The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-07


its banks, but an innunation. Books, reviews,
magazines, newspapers come in upon us like
flood, and the landmarks OF our old liter
ature are lost sight Of, il they are not swept
away. There never was a time when young
readers were in such need Of guidance.
''Let me touch very slightly three ques-
lions suggested by this state Of things.
81. Shall we read that is, shall we make
serious thing Of reading? This seems
strange question to ask, but let me give some
meaning to it. 1t was at the hospitable board
of this very house that heard the late Mr..
Edward Everett tell story of Lord Pal
merston, which I have never forgotten and
often repeated. Some one asked him,
Have you read certain book naming it.
Il never read printed books, was Lord PAL
merston's answer, Mr.. Everett did not ex-
plain or account for this answer, so far as
remember, but 1 suppose that he meant
that he had enough to do with reading
written documents, newspapers, the faces
and characters of men and listening totheir
conversation to find out what they meant
perhaps quite as often what they did
not mean. Some persons need read
ing much more than others. One OF
the best preachers have ever known read
comparatively little. But he talked and lis
tened, and kept his mind sufficiently nour-
ished, without overburdening it. On the
other hand, one of the most brilliant men I
have known was always reading. He read
more than his mind could fairly digest, and
brilliant as he was, his conversation had too
much the character OF those patchwork quilts
one sees at country cattle shows, so variega-
ted was it with all sorts of quotations. The
first time ever visited Theodore Parker he
was not quite thirty years old, and own
that his reputation as scholar had not
reached me. In looking around his library
saw upon his shelves the great series OF
quartos-which knew by their titles only,
If at all-Brucker's Historic Critica Philos
sophie. You have hardly read that, sup
pose,' said, not thinking that any student
in these degenerate days grappled with these
megathorial monsters Of primitive erudition.
'Oh, yes, 1 have he answered very quietly;
and then I, who thought: was dealing with
a modest young divine Of theregular pattern,
took another look at the massive head of the
young man whom Mr.. Wendell Phillips has
lately spoken of as the Jupiter OF the pulpit.
Somewhat between these two extremes most
of us find ourselves. But we must remember
the French saying, 'L'appetit cent m man
geant,' or, as Hamlet would phrase it, in
crease of appetite grows by what it feeds on,
and we do not love books enough naturally,
we must acquire the habit Of loving them,
as people acquire bad habits, that of intoxi-
cation or opium eating, beginning with lit.
tie and trusting that by and by we shall
thirst for more.
SO. What shall we read? am very thank
full that it does not fall to my lot to answer
this question. dohonestly assure you I hat
rather ask this question of the ladies and
gentleman who have undertaken to direcl
the home studies of those who are fortunat.
enough to be under their guidance, than tt
answer it. What infinite waste OF Labor
might not such guidance have saved me coult
l have had it, aud have had wisdom an(
had good sense to profit by it at certain
period Of my life congratulate you mos
sincerely and deeply that the thoroughly cul
tivated intelligence of the scholars who sur
round me has been made tributary to you
advancement in sound knowledge and whole
some training. It is task of great difficult.
to point out the proper course for so man.
minds of different natural aptitudes and dit
ferent stages of education. In this lnunda
zion of literature have spoken f,most youn
minds will be overpowdered by some floo
or other. The daughters of Danaus are no
all dead yet; on the contrary their number
legion. All those young men who pass thei
days and nights in reading endless story
books, novels, so-called, doubtless from thei
want OF novelty-what are they doing bu
pouring water into buckets whose bottom
are as full of holes as colander, and whic
would have nothing to show if Niagara ha
been emptied into them.
SO. How shall we read. must ansWe
this question very briefly. I believe in read
ing in large proportion, by subjects rathe
than by authors. Some books must be rea
tasting, as it were, every word. Tennyso
will bear that as Milton would,as Gray woul
for they tasted every word themselves, a
Ude or Careme would taste a potage near
for King or Queen. But, once becom
familiar with subject, SO as to know whs
you wish to learn about it, and you can rea
page as flash of lightning reads it. Lear
lesson from Houdin and his sons >practic
of looking 10 at shop window and remen
bering all they saw. Learn to read PAT
in the shortest possible time, and to stand
thorough examination on its contents. -
Boston Adoertiser July 25th,