The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-08-03
educational.
THE CHOICE OF READING.

mentalities for good or i'll, all will admit. It is
an employment that may leave behind 1t The
most powerful impress for good, stimulating the
heart to the most heroic deeds of bravery, and
arousing it to the most noble acts Of kindness
and humanity, or which may reduce the soul to
inter baroness and waste.
1t may nourish and strengthen all noble
thoughts and lofty aspirations, or it may destroy
those heayen-born impulses and sink the heart
into the cesspools of corruption and degradation.
The question then, "What shall I read'Y be,
comes a very important consideration, botn in
regard to our own future happiness and well-bs-
ing, and also in regard to the happiness and we'll
being of our fellow-men. "Of the making many
books there is no end was long ago written and
needs no confirmation at the present time. There
ia no need at this stage of the worlds progress,
of the caution, ttBeware of the man of one book"
The caution to each individual should rather be,
s'Beware of too many books" Our numerous
authors, aided by The ever active publishing
houses ARE constantly sending forth never fall
ing supply threading matter, in every variety and
style of binding, on every imaginable subject,and
of all qualities God. bad, and Indifferent.
Go where we will Throughout the civilized
They travel with us by land and by sea; in the
cabin of the steamboat or the seat Of the railway
car. They enliven the spirits of tie hemeslck
traveller, or sooth the weary laEorer to rest From
them the sentimental young lady derives her false
estimate Of human life and responsibility, and the
energetic matron her stores of useful knowledge;
the schoolboy his glowing ideas ofsoldier or sail
or life the merchant the laws OF trade. They lie
In velvet anu gold the marble tables Of the
rich, and are found though perhaps well worn
and old, in the cottages of the poor. They look
at us invitingly in the store OF the bookseller,
and greet us as familiar friends on the shelves OF
the library.
From this mass of reading matter we are to
make our own selections and perhaps nothing
m ore distinctly marks the great diversity Of taste
among m en- than the works which theyread. One
delights in history-in studying the rise and fall
of the various nations, and the deep, underlying
causes which have produced such sutpendous re-
suits; another is most pleased with biography
IN contemplating the lives and characters OF
earth's great men, whether warrior, statesman,
philos opher, or poet; others are enamored with
the smooth, flowing verse; the soul-stirrins poe
greatest pleasure in philosophy and grave dis
QUESTIONS, and others still derive their keenest
en- ieyment from the comic and humorous, spend
ing many happy moment over the Wel-tnumbed
PAGES of the Widow edott Papers, Mrs, Candles
Lectures or Mrs. Partington's Carpet Bag OF Fun.
Our choice of reading is in great measure to
be determined by the ircumstances and situation
in VIII Oh we are placed. Thus what is often very
interesting and profitable to the theoIoganis dull
and prosy to the man Of business The tanner ID
most interested in what pertains to agriculture;
the teacher in the various editions of text books;
the student in those works which have direct
bearing upon his studies; the physician in medl-
cinal works the minister in the study OF the
ology.
MANY make their choice Of reading means of
intellectual and moral growth, while very many
more, negiecting the pure and true pass their
time even into the wee sma' hours o the night,
wasting their energies, breaking down their
health and corrupting their hearts in the perusal
of the 6ctitious productions Of weak and debased
ina ginatons.
What kind generous friend good library is!
What mighty stimulus for good! What quick
lutions and high aspirations. and impels 10 noble
deeds of valor 1t suits itself to all your varying
moods. If you are gay and cheerful it laughs With
you from the pages of the beet wits; II you are
grave it moralizes with you; if you are sad and
melancholy it will afford yon comfort; If you love
society 1t will converse with you, though other
friends forsake; if you prefer solitude yen have
but to lay aside you: book and it is silent.
"A house without books" says modern au-
thor sis like room without Windows. "A libra
ry is not luxury, but one of the necessaries of
life "A book is better for WEAKNESS thar sleep;
f-bctter for cheer!ulLess than wine;-it isoften
better physician than the doctor; better preach
er than the minister; better sanctuary than the
drowsy church"
! The presence of good books in any family Is an
evidence of culture and refinement. Books affect
the character in q silent and almost impereeptible
way and yet in way which is most fruitful Of
good or evil results. A man is known by the
hooks he reads, no less than by the company he
keeps AS the reading CT light, tridiug seatimen-
talism weakens our faculties ,debases ourmoras,
and endangers our future success and happiness,
| so that of a sound and pure morality strengthens
the faculties, purifes The morals, and gives us
true views of the various relations OF -bet5er
fitting us for the contest with vice and sin which
we must all encounter.
| Among such mass OF reading matter tits often
a very difficult question to decide what books one
ought to read. OF course there are soma books
all must read, just as everyone mast learn the al
phabet, but after these few works have been mas
tered there must be great allowance made for
individual tastes. Some instructive power Is ever
drawing us toward what we love. In books one
constantly meets with his own ideas, bis own
feelings;-even his most secret thoughts and so
he quickly falls in love with those books which
most plainly giYeexpression to his own thoughts
There he finds'his hopes and fears, joys and aspi
rations, his Utmost yearnings written out in liv-
ing characters.