The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-25


works of the language, and he will not
seek in after time for relaxation and enjoy
ment in trashy "yellow cover" There need
be none Of that oficious interference which 80
much detracts from the enjoyment of an inno-
cent pleasure, but an occasional word OF ortiz
cism, or question upon style, or the oompa-
rative merit Of authors, will awaken attention
and excite interest without making the child
feel any of the irksomeness Of '1esson,"
while, at the same time, 1t shows that book
worthy of place in the parents memory is
worthy Of careful perusal by child.
prudent friend was earnestly remonstrat-
ing with a mother for permitting a girl OF
seventeen to devour with ravenous appetite
the contents Of public library, and the
mothers answer was:-"0h, it is no matter
what she reads, she forgets it as soon as the
book is closed" II that were indeed the
case, that young girl should be vigorously de-
barred from all light literature, but it would
be far better for her mind to be fallow until
riper years bring maturer judgment than to
allow her mind to be deteriorated by 80 de-
structive habit. But there is too general a
belief that such reading has no effect either
for good or bad, as If the habit Of mental in
attention were not most serious fault, and
one almost impossible to correct.
The reading of all imaginative works is 80
generally considered as a mere pastime, or the
indulgence of an unoccupied moment when
mental or physical fatigue prevents their en-
ployment, that many people, even of oonside
rable culture, are not ashamed to confess that
they have read the last novel at a gallop.
For a mature man or woman to avow freely
that they have Crushed through"
story to get to the end seems a lament
able confession of weakness, revealing either
an unbalanced brain, great mental Incidence,
or illiterste taste. To the educated reader the
style of book, the method upon which it is
constructed, the artistic evolvement Of the
plot, the mere mechanical portions Of the
authorship are in themselves such subject
of interest as to exclude the feverish desire
for the mere incident of whether the heroine
dies of broken heart or is happily married in
the last chapter. The man who sits up all
night to unravel the involvements of Wilkie
Collins or the woman who chad tor finish
Natalie, will rise from the perusal as if from
dose of opium, and, we fear, unable to ex-
plain wherein lies the peculiar charm of either
author.
AS general rule ths bsst novels are not of
this engrossing character. Those that live as
the chosen embodiment of the intellect and
imae eination of the period in which they were
written are not actually sensational Ofcourse
we must allow for the peculiarties of the vari-
ous epochs, but yet they we're not regarded in
their own day as narratives of absorbing in
terest. They are descriptive and natural exhibit
ing men and things as they really exist and
so accepted by the foremost intellects Of the
period.
The human mind Graves fiction by natural
and healthy instinct, and the greatest intel
lects of every age have produced it, either in
prose or verse. High or low, true or false,
every individual seems to demand it. The
desire should, therefore, not be treated with
contempt, but cultivated to the highest oapa-
city for good. Let good books be we'll
read, carefully perused, without that
apologetic haste which seems to be begging
pardon for wasting time on "only novel. "
This form of fiction has been the chosen me-
dunn of the best thinkers, and also of some o.
the noblest preachers; let it hold, then, its
own true and high position. Those that doubt
the truth of the assertion ought not to read
them. If thing is worth doing at all it is
worth doing we'll, and if novels are not worth
reading carefully they ought not to be read
at all.