The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-25
ARE WE A READING PEOPLE?

ARE WE A READING PEOPLE7
The people of New Orleans have been sait
to be possessed of great admiration for tn
beautiful in art or literature. No exhibition
or entertainment where art has busted hersel
is ever failure in our city. Music and tn
drama have always served to attract the at
tention Of our citizens, and have evoked from
them the greatest expressions OF joy and the
most careful and discriminating criticism
No singer or actor of fame has ever had cause
to complain of the lack Of appreciation Of
our people.
1t is true crowded houses have not always
attended their performances, but it has always
been owing to some great pressure which pre-.
vented it. There are among us very many
ladies and gentlemen Of high literary attain.
ments, able scholars and devoted students OF
all the beauties and riches of literature, who
spend great part of their leisure time in
reading works from the pens of eminent au.
thors, and also in becoming conversant with
the labors Of the rising aspirants for literary
fame.
There are in our city OF present several
literary clubs whose members spend an entire
evening, at stated periods, in healthy discus
sion of topics of interest, and subjects Of
thought are often treated with remarkable
skill by some of the members. But as rule
the people of the Crescent City read less than
those of almost any other city of the same
size on this continent.
Comparatively few of our elegant private
residences are provided with comprehensive
libraries, and very many have none at all.
Our older citizens claim to have SO little
leisure time away from the business and cares
of their every day lives that they find it i'm
possible to devote any attention to reading.
The younger members of the community,
find, it seems, more congenial pleasures
awaiting them elsewhere. and as a conse-
quence they, too, neglect to devote any of
their time to sound reading.
There are very many of our young people
who are exceedingly anxious to read the last
new novel, if it be light and pleasant reading,
but the more solid and beneficial works must
needs grow dusty upon An obscure shelf in
some back closet, where they are carelessly
thrown by their owners because they are
= too dry" A literary magazine has never
been an entire success in this city; none has
,ver received that encouragement SO neces-
Iary to make of it q standard work through
,ut the country.
We receive here, and have offered for sale
# all the best magazines published in this
country; but compare the sales made, and
on will find that the periodicals containing
ight and romantic tales, fashion sketches
nd sporting news, sell to decidedly greater
dvantage The science and art magazines
DON become drug in the market, while the |
aore frivolous are in demand. The novels of
be sentimental or romantic author meet with
far reader sale than the works of authors
those thoughts tend to higher and nobler |
lights.
The whole truth of the matter is, and it is |
humiliating truth, we are not q reading
eople. Our dancing clubs have always
cen largely attended and successful. while
terary clubs innumerable have organized,
we'd for 0 few short weeks and then died.
ven our daily papers are but carelessly
'ad. The buyer, if he be a merchant, chances
YER the commercial column and the market,
I'D then tosses the paper out of the car win
ow; the young men look at the political and
'nsational items, the theatrical notices and
le sporting news, and then he consigns the
aper to the wasts-basket; the ladies glance
yer the notices Of marriages and
eaths, the notices of the opera or of recep.
ons, and if they be scarce, throws down the
aper with stamp of her foot and an angry
pshaw," there's nothing in it. How many
7er glance over the editorials or the selected
aiding matter, unless the titles indicate some
ing of especial interest to them2 Reading
egets knowledge and thought, and these
suit in SO much practical benefit as to be
most inestimable. We sincerely trus. the
" may not be far distant when our citizens
i'll be no longer chargeable with a lack of
terest in the pleasure of reading. but on the
'ntrary, will be noted for their high aesthetic
llture. It is consummation most devoutly
be wished.
There is a baleful prospect athwart the
orizon of Louisiana politics that Packard
ay be the next Governor of the State. Casey
inks he has the best show, and if Grant
lily says the word the thing can be done, but
fair vote of the people would bury the scala.