Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-04-04
De We Read Too Much 2

The vast abundance of literature with
which the world OF the nineteenth CEN
fury is filled, sometimes gives rise to
doubts respecting the entire utility and
absolute benefit to be derived from an
acquaintance with as much of it as is
common to the average readers in this
country. Indeed, the subject warrants
grave speculation as to the justifisbility
of increasing, without just cause, the
bulk of reading matter, already too
cumbrus for use and advantage. This
thought seems to have occurred to more
than Que of the writers of the day, and
one whose name stands very high, even
among the highest, says in preface to
one of his own works, "Good reasons
only can Justify the addition of q new
book to the enormous mass with which
the world is numbered" Certainly no
reasonable mind will dissent from our
proposition as applied to the food of
light literature, of all grades below and
including acknowledgements, sketches
and sensational romances from the
long .drawn horrors of the murderers
life yet freshest in the public recollec-
ton, to the last impossible tale of pride
and passion retailed qd hbttwm for the
ears Of the appreciative in the columns
Of the Ledger. But this Is not the class
of reading to which we mean mainly to
refer. The world might well be rid Of
tons of maudlin sentiment and cart
loads of unveiled fiction, which serve no
good purpose, not even that of healthy,
rational amusement: but they will exist
as long as does the vitiated taste which
| gives them birth.
Beyond and above this deasi-notde Of
! literature however, in the legitimate
realm of essays, travels, history, poetry,
novels worthy Of the name, and above
all general miscellany, it is at least a
debatable question whether as general
thing, the men and women of the pres
ent day, who read at all, do not read too
| much. When we reflect how few in
number were the volumes which sutiiced
to make our ancestors what they were,
it NAV well be doubted whether our
present range of reading might not be
greatly cut down, with positive advant-
age. It is easily to be seen how a sur
felt of bodily food, or even a modicum
consumed hastily without regard 10
that grand order which seems to be the
fundamental law of our being, will re-
act upon the system with illefects
almost as disastrous as entire abstinence.
So the mind, once appetized with the
craving for knowledge, unless kept I'M
der due restraint, is apt to weaken itself
by the very food which should have been
its sustenance. Ideas aud information
gathered omuivorously here and there,
from books, periodicals, newspapers,
without regard to order or continuity
swarm upon each other ill-digestedy dis
orderly arranged, their natural benefit
weakened by too close contact, forming
at last an unwieldy mass, from which
detached ideas, though successfully
evolved, prove, from the very elements
of their training, to be a little learn
ing"-s dangerous thing indeed. Fol
the very multitude of our sources of ~
formation, should we seek 30 make &C
ouaintance with them ALL at ence mega
tives tie possibility Of more than
swattersg of each.
Again, the nature OF all true growth
mental as well as physical is from
within. The thorn, as seen through th
microscope, is infinitely more perfect il
it's exquisitely moulded point than tn
finest needle of mans manufacture
which seems coarse and blunt by com
psrison; because the lie and growth
are Internal, the development is its own
while the acquired sharpness of th
needle is external, artificial, foreign t
its growth. So the human mind i
poorly furnished indeed, its operation
be not similar, If Its deductions be no
its owB, If it prefer not TO cut OF som
of its many channels OF Information
rather than suffer its royal prerogatlv
TO be psuped, and lis ssiyiuo function
impaired In times like these, VIE
Knowledge - eusily in the grasp OF tn
bamblest, the greatest danger 4 readin
puoic Asvv ss aucGuut,ag is that OF be
o.omlug rep,isc merely ready TO cou
found aud assimilate, thronkh unstinte
! reading, the thoughts of etnera, .bs