The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1874-08-28
sine s. Nj: URtBuNE.
READING As 4 MEANS OF EDUCA'
TON.

How to secure UnG ulS5ISSe OeiooiO VI
the human race has rightly come to be
considered second IN importance to no
question excepting the one how TO secure
the universal reign Of the h1ghestChrlst-
ian virtue. OF all. the means yet found
for this education Of the mind OF man L
know of none other, more easily aces
sible or more valuable, when viewed
Alright, than reading.
First in claiming for reading the pre-
eninence among the means for the high
er mental culture, let us clearly under
stand what is to be the character OF that
which we read. How careful IS the
nure-minded man of the company he
keeps: he assiduousIy avoids the mere
unnecessary presence CT the eVH-n1nded,
much more conversation, OF intimate as
sociation with them. But did you eyer
think what close company you keep
with the persons whose writings you
read; that your thoughts are mingllng
with their thoughts, your spirit commu-
nicating with their spirits, that you are
holding personal spiritual intercourse
with them, and that far more insidiousiy
and surely are their natures transfuslng
your natures, than if they approached
you in bodily person? I admonish you,
nv friends, beware, whom you admit IN
to the penetralia of your souls. Never
consciously admit any ev1l-iolnded or
untruthtful spirit; and If any lntrude
himself under false pretences, expel
him from your presence, scour from the
floor his unhallowed footprints, and
s1,en wide the champer-doors OF your
soul for the fresh air of truth and purI-
ty. to drive out every exhalatlon from
his unclean lips.
Read nothing that is not consciously
elevating. Again I urge, read nothing
shat is not consciously elevating. Truth,
pure, unadorned truth, is the only food
that is refreshing, strengthening and
eIevating to the mind. Never take into
the mental system a poisonous error, be
cause 1t coats o truth or is coated by
truth: better let the whole dose go.
This leads me to disclaim strenuously
and with bitter shame, against the secu-
lar press of our land; under pretext OF
informing and educating the people, 1t is
daily surcharging the air We breathe,
with moral infection far more deadly
and widely destructive than any pestl-
ience that ever overswept Persia or
India. And the great cause for shame
and fear is, that the public mind, intoxi-
Gated and depraved, clamors for stronger
draughts, and where Will ever the con-
summation be of the impurity and I'M
truthfulness of the press.
/ do not by any means charge every
Editor with fragrant impurity and IN
truthsulness of life, but the whole secu-
lar pre- IS does pour upon the public, in
siclzening details, accounts OF all the
horrible crimes, ibels and scandals, that
can be heard of, nearly all Of which is
not only unnecessary, expensive and
wastefuI Of time, but absolutely ruinous
to public morals; for
-sVice is a monster of such frightful mien,
As to be hated needs but 20 he seen;
But seen too Oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure then pity, then embrace"
Scarcely less faulty is our modern
book-hterature Astounding in sensation
al exaggeration and siclzly sentiment
a1ism, with here and there stolen
thought Of worth, the public mind is
largely being led away by style of
literature, at the least, weakening. Per
haps this is to be expected, for as Ten
nyson says of Nature himself: S'That
of fifty seeds. she often brings but one
TO bear" so it is the condition Of having
one truly valuable book, tlat we have
inany worthless ones. Apply one rule
then strictly 10 all modern literature.
Don't read anything, the thought and
feeling of which does not consciously
strengthen, stimulate and elevate your
own thought and feeling. And let ne
.1rce. by no means to allow this modern
literature. which for the most part IS
the expression OF bat passing thought
written for the hour and not for all
time, usurp the place OF the standard
literature of all time Each of these
great works is the embodiment Of the
highest wisdom and deepest truth re
vealed to It's age. The writer's may have
been obscure on earth, may not now be
known by name, but in the spirit-Iand
they are kings and sages. And with
them each Of Us can hold closer commu-
nication than friend with friend. st
their feet we may sit. and drink from
their lips, as from Castalian springs. tie
pure waters of wisdom and truth.
Heinsius, the great ibrarian at Leyden,
said: when [ enter the Library, I bolt
the door after me, banishing lust, am