Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-11-15

From newspapers we get certain sort Of
culture, but the reading of newspapers does
not make n scholar-never did never can.
From the perusal of magazines We get an
other kind Of culture and one of great value,
but magazines can never be made 10 fill the
place of books. The subject under consider
alton changes too often, is not kept before
the mind long enough to make its due inn
preston. Take for example Macaulay's bril-
liant essay on Milton. A person having read
that, may form very good conception of Mil
toms life and character. But let one read
Mason's life of Milton in two volumes and
for a while he lives Milton's life, he gives
himself time to come under the moulding in
fuence of that great mans mind, to think
his thought, to comprehend his motives, TO
be lifted up TO the level on which Milton
habitually lived so that the great poet be-
comes, so to speak, a part of him, and the
sympathetic reader is quickened by and trans
fused with the spirit of that luminary of his
age. While we cannot dispense with periodi-
cal literature, with volumes of essays and
miscellanies, we must remember that they
are side Dishes 'mnde Dishes" and not the
staples-the bread and the meat-of intel
lectual life and growth. For these we must
go to books.
Right here comes in the question, ''What
books shall We begin with Z" The answer to
lnlb question may vary III each lnulNluuhl
case, and must be decided according to the
circumstances and abilities of each one who
asks it. Some cannot procure such books as
they would like, and must take what they can
get; others have ability to procure what
books they choose, but must first develop
capacity TO comprehend and assimilate what
they would read. In general way the fol-
lowing outline of procedure may be found
helpful. Those who wish to read history
should begin with that of their own country;
from this take up English history that win
lead to the study of the history of the differ
ent nations of modern Europe and back to
Roman history. This thread it is easy to fol-
low so far, and when one has done that he
can be his own guide in further historical
readings. In science the student may begin
with himself and master the elements Of
physiology as given in our text books then
he may take up the rocks under his feet and
study geology, or he may study the "stars in
their courses" and become acquainted with
the outlines of astronomy. The sciences go
hand in hand he cannot 90 far in geology
without being compelled to know something
of chemistry, of botany, of zoology, of the
whole 'circle of sciences" But though the
field is boundless he has only one thing to
learn at time, Just rs with all eternity be-
fore him he has only one moment to live at a
time. The measure of his success in accumu-
lating knowledge will be his patience, his per-
sistence, his industry, his thoroughness in
learning well one thing at time. If English
literature is what the home student desires to
Gcquant himself with, lie may begin with
some manual-something like Harper's Half
Hour Serics-containing specimens of Eng
lish literature in the several stages of its de-
velopment, so that he may have taste of it
from the beginning down to the present time.
Afterward he may read up more fully the diff
ferent authors of whose style he has had
taste. In the selection of these his readings
in history will help him.
An hour given every day to the pursuit Of
any one study will amount in year to fifteen
days of solid work, or to a term of twelve
weeks of study for six hours every day, count
out Saturdays and Sundays, and allowing five
days over for Interruptions. What our stu
d"nts at home need to do il to count the mo-
ments of every day, crowding all work into
work hours SO that hours of study need not
be encroached upon. By regular and syste-
matte employment of these long evenings, 30
soon to be ours, the diligent and persistent
student at home may enrich his mind, enlarge
his intellectual boundaries, and feel himself
day by day growing in wisdom, in knowledge,
in capacity for enjoyment, in the ability to
command that outlook upon the world and
life which liberal education gives -Nelo
York Tribune