The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-12-01
Che 2utlana 1ailu Globe.
MONDAY, DECEMBER /, 1873.
Literature for the Home.

:
the types are setting, and from uncounted
printing presses in ourown and other lands,
the streams set forth on whose currents The
thoughts of the world are borne into every
nation, and every cline.
Through the crowded town, out into the
broad, peaceful country, away on to the
very confines Of civilization, the streams
are flowing here as black as the Stygian
Pool, and foul as lowest hell there, as
pure and sparkling rs the mountain brook :
but Of whatever character, working. and
wearing and moulding the races of men,
as the waters of the ocean, and the mighty
rivers, and the tiny rils of earth wear
away and mould the continents unccas-
ingly.
The little rill that began its trckling in
the fifteenth century, found its way among
the masses of humanity, and thought that
had lain dormant since the dawn of crea-
ton, began to awaken, never more to be
luled into sleep of ages, for the little rill
was the parent of mighty floods that to-day
cnclasp the world.
Until the art of printing was discovered
the people must grope No mighty strides
could be taken by the nations towards the
light but presto! what change when
that simple device of German tradcsman
began to bring knowledge within the reach
of others besides the rich and the great
What an overturning of old and corrupt
institutions, What a bursting Of the tram
mels that, under the name of religion, had
held opinion in an absolute bondage, and
taught that freedom Of thought was hcresy
against God What solemn holocausts were
made of piles on piles Of books. whose
pages bore the impress of no other crime
than that of boldly denouncing wrong and
maintaining the right Of private judg-
ment
Thank God for the art of printing, that
gives to the humbest, almost for the ask
ing, the grandest thoughts of the grandest
minds that gives into the hands Of the
people the key to the door of knowledge,
50 that the wonders of the universe unfold
themselves to the gaze of all who have the
eyes to behold Nevertheless this great
good has its abuses. which indeed are in
proportion to the thing abused. What is
more pernicious than a pernicious book
The most subtle poison that ever finds its
way into a human soul is contained in
no. ,.l 81 tt,a tit1f
plausible and quite harmless. Besides this
sort of literature which wears the veil OF
responsibility and candor there is vast
mass of reading matter of an entirely diff
ferent stamp, continually being thrown on;
upon the public, who, truth TO tell, arc
only too eager to receive and devour it by
the wholesale. Its wholly impossible and
often absurdly ridiculous canicatures OF
human life will not fail to draw tears from
eyes that never weep at the sight of woes
and suffcrings in actual life. Where a
really good novel will find one reader, a
story of this classl mean what is vulgar
" termed the blood and thunder sort-wilI
find score.
There seems to be marked thirst among
the general public for the wildly mproba-
BILE in fiction. People of average intelli-
gence, indeed, in some respects, of more
than average intelligence, will spend theil
time and waste their sympathics on endless
tales. remarkable for nothing in the world
but their utter rapidly of thought and then
grotesouc distortions of life and character.
If the effect produced upon the mind end
ed with the plcasurablc excitement of tie
hour, and never struck below the surface
of the readers nature, there might still be
need to sound note OF warning, but there
would not exist the need which all must
recognize who have thoughtfully observed
the effects upon those who habitually pat
ronize this class Of literature. Particular.
" is this true OF the young With tastes
informed and morbid appetites foI
the hghly-wrought and oyer-seasoned in
literature, the false and ovcrdrawn repre-
sensations of life take hold upon then
fancy. and if their minds are not diverted
into other and healthier channels, all relish
for good, substantial food for the soul, Is
lost the taste becomes perverted, and the
whole nature helplessly warped. In litera-
turc Of this class, there is lttleor no appeal
to the higher, nobler nature Of the youth,
but rather to the grosser elements of his be-
ing. Sins, while nominally denounced,
are clothed in such attractive guise, they
really arouse the admiration and claim the
sympathy for the sinner.
But what are we going to 10 about il
Well, that is the point. Argument is of no
use, We might as well let those alone
whose tastes and habits are already formed
and confirmed by years but there is a
point at which ii is safe to say that you
may take heart to cure the evil in the very
best way in the world to cure anything,
and that is by prevention.
Foster in the children taste for reading,
but be sure the reading is of the right sort
Now, don't be ridiculous and imagine that
you are going to pour history, and philoso-
ply, and biography, and what not, into
your little ten or twelve years old Charlie,
or Mary, as if their tender minds were
earthen jugs, and all that remained for you
to do was to fill them. The taste for such
things will come in time if you are patient,
but it must be developed by judicous care
and training in most minds. A little over
haste will defeat the object you would
attain. The story is the most fascinating
form of literature for young and old.
The story may be made the vehicle OF
the grandest ideas, and the most ennoblins
thoughts, Did not the great Teacher take
advantage of this, when again and again
he spake unto them in parallels, and sent
the good word home with such power the
willy Pharsee and the learned lawyer,
feeling the sharp sword-thrusts of truth