American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1858-10-21
Tsrtls Lancaster osIst,s.

Chapter About Books
or books. il may almost be said, there
is 10 end The present is empbalicSlly On
age Of hook making. II astounding. al
most incredible, the number Of books that
are annually thrown upon the world from
the press; from good to permissible, to
worthless. and even pernisious. The OBJ
jeets Of authors and publishers in making |
books, are rs diversified as the variety, or
as is the motives Of men 10 any Of the olb
err pursuits Of life. Some write for the
love Of disseminating truth; others, TO en-
courage morals and education. Some. TO
transmit for the benefit Of the world, what
has been acquired and established in SCI
ence. While still another class Of writer's
love TO chronicle the history Of the present,
and Of the past. or the further influences
which govern men in the trade Of book
making, we may assign the same feelings.
and Indictments, that govern them in other
pursuits. Some write Gor fame, some for
money; and others for ambition. Some
are governed BY feelings Of benevOlenee
aud philanthropy; some by feelings Of re.
venge. While others, have no., higher
mark than to call attention to themselves;
not caring how the world ia general gets
on, so that tbey acquire Tor themselves
some distinction for wit. learning, or some
other qualities.
Some publishers, are guided mainly by
a conscious regard for right and wrong, in
giving currency to good or bad books
Others, think it matter Of trihing impor'
tance, what kind oi books they publish, so
that they cell. The latter class, may be
regarded as being Influenced by the pc
cuniary principle alone. II results there
fore, that from all these influences. and mo-
tiveI, the world is full Of books; from the
, quarto sheet, to the ponderous volume, and
that, The number and variety, are constant
ly on the increase; so much SO, that in the
multiplicity Of flhem.it becomes difficult 10
select a judicious course Of reading.
I Books, may be said to be the record oi
s the fruits, Of the minds that produce them
: Such is true Of all works strictly original
, Mere cancellations, or histories, narratives
a &C.; being in part, tho result Of mental Ia
. Dor. and in part, mere record Of events
y that have trsnspired. In the brief space
y allotted US. We can only speakOf books il
y general telms. etral
Our first remark is, We have no sympa
thy with, or regard for, that class of works
"a denominated light. or fpticious reading, o
works Of fiction. but unqu'lifirdly, and a
IS once condemn fl.e whcle catalogue, for
>; g. thousand and one systematical rasons. a
I of which. we cannot 6nd space to write =
# The writer OF this will say however. lha
r, lie has read his full share OF such works
H. and is free to say that he has never rea
one in which he was not either amused, c
>, instructed. The aim Of 6ctiCious writers
le is, always, to sustain virtue, and rewaT
st merit, while their ah;ipodes are condemn
Ia cd, az d punished. But these, can coust
tute no good reasons for reading them, h
ge cause the same ends can te accomplishe
he in substantial works Of reality. We ca
=. at present. oBlyyeive twoor three leadir
on objections 10 novel reading. The first
OF that it perveris the taste, by its f"cinalio
of- so that few inveterate novel readers c.
he be induced 10 read anything else. The Sc
L.. ond is, that tho characters. and scenes.
he not only alss. but greatly overdrawn. gi
ng ing to the mind distorted ideas, which C
as, nowhere be found in nature. Novel rea
D . ing. to the young, has positively CO
NO rupting and Jemoralizing Influence. e
ats further objection which We urge, is, Il
The the whole Of the time thus spent, lis in
nitely worse than thrown away. Al
while the public continue to read !he
ord the trade will continue to make them. A
in thus, will they take the place OF ratio'
'n': books. We offer closing suggestion, Il
the moral con lition of the human race,
md no: improving in the nineteenth centu
to under the influence Of novel reading.
He TO BE CONTINUED. HOMO
Rem OVATION AT THE CAPrToL.-As
u" time approaches for The renewal Of the I