Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1856-01-17

10 the power of the imag ination that lndlcts
the tale. The same must be true where
mos. of the actors are libertines, and most
of their attempts upon virtue prove snc-
cessful; the tale, in such cases will tend
more to corrupt than purify the mind of the
reader. Where evil persons and transact
tons are introduced they must not be the
principal heroes, or form parts of the lead
ing design, but must be the incidents, in
troduced by the difficulties with which vir-
tue has to contend, and with which she
does successfully contend, overthrowing
her enemies and bringing them to their
merited reward.
To render a story successful in the in
culcation of sound morality, the actors must
be probable characters, and the transact
tons must be such as are likely to take
place. The virtue inculcated, will make
no impression upon the mind ofthe reader
ifthe characters practising them, are such
as are not to be expected among men, and
if the transactions selected as practical
illustration of them, are such as men are
not likely to perform. A novel tale must
keep within the bounds of probability.
Once more, nothing is more fatal to the
virttious tendency of moral tale, than to
have it oyer-wrough.. This is nearly
allied to the last remark, yet there is a
distinction. Characters and transactions
may be kept within the bounds ofprobabil-
ity and yet be so over-wrought, as to des-
troy the good inhuenc they may other.
wise exert. The evil ofthis is very great.
The mind love excitement, yet the excite
ment produced by reading ever-wrought
tales, is like into1ication in some respects:
the more the mind is thus e xcited, the more
it feels the necessity Of stimulent. After
being excited by reading an over-wrought
tale, stretched far beyond the sober
realities of life, ordinary matters are taste.
less, and the mind turns away from them
to its high-wrought fictions, as the inc.
briate turns away from wholesome and
substantial diet. to crafty his morbid ap.
petite with strong drinks. To say nothing
about the loss of the influence of sober
truth over tie mind, and the impairing Of
moral principles, which will be the inev-
table result, it greatly impairs the foun.
tains OF human happiness, and renders our
enjoyment far less in amount. 1t creates a
morbid appetite for exciting mental ali.
ment, which cannot be found in sober
truth, or in the sober realities Of life; and
hence all the pleasures that flow from the
every day transactions and duties Of life
and these constitute the main foundation
Of human happiness-are lost by reason
of the corruption Of the taste, just as the
inebriate loses al the pleasures of eating
when he subverts and destroys his natural
appetite for wholesome food, by indulging
in the exhilirating bowl. BY THU destroy.
ing the taste for simple truth, and the com.
mon transactions and duties of life, by tho
constant reading of over-wrought fictions,
and dwelling too much among ideal scenes,
which have no existence, only in the ex.
cited inauguration, life becomes burden
and restlessness, impotence, insanity, and
suicide are too frequently the end Of the
devoted novel reader.
~H The January No. of Putnam's
Magazine is before US, and we heartily
commend it to our readers az ono Of the
best periodicals published in the country,
The following are its contents:
!. WILLIAM sHAKEsPRARE AND HIS PLAYS
Ixaunr CONCERNING nm;
| 3. THE RAIN;
! J. THE COSTA CHMsTxAs STORY;
| L ACHRIsTMAsCAR0L;
| s. THE VIRGINIA SPRINGS;
g. THE FALCON;
:. Nh. PREsCorTs PHILIP THE SECOND;
| 8. Low LIFE-Is rns PAnrAs,
9. A LEGEND OF EIIeINORE,-A BALLAD;