The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-06-02
The Love of Reading.

landS, lSc0Dcentrateua among inc wealthy |
is with us happily diiused among the
whole people; our common school sys-
tenn gives every child the power of pur-
suing this enjoyment, and the abun-
dance and cheapness of our literature
place it within the reach Of all. Indeed,
so great is the flood of reading matter
on all kinds of subjects and of every |
variety of character that there is much |
danger of being overwhelmed by the |
quantity and OF making indiscriminatc
and unwisc selections.
There are few who can devote very |
large proportion of their time to this
occupation. The students course Is |
marked out for him those engaged in |
literary or professional life, OF necessity |
direct their reading mainly into chan
nels which are to perfect them in their |
various vocations but to the large ma
jority of people, engaged in busy, prac-
tical life, reading must necessarily be |
in the main recreation If the true |
meaning of recreation were always rec
ognized, and not, as Is commonly the |
CdSt, Sllllh lutO llldt vi lllclC uUtUotUftId,
reading would maintain more dignity.
To recreate the tired faculties, to awaken |
those that have lain dormant, to devel- |
ope the intellectual and moral nature,
to excite and satisfy the thirst for truth,
are the objects which should inspire us
in the choice and method of our reading.
Not that amusement is by any means
to be despised. The days toll of the
busy worker reasonably causes him to
look for the refrcshment which an even
ing's amusement can bestow, anu he is
happy who possesses the taste to dis
cover and relish this element in the
proper newspaper, magazine or book.
But amusement is only single clement
of true recreation, and is not to be con-
founded with or mistaken for it. Those
whose only object in reading is TO pass
away an idle hour, or to please them
selves with the fancy that they are USE
fully employed, neither appreciate its
real value nor derive from it any per-
manent or material advantage.
There are some profuse readers who
have no settled purpose in their read
ing. They devour whatever chance
throws in their way, sometimes to the
neglect of pressing duty, and the ideal
world in which they linger aimlessly,
units them for thereal W orld of action.
Others read from vanity, desiring to
make subsequent display of their ac
quirements, and others again from the
force of habit. Butler says, that "of
those who read with curiosity to see
aohat is said on any subject, but very
few have any real curiosity to see Uhat
is true" This, after all, must be the
great and ruling motive of all our read.
ing, if it is to have any elevating intlu-
ence on our minds, or any practical
, bearing on our lives.
We must not pasSively imbibe the
knowledge or sentiments that offer
themselves with such profusion to our
thoughts, as sponge ab5orbs the water
that surrounds it, but rather sift and
study out the good, wise and true, re.
jecting the false, weak and impure, and
exercising our best Judgment upon all
we read, so as to determine how far 1t
be conclusive. He who reads in this
way may not read much, but what he
does thus weigh and accept will become
part of himself, and will lead to posi-
tive progress in mind, elevation in
character, and improvement in life,
The habit of reading extensively with
out reflection weakens the mental pow
ers, and impairs the force Of the mind.
Just as the physical nature must not
only passively receive food, but actively
digest and assmilatc it before it can
nourish or strengthen the frame, so the
< mind if it is to grow and develop must
$ not only read but reflect, not only re-
ceive material but work it up into shape
: and form. And rs undigested food dis
orders and weakons the whole body, SO
l crude and unorganized knowledge en-.
feebles the mental nature.
0 If our reading prompted byan earn
est desire to discover truth, it will guide
t US not only in our method, but in our
selections. The springs TO which we re-
!. sort for our reading should be only the
purest and sweetest. Whether 1t be the
discussion of cherished opinions, the
developments of science, the history OF
the past, the news of the day, the poem
= or the work of fiction, we may safely
adopt it as an upvarying rule, to read
none but the very best. The best works
L are easily discoverable; the world pre-
sents them in the volumes it has allowed
to live while so many spring up and die
:. for want of root. Time is too short ant
= books too many to disregard this law
o of literature. All our reading SHOULD
5 lead to nobler fife in some direction
J.. or it fallsshort of its purpose. He who's
!, reading is governed by love of truth
d beauty and goodness, and desire tC
y make them part of himself, will rist
from the perusal of every volume bet
1t ter fitted to act his part in society, anC
s. to live worthy lfe.-Ledger.