFeeblcs and
dcgrades the intellect, torpities and be-
numbs all the faculties of the mind, sears
and withers the fine sensibilitics of the
heart, then examining the mind with this
miscellaneous trash does all this, and
immensely more. 1t corrupts the cham
bers OF the Imagination and creates NOR
bid appetite for tales Of romance, ex>
travagant, fictitious stories Of tool-hardv
adventures and scenes revolving to no.
bic miLd.
1t is ia vain for the advocates of fc-
ton and novels to contend that such
reading tends to refine the feelings, pu-
riy the Imagination and prompt to
phlanthropic action. As we'll might
they attempt to prove the moon to be
made of green cheese. The novel read
ers may sigh, lament and weep over the
fictitious woes OF the poet and novelist
and yet feel no sympathy for the really
distressed. They may enter The novels
ofwant and misery, but they do not be-
hold the fancllul scene, the visionary
spectacle which the poet and novelist
had painted to their imaginations. They
do not behold the genii of fancy or am
angel clad in robes ofrefined purity with
mournful visage, sentimental signs, down.
cast looks, weeping tears of nectar to
melt their hearts to deeds of charity.
They DO not behold IN every scene ihe
beautiful maiden with angelic counte-
nance, or the man with goo-like mind,
pouring forth in tones OF sentimental woe
his complaint and relating mistortuncs
which belong not to earth. No; the scenes
of woe and wretchedncss on earth are
stripped of all these sentimentallties and
gilded trappings which the novelist has
thrown around them. Thus markedly
presented to the vision, in sad reality,
they fail to affect to charity him who
had fed on novels, because The scene lacks
the fictitious decorations, and he turns
away disguised with such vulgar misery.
Let such readers throw aside novels and
fictitious poems and go forth into the
world, and they Will SEE want dressed in
plain reality, unadorned by the refined
glitter which belongs to the scenes des-
oribcd by the rem of fiction and fancy.
They will see misery unmitigatcd, suffer-
cd by the plain man and the plain wo-
man, beings upon the earth, from the
earth, and of the earth, not allel beings,
dragged by the poets fancy down to
earth from the third heavens. A COM
mon sense survey of things as they actu-
ally exist will convince them that poets
and novelists do indeed often give to
"---niry nothing
A local Iabilation and name"
A little experience and observation
will prove to them that the philanthropy