New-York tribune., 1870-10-08
looks FOR BOYS.
(lN 4 LETTER TO A LADY)


To the IOundcd extent that it can be granted,
,IIingy l grant the request OF your earnest letter
How shall educate my that lie may become wise
~ happy man" this is what You ask. Could any one,
said ,Jy ocaton of the wisest, be OF teaching
ryut-f Achll is too vivid an individuality, that its
o'0 ,he-lctr De absolutely nodded from without
Nevertheless, for children much may always be done, in
very much, and especially where there is viii
t.d intellect moved by love deep as yours for your
sl,. 1T me what books are best for him. there arc
many hooks" Many, and yet so few that will noursh
le mind # a child a youth. YOu perhaps, think that
Vcrsed in books answer to this question will be
,a.y. We're you to ask me how most naturally, and
aerefrc healthfuy, TO feed your sons body should
av-yvc him bread Cyood bread) and fruit and water.
Ut atterng food touch his palate. and above all,
sumulant in meat drink. AS to what should be set
b.fore Iii, mind follow the same principle. Keep away
from him all pages in which there is thought feeling
eyaggcrated, forced insidously attractive in
which there is anything one-sided, superficial CT
delusve-in word, all pages in which there is false
H. cd, however dressed disguised. Let him not he
cheated by what he reads The food Of his mind should
be clean and sweet with sincerity and truh-truth of
TACT truth Of principle, truth of feeling
Bat this you know: you wish TO be told the names Of
The books whose pages will be wholesome for your boy.
Were he six eight years older could more readily tell
you have known however Of young readers, not over
twelve years, wLO OF their notion took to Shakes
peare. II your has not done So try him with The
", "
AdO AbDtt Nothing Shakespeare is the best reading
know for minor or adult There is in Shakespeare
al. .ty and fulnes and purity, more hyei-
aess and soIdy, more truth and more poetry than in
any Other writer. His large faculty Of wonder stretches
spen the minds of tie young, which then filed With
magcs Of beauty. They take in but part Of him,
tlcF imagnatiOus warmed and grandy peOpled.
Intellcct and feeling both educated by his pages
hey viii De by others. II boy can gain admttance
the pcrsos of Shakespeare they are the best com
sany he can keep. When with them, child Of inte-
renee and sensiity Will be fascinated, he knows not
whv Shakespeare is fun Of blood, full Of soul.
Good NoerapIers wclltold lives Of the truly great,
- ez-e,lcl r,aing FOR the young. We have two that
American boys should delight n-Washineton and Col
ambs by Irving. Here, while storing lis brain with
le Goiu-s and personality Of two supreme men, the
gOuug reader has the gain OF uuconsciously learning
history. Frankin's autobiography is not book for the
TcIy young. Plutarch is always resource; wish We
sad a yeer, more diomatic English version. A dozen
gears ago admirable life Of the Chevalier Bayard
publ he'd iu New-York, written by W. Gilmore Smms.
There are bceye, several Lives Of Sir Philip Sidney.
These two 10 moral hight that their char
conduct inspiring models. John Forster,
the Temple, Is the author Of valuable Lives Of
Emf et British statesmen" leaders in the Great Rebel
ion, Pyn. HampIcn, Cromwell, vane MarteD. SO close
their careers interviewer with national events
lhcse events themselves being the wrestling Of great
principles tat the report Of the parts played by these
eminent actors Is mere reflective than narrative. But
Tie period and the conflict stirring and moment
that aspiring, tracabe boy viii be therefore
tpclei Besides, boys when once mounted on the
ration, have ready way Of gaopng across the reec-
tive field.
Hartley Colerdse wrote three volumes about North
ern WORTHLESS" Andrew MARVEL Bentley, Lord Fairfax,
Lady Anne Clifford Roger Ascham, Capt Cook and
Others-an instructive series, scholarly conscientious
sound In feeling aud written in good English Hartley
had much OF the fine quality OF his great father T.
Coleridge. WnugLams British Plutarchp in six vol.
uInes has some NHe containing brief biographies Of one
hundred noted Enghshmen from Wolsey TO Nelson But
1t wants both research and style. The latter want oud
make it distastefu to boys for these have ouic feeling
FOR life and light in the printed page
HistOry-Wlch Is the biography Of natioDs-leoling
With organic masses is but partially within reach Of inn
mature Intelligence and OF histories written for the
young one should be mistrustful That they be Wen ex
ecued artistic well historic gifts are needed Even
then in trying 10 adapt the account OF complicated
events and characters TO the simplicity Of the youthful
mind there is danger that both be fashed Thus ia
qualify history without unmannng it, is next to impos.
sibe Could not q capable boy Of u or H. who likes to
read fasten himself upon Moeys q" Rise OF the Dutch
Republic" and its continuation. "The History OF the
United Netherlands 2" Here told with the animation Of
sympathy IS the story Of handful OF heroic men who,
through two generations carried on, with unsurpassed
courage perstency, and sefsacrhce against the then
most powerful empire the globe. struggle Tor the
dearest rights OF manhood, ending IN success wmch
"a gain TO the WhOle or ChfstcuCODl HI IoIoNlng
the fortunes OF the indOmlabe IlOan0eTs, the reader
NJ e 20 his heart their sublime leader, ana bOy can
bave no lnmates profitable, more precious thdn
william the Silent and Washington; but be must haVe u
in him TO make them his friends by loving and admrhg
them. 80,
For boys reading the difficulty is TO get books with
soul in them-'O0k that one can shake hands "th so
real they attaching. The same with his teach
ers-One teacher will make attractive what under
another will he repusiye. AS to what studies tDeyOnd
tLe ally necessary fog every educated mani VIII
suitable for son. that will depend on ms ln-
dvidual prOcliytes whether his talents DC literary or
srientiAc or artstic whether he be nwardly impeed
action 20 quiet studOusDess. Neu Of action are
mostly not given % books and boys whose bent Is de-
ided toward action, will not he furthercd by an en-
forced attention to reading and study Nor are artists