The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-01-05

den, that there Is more to be learned
from sheet of the Times than from all
the histories Of Thucydides. Yet, for
all that, / hold their reading
their earnest and intelligent reading,
mark you-as one of the essentials of
life. Newspapers deal primarily with
/ the realms of humanity, and they tell
us what is going on in the realms of the
present time. Is not this the primary
requisite for we'll instructed life
Surely it concerns us more closely to
know about the world of man than to
know about the world of matter-to
learn what is doing in human history
now than what has been done in former
times. OF course there must be great
deal of triviality mixed up with the
story of human life to-day. This is
simply inevitable. Time Sits out the
petty details, and leaves the larger fea-
lures more conspicuous. Yet he is not
q wise man who is impatient of all these
details, and sneers at newspapers be-
cause of them. 1t does not seem to me
to be true and healthy culture which
draws all mans thoughts to abstract
science and reconcile learning, and
leaves him ignorant of the great con-
flicts in the world passing around
him, and impatient of the things
which concern the practical well
fare of the society in which |
he lives. The worst of it is, that
this contempt for newspapers is too
often only symptom of deeper defect
"a carelessness of the world and OF
man. / do not think this need be SO.
There is nothing necessarily incompati-
BILE between deep study in one special
direction and warm interest in what
is going on in the living world. From
this, as the centre. stretch out your
thought and interest and learning as
far as you like, back to the childhood of
our race, back into old geologic periods
if you will, or away to the tiniest star
that the telescope reveals, just glisten-
ing on the farthest verge of space. But
first, and underlying all, are man and
the world around you and-the news !
paper.
"And let me especially urge the read |
ing of q newspaper as distinct means
of self culture, upon women. IL may
sound strange at first, but think it
almost more important to women than
TO men, and for this reason: men, going
ont into the world from day to day, are
pretty sure to be swept up to the level
of what is RAISING in it, whether they
read the paper or not; but it is not so
with wcmen. They, i'll their quiet
household life, may go on FOR weeks,
hardly hearing of word that is pass 7
ing in the great world outside, and the
little that they do hear conveying no
living meaning to them. think this
is great evil. 1t not only narrows the
range of woman's life, but she loses a
great deal of the happiness which would
come of intellectual companionship and
community of interest with men-with
a father, brother, or husband. Is 1t
not too often the case that the wife and
Husband live, to some extent, i'll differ
cnt worlds of thought and interest
Part of this may be attributed to mans
incommunicativeness but part OF the
cause lies deeper. 1t is because women
are SO seldom educated TO take
an interest in what is going on in the
world around them, and so are unable
without tedious explanations to enter
into the news which each week brings
from every quarter of the globe.
would put it to women not to depend
on the explanations and comments OF
men, generally given when at all,
in brief phrases, but to read the news
papers as distinct, and to them espe-
cially an important, part of the select
culture. And read it Alright, not by vo-
ting politics and foreign news bore,
but by keeping an open eye and an I'M
derstanding mind for the passing his
tory of nations and the great interests
which are stirring the heart of the
world. There are, on the other hand,
things in the world, and they are rela-
ted in newspapers, which are not cal
culatcd to enlarge the mind, but min
lister. instead, to gossipping, morbid
curiosity, and sometimes, indeed, to
arouse depraved feelings. But news
papers reflect alike the worlds light |
and its shade. To the pure all things
are pure, while the impure will find
everywhere things which will make !
him more impure. There are some who |
go through the world like vultures,
looking ont for garbage and corruption;
they will find it in newspapers, as they
will find it everywhere" Here We
would interrupt for moment the
thread of the reverend gentleman's dis
course by the remark, that not few of
the newspapers of the present day are
distinguished for their high standard Of
ethical properties, and a studious
avoidance Of whatever would bring n
blush to the cheek of modesty.