Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-07-06
Thoughts on Newspaper Reading.

Thoughts on Newspaper Reading.
That portion Of the primitive pro-
verb which declares that reading
makes a full man" holds true only
with qualifications. The character
and not the quantity received into
ones ''intcllectual stomach" deter
mines the fullness. We may con
sumo gallons of Cruel and other
liquid food, and yet be no nearer
physical safety. Without some more
substantial pabulum, we should rap
idly grow to lcanncss." In like
manner, the mind may be gormand-
lied with INTELLECTUAL Cruel, and yet
never receive any strength anc vigor,
or experience any sense OF sufficlcncy.
We may absorb the contents of a
thousand mental streams, and yet fill
up no more rapidly than does the
sandy sided reservoir, which never
is able to give out any water, though
fed by unnumbered springs and rills.
1t is, therefore, one thing to read and
another thing to read that which will
impart tone and strength to the
mind and fit 1t for receiving and re-
tanning valuable materials. Some one
has affirmed that not more than one
book in a hundred Will repay perus-
III. The American Carlyle clothes
the same idea IN different language
when he says: Never read any
book that is not year old. Never
read any but famed books" How
ever, leaving the essayists to deter
NINE as to the kind and character Of
books needed for impartlng intellcc.
tual strength, let us briefly turn to
the more evanescent or daily litera-
turc.
1t is the glory Of Americans that
they make more and read more news
papers than any other people. We
exultingly point to the fact that
there are at the present time fifty
FIVE hundred journals in the United
States-four hundred and seventy
five of which arc dailies-having All
estimated annual circulation of not
less than seven hundred and twenty
five millions. While we may justly
take pride in this exhibit and its ac-
companying widely diffused intelli-
gencc. there is great danger Of be-
coming too much of a newspaper
reading people. While 1t is true
that the daily press is the ''great ed
stimulating thought and in
curry, it is equally true that it may
be made the great "dissipator."
There is rapidly growing tendency
to confine all, or nearly all, our read
ing to newspapers, to the total ex-
clusion of moro substantial pabulutn,
which makes the full man.
1t requires little or no effort to de.
your the daily grist from the light
nng rress-mill. The appetite grows
On what 1t feeds upon, From de-
sire for information, We too often
cad OH to curiosity in unnecessary,
details and personal
acquire morbid taste
or sensations and scandal, and come
n time to waste many precious hours
every day in pouring over extran-
,ous matters which may be classed
lnder the head of journalistic pad.
ling. If" exclaims Emerson, in his
essay on Books you should trans
er the amount of your reading day
~ day from the newspaper to the |
standard authors--but who dare speak |
II such a thing' How many are the
III all grades OF lite
Who confine their reading exclusive
y to the papers, taking them home
t night and wading through their
columns until bedtime Professor
Porter, of Yale College, in his vol
me just published, alludes to this
endency, claracterizing it as "worse
han unwise." The temptation" he
dds, sis very strong and many yield !
0 it. Men immersed IN business,
eem often shut up to this by neces-
ty. Even professional men, who
cad or consult not few books in
he wa. Of duty, allow newspapers to
axe the place of other reading" To
,ield to such temptation IS unques-
ionably to dissipate the mental fac
lilies, to impair the memory, and to
become nothing, if not superficial.
We have no sympathy with the
Dr.. Dryasdusts, who burrow in IL
,raries, or with that assumption and
which affect to despise
he Importance OF the daily press.
lad Byron, instead OF refusing for
i've years, during his self imposed
,xile, to look into an English paper,
lept the run OF affairs at home, his
,eart might have lost much Of its
and shook off many of its
cal and imaginary woes. Had Rous-
eau attached more value to the press,
lis Confessions would have contain !
ID fewer morbid experiences. Hal
;omte not excluded the papers from
lis dwelling, he would have arrived
t sounder estimate as to his own
elativc Importance. "For my part"
wrote Thoreau in his forest solitude,
l could do without the post-ofiice. l
IN sure that never saw any memor.
ble news in newspaper" But be-
ore he died, lie became painfully |
ware that acquaintance and the
world could do without him. Who
yer shuts out the newspaper shuts
tut human sympathy.
How shall we avoid the evils Of the |
wo extremes? BY giving to each
lays news tho attention which it
and then relying upon a
weekly paper for well-considered
There are weeklies which |
i'm to and do take the place of dali
les by collating classifying, and com
pressing into convenient, easily d.
,estiblc form the intelligence OF the
week, accompanied with impartial
.OYn M onto oo1 observations Cunh n