The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-04-11
Eau S T

neader' have you ever read Faust? We
mean not that mysterious Faust with his big,
AWKWARD wooden types, Of whom frishtful
tales were wont 10 be told by nursery maids
10 't''l children, and who was supposed to
nave concert with his Satanic Majesty him
sell but his illustrious predecessor, less
real, yet more human the child of Goethe 5
ora'n-the Faust who actually sold himself to
the devil for consideration. True, It's no
ne" work, but none the less worthy. We
Americans have reversed the old order of
things, IN that we value literature, not like
our wines, BY their age; but like our maid
ems, by their youth. 1t has become passion
with the lovers of Literature in our coun-
try, to read every last work. If its newness
alone, is established, it finds currency. The
truth Is, We are a "nation in shirt sleeves"
in respect to acquiring knowledge, as we'll
as in respect to applying it.
The present is reading age; and ours is
emphatIcally reading nation. Why do
We read? Few have asked themselves, and
pressed the inquiry. 1t should not be to
pass time. Consider the value of time 4! Con-
slider the value Of thoughts in good books
These two values are like rubies and emer-
elds. 10 read to pass time, is like making
these beautiful gems grind each other to pow
dor Nor should the aim be to keep up with
the cusrrs"t liter.t-o MANY labor to road
The sssw5Fk, and thus read themselves out
of breath. Such are no wiser than the trav-
eler who will 90 breathlpss to the top of Mt
Washington, and 90 directly down again,
merely to say he has been on the summit
The object should be to fill the mind with
facts. As the Egyptians stored their Crane
ries with the harvcsts, during the seven years
of plenty, 50 should we accumulate facts. and
fill the store-house of the mind, when we
have books ard time to use them, that we
msy have resources in times of dear,h and
famine. in sickness and affection.
But, It's Power We chiefly seek by reading.
'Thi, is gained by symnastic exercises Of the
mind, by urestIing with thought Though it
be great and hard to comprehend, by contin-
ual effort we shall grasp it. Its by reach
81, -, ~,
its ultimate powers. BY striving to compre
bend greater thoughts, the mind acquires
greater capacity, until it becomes so strength,
ened As TO he equal to any task. Milo CARR
ed the calf daily, til it became an OK Tins
the mind will grov up to ;hs thought. How
few read with such objects in view-indee,l
with any!
We would not be understood as finding
fault with the times. They are good. hard
working times, and one NAV he proud of them
-pronder still if he show bv his deeds tina,
he is fit to live in them. But the present
ike the past, is not without its faults Aud
this is one, that men will not real what costs
thought to comprehend and digest. They
act - though they deemed time spent in
thinking miS>pcnt. lis too little practi
cal 1t does not directly coin gold. Nav
NE not trace this evi! to the genius OF our In
s'itu'uns? All the COLLEEN fruits Of the E.iz
ah'',an age came to ripenc>s under the gen
al influence Of the strength and pro>pcr.i,
Of; we'll guarded monarchy. Democratic.
like tyrsnnies, are selfish. They will convert
all the agencies they can command int,
wealth and falsely called national honor.
We see We must concentrate our thought.
or 90 back and chang. our caption. But tn.
gentle reader will bear with us. W.
write for our own amusement and suffer our
thoughts to wander hlih.r and th,,her like a,
unlail ghost. up and down through the sartl
like Coelebs in search of wife.
We we're to speak of Faust new tr ans
lation by Brooks. Read it it will make vot
= wiser and better man. 1t cont aims 4
pointed moral for every position in life ID
YOU anticipate a criticism? then will YOU b,
disappointed. Such task calls for might
Ter pen. Besides, We would not adopt the
ungcntle craft" From our school DO,
days We have had a morbid an'ipa.hy agans
Critics. And We have often wondered in
what calamitous times they took rise-wha
final stroke of stubborn NAL direction put the
world out Of all patience and set them tc
praying for critic. In our intellectual lum
ber-rOom we have slowed away some very
curious com lectures upon this question, tor
which the world may some day become &" a
saddrr and wiser man" We NAV for tn.
present, attribute them quite summ.rily to
the fall when our race went early into the
"sere and yellow leaf" somewhere in the
"lons winter of our discontent," that Still
creeps slowly through the sullen years
though to the eye of faith {" glorious sum
mer" stretches far beyond. One smartina
under the light, fantastic touch, once confess
ed - in ees.s4t.tial psren:hesis - that he
sometimes busted himself, with no little ma
licious satisfaction, with likening them to
those FOUL bird, Of brestling plumes and ''.oi
leer malign," which Virgil has lief, as stuffed
specimens of feather now extinct. W.
mean the Ilarpie', and the comparison i, no,
inapt. Perhaps some kind purveyor ha,
furnished a banquet Of fat things for US
when these filthy monsters with most IN
.n.loe..a &c A..