The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-04-15
Cheap Pleasures,

The true art OF happiness consists in propor-
honing desires TO means. or, in other words, in
acquiring relish for procurabls pleasures.
| Al the head OF all The pleasur0s which offer
| Themselves 10 the man of liberal education, may
confidently be placed that derived from books -
In variety. durability, and facility oi attainment.
no othsr can stand in compe iition with il and
even In intensity il is inferior to few, lmagius
that we had II IN our power TO call ur tue
shades Of the greatest and wisest of men that
ever existed und oblige them to converse with as
on the most interesting topics, what an inesti.
Unable privilege should we think it how superb
or to all common enjnym!nts! But in well
furnished library, we, In fact, possess this pow
or. We can question Xcnophon and Cesar on
their campaigns, make Demosthsnese and Cicero
plead before US, join in the audiences of Socra-
Ii . and Plato, and receive demonstra lions from
Euclid and Newton. In books we have tile
choicest thoughts of the ablist men Ia I'll cir bsst
dress. We con, at pleasure, exclude dulness
aud imratience, AMI open our doors TO wit aud
good sense alone. II Is needless to repeat tbs
high communications that have been bestowed
on ,ht stuiy OF letters, by persons whohad Tree
access to every other source of grutiication--
Instead OF quoting Cicero to yoli, | shall, in
plain terms, give you the result Of my own ex.
peri'nce on this subject. Ii domestic enjoy
ments have contributed in the least degree TO
the happiness Of my life (snd should be un.
grateful to acknowledge that they have not tho
pleasures of reading have. beyond all question,
held the second place. Without books | have
never been able to pass single day 10 my entire
satisfac ctlon; with them, no day has been so dark
as not TO have its pleasure. Even pain and
sickness have been charmsd away by them. -
BY the easy provisions OF book IN my pocket,
| have frequently worn through long nights and
days in the most disagraeable parts Of my pro.
iession. with all tho ditflence in my feelings
between calm coutcnt and fretfui impa tieucs.--
Such occurrences have afforded M full proof,
both Of the possibility OF being chsaply pleased,
and OF thu consequence il is of tn. sum to human
felicity not TO NC olsct minute aitsu,ious 10
make ths most Of lif- as it passts
K edin9 may. in every sense. bs called ehsap
amusement. a taste for books, inde.d, MAY
De made expensive enough but that is a las,s
for editions bindings, paper, and type. |! YOU
are satisfied with 6 g'lling al the sense Of an au.
thor in some comnod!ous way. dollar alta stali
will supply your wants as wsl as Gve dollars
al Btors. Learn. too, TO distinguish between
books 30 BE- peru,sd, and books to be pessssss8.
Vi the formeryou may fn1 All ample store in
every circulating library, the proper u.s. of which
to a scholar is TO furnish his mind without loads
ing his shelves No apparatus. no sppoiu nsas
OF time and place. is necessary for th. employ.
ment OF reading. From the midst of Lustls and
business you may In all instant, by the msgic Of
book, plunge into scenes OF remote agrs und
countrirs, and dissngage yUurself from present d
care and fatigue. "Swe-t plablity OF mana
spirit (cTes Sierne. on relating an occurr. nee Of
this kini in his Senlimentsl Journey } tha, osn
at once surrender itself to ilu, ions which cheat
expectation and sorrow of their weary mo.
ments - DR.. Aikens Lrtt.r to his Soa sa,