Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-09-01
Reading.
BY Ellie N P. ALLEREON.

BY ELK p. ALLEREON.
"Of making many books there is no end"
So said King Solomon, many centuries be-
fore the Printing Press If this was true
then, it seems unnecessary to repeat it now,
when literature is poured over the land like
food.
AS books multiply, it becomes more and
more necessary to discriminate. We cam
not read all, even of good books, hence
there must be choice--and what is to guide
it? Who is to step forth and tell what is
best to take, what to leave? think the
great error Of those who have sought to
direct the public taste, is too much par ticu-
!izing. Human nature is not all cut out by
one pattern. There are many shapes and
many sizes, large and small What fts
one, hangs awry on his nelghbor, and what
fits his neighbor, he cannot wear at all.
There are those who prescribe particular
diet for all mankind; but it works badly.
What is savory food to one, is saw dust 20
another; it neither digests nor assimilates.
Experience shows that the individual must
choose; nobody can do it tor. him. It is
equally an error to attempt to tell the gen.
eral public what it should read, for each one
has his individual mental stomach, to which
he must adapt his diet if be would grow
and be strong.
What one should read depends upon who
and what he is. Most of US have some
mental bent, which should be humored. 1t
is claimed by some that we should cultivate
all our faculties alike, and thus obtain "bal-
ance.' But perfectly balanced people are
mostly common place. He who attempts
everything, does nothing well. He who
tries to learn everything, learns nothing
thoroughly; and what is half known stands
in poor stead for any use. It is well to so
prune tree, that the sap shall feed all the
top alike; but men and women are not
trees. 1t is well if one has farm, to pow
deepest, and scatter fertilizers most lavishly
on the arid knobs, so that the whole tract
shall produce alike; it is otherwise, when
he would cultivate himself If there be
and make them bear their best. If there
be only one, let him still be thankful and
raise his crop on that. There is then some
prospect tor harvest.
1t would be glorious to know everything
that is worth knowing, but life is too short
and too narrow. We may look forward
hopefully to another and wider lie, when
the walls shall be thrown down, but for the
present, we are hedged ia, and must make
the best of it. AS we cannot know every
thing, nor read everything, it is worth our
while to choose wisely.
When we say that the choice should de-
pend on the mental constitution, all is not
said. 1t should depend also on the mental
conditions. These vary-but little with
some, very much with others. We decide
upon our range of pasture; then let us
grsze in this or that field according to cir
cumstances. Books have their times-one
to-day, another to-morrow-and here in
clination is tolerable guide. We learn
best what we are just then longing to know;
there is then the spur of special interest.
Reading without interest, merely to i'm
prove the mind, is like eating without
appetite; or, it is like walking out for the
health. We have all seen the pale valetudi-
marian taking his prescribed walk before
breakfast His look is listlees, his air Ian
guild, his step saunter. 1t is plain that
he has no object beyond mere ex ercise-that
he is not going anywhere. But give him an
immediate motive; let him go to behold tho
sunrise from some hilltop, to meet dear
friend, or even to seek some beloved plant,
how his movement and his pulse quicken,
how the flush mounts to his cheek, and the
fire to his eye! should be thus with our
reading; i: should have destination. We
should GO forth with our author seeking
something we want, and nhen We want
it. At another time we may want some
thing else, and 60 seeking that.
There is still another guide to choose; the
book should be according to present strength
for overwork destroys. When force and
vigor are at the flow, when there is strength
and nerve to grapple with weighty problems,
to scale crags of thought and toll up noun
tain peaks, then is the hour for the struggle
and the climb. There are other times when
it Is better to wonder in low. swarded val
leys, or sit under cool green shade. "some
humber poet" whose song ripples like
meadow stream, or even some skillful story
teller, is then wholesome companion.
There are times when Nature, and Nature
alo ne, is the book we need. There are '.ser-
| mons in stones" and there are sermons also
in voices OF winds, in swaying tree-tops,
and in shifting clouds. All out-of-doors is
full of meaning; and blessed is he who can
see and hear, and understand
There are still other times, when we are
in no way receptive; VIZ are uneasy. There
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