Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-09-02
What to Read, Etc.

Because you must keep up with the cur
rent events of the day. And the editors
are so liberal and considerate that at great
expense they collect information at home
and from abroad, so that in the smallest
possible space you can find essential
knowledge. While studying geography,
read accepted books of travel, that you
may acquire correct information of the
places laid down on the map. Then, to
strengthen your taste for reading, 60
largely into books of biography, the lives
and services of great and good men, shin
ing moments, heroic sacrifices and gallant
deeds which characterized the times in
which they lived. Take the whole range
from Boswell's life Of Johnson down to
BigeloW's Franklin-a fascinating course
of reading, light glowing on every page
and holding you in earnest sympathy.
AS you cannot read and comprehend much
that Carlyle has written, sentences mysti-
cal and involved, but should not discard
such a great author utterly, and it is well
to know how love can soften the rudest
heart and the hardest pen, read his life Of
the poet, John Sterling, a sweet, noble
service, not crOtchety sentence in It
That you may know something good Of
poor Burns, who was treated severely by
authors, read Wilson's vindication of him,
That you may know that a poor boy by
application, force and genius became a
great man, as we'll as a wise and good
one, read Gladstone's life of Faraday, the
chemist, not larger than Webster's spell
ing book, but full of sweet, tender and
simple utterance. AS to his death, Glad
stone could well say that there was lone
saint less on earth, one more in heaven"
Next take up history, especially that Of
your own State, that you may learn of the
great and good men who have ruled the
State and, with others, in the church and
out of it, given it its high character. Then
the history of the other States and of the
United States, that you may perceive the
golden links that hold us together. Then
the history Of England, the battle ground
between rude races, and between Kings
and the Barons, and the Barons and the
people, in the feudal ages. Then that of
Greece, that you may learn that mere
culture and philosophy will not save a
people. Then that Of Rome, that you
may know what vagabonds first pitched
their tents on the " seven hills" and that
military prOWess invading the world, gath
ering wealth and trophies from every
people under the sun 1--WE were not here
them, couldnot make an enduring consol-
idation.
Rome went to pieces from its weight and
rottenness- up as did the !" deacon's
one-horse shay" You remember how the
deacon made it. Having observed where
such things broke, he adapted his mate
rails to the wants, the strongest where
there was the most strain, distributing the
power Of resistance so that there could be
no possibility of one part break ing before
the rest. You will remember that that
shay was used generation after generation,
until at its final hour the parish preacher
was riding in it, when every part and par
eel in it broke in perfect concert, so that
only heap of something like sawdust lay
on the hill.
The contrast between Rome, its condi-
ton and fate, and our government and in
situations, founded on principles of peace
and purity, will bring great contentment
and assurance to your minds, give you
reason to believe that our free institutions
will stand perfected in their consultations
until the last day, when the granite foun-
dations of the mountains shall be lifted
from their beds.
| am not foolish enough to advise YOU
to read Hannah More, Locke on the g IN
derstanding," or Buffers Analogy" be-
cause you won't do it; or not to read TO-
mances, because you will do it. Well
much that you find in them would other
wise have taken the form Of history, biog-
raphy, and all you have to do is to be pru-
dent in your selections. Read Walter
Scott, whose characters are generally de-
lineatiOns Of actual persons; study all Of
Dickens read some of Thackeray, leaving
out his sneers. Nor should | caution you
to turn from all the yellow-covered liter
ature,'' since John Halifax, Gentleman"
and g The Knight of Gwynne" have been
put up in that form. ] should be ashamed
to hear young friend of mine confess
that he had never read the Vicar of
Wakefield'' or "Rasselas, the Prince of
or to suppose him capable of
such mistake as that committed by the
gentleman who On going to town was
asked by lady to bring her "Hogg's
Tales" and did so, but, unluckily, went
not to the bookstore, but to the butchers.
But you are not TO be mere students;
you are to build up character for true,
genuine manliness. To that end cultivate
frank, hearty, earnest manner; pay at
tention to your personal appearance and
dress. Do not with an affectatiOn of ease
become slouchy in manner nor simmering
in your conversation. Learn to look men
in their eyes without finching; to say
No" on proper occasions, and only say
Yes" when you mean it. Cultivate
truthful habits of speech; they will become
easy and add to your capital and strength.
The books | have recommended abound
with illustrations of this nature. As an
instance, take the fact that truthfulness
was a leading element in Gen. Jackson's
character. And so it was that, when in