The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-01-03
Written for the JefTersonan Democrat
Novel Reading.

/ aunt mary, 40 you thlnk tnAt mere Is
any narm in reading novels % asked
Carrie Howard as she came bthely in
from brisk morning walk, and seated
herself on a low stool ut the feet OF her
aunt. Il have been talking with Julia
Merton about it this morning, and she
thinksit is wrong but never ieel as il
were doing anything very wicked when
am reading an interesting story. What is
your opinion o. it, sunue 20
II think" replied her aunt, "that
novel-read;ng is often productive OF very
Injurious effects, and that, TO say the best
OF it, it is FOOLISH way oI spending time" !"
"What are some o! its injurious effects,
auniie9 Do you observe any OF its evils
in me ?" ... .t.....
"Ah, Carrie did I not see you throw
down your Philosophy, yesterday, in dis.
gust, saying that you had no taste for
sucn oull, prosy stuff, that you had TO
study upon 80 long 10 understand, and
then 20 and get novel, an! read, 10 the
neglect of your lesson have seen you,
many time, come home from school,
downcast and dispiri,et because you have
tailed in your rtcita,ions, when | knew
that your trouble might all trace its origin
TO your vi;iaed taste or ligbl literature.
| These exciting stories scken the brain,
and destrov all TASTE for sound, reasoning,
sensible matter. l think that they are in.
jurous 10 the memory, 100; Tor YOU always
read them hastily, in anxiety to know the
conclusion; and, when YOU have finished
them, instead oftrying to remember them,
you often endeavor TO Danish the recollec-
llon of them from your mind, until you
have formed such habit of reading every
thing iI that manner. that you can
hardly fix anything in your mind for
steady reflection. il you wish to- ''..
"But we want some pleasant and agree
able reading. Aunt Mary" argued Carrie
"We don't want 10 spend all OF our lime
over shcool. books, sach as The languages,
mathematics and the natural Sciences
We want something. oEce in while, to
enliven the fancy and stir the heartstrIngs;
and, besides, | think that ore may incul
cate some good moral principle in story.
which none Of US would Der, or even
notice, il simply laid down as dry max
i'm. They erect SO high standard Tor
woman, TOO. Think how much better off
the world would be, if all women would
initiate the purity, and ons,ancy. and
patience of the heroines OF our novels"
"lcu would find the reading Of history
quite as pleasant pastime, Carrie. Il
you were 10 read the annals OF the world +,
you would find mole 10 them to kindle
the Imagination, and move every fiber OF
Jour being, Than ou will ever find in the
widest tales OF fiction. And. AS to the
morality OF novel stories, you will find
more in them deleIerious TO strict virtue
and integrity ythan you will find in It's la
vor. One may often, in some ,appropri-
ale anecdoIe OF everyday life, illustrate
some principle OF right or wrong, in q
manner TO impress il more vividly on the
minds OF many persons but we act un.
wisely when we 90 to fictitious tale long
enough TO I'll book OF three or tour hun.
dred pages, describing slir'y or more dlf.
ierent characters, not more than Two or
three OF which would be at all worthy OF
imitation, TO learn morality. Our greatest
nov l.readers arc not our mu1 moral
people, nor are our novel writer's such.-
You think that they erect an elevated
standard Tor woman but the widest ro-
nance never portrayed her virtues in as
glowing Terms as The pen OF the historian
has done. Think Of Lady Russell, tie
daughter OF one OF the proudesi of En-
, glands nobility, who Stood irm by her
husbands side when nearly all the wealth,
and rank, and power of England were ar
rayed against him aud, though he had
ample opportunities 10 save his life, that
brave woman stood ever by his side. en-
couraging and consoling him, and coun'
I selling him never to stain his soul by an
; ignobie or dishonorabe acl, though that
act migh, save his head rom the exrcu-
TONER'S block, and bis nalne from the re-
proach OF death tor nigh treason, the
deepest and most dsgrArerul crime sc-
knowledged 10 the English law. Aud, for
y forty ye RS, that woman lived there. in
/, the land OF her husbands unjust execu-
ton, and bore the shame and reproach oil
p his disgrace, WHEN every tendril OF her
nature enlwined itself around the tomb,
and made her long 10 forget her sorrow in
the cold silerce OF death, or seek amid
deviation TO the pain that WAS gnawing al
/ her heart strings; lived there TO iul6l!
Q her last promise 10 him, that she would
: rear and eduoa her children ia The land
Of their nativity. Now place this picture
!, by the side ol one drawn by our romance
writers. who would show the depth oI
woman's love aud fai.hlulness by making