The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-08-03
PRRNICIoUs HEADING.

Ours il undeniably IN age of reading. Books
! good. mediocre, bad-Hbound, everywhere We turn,
and the question with all should be- how TO choose
from among this miscellaneous mass Of matter those
authors whose works will improve our minds in
morals in purity, and in intellectual power
Books exert powerful influence over the mind Of
the reader. If their moral tone be pure and eleya
| ting, it will have u similar impression upon the
mind and probably no ono can estimate the real
amount of evil caused by the influence of what is
called pcrnicious, or trashy reading
1t is the duty of all utterly exclude from their
homes, and especially from the young that class of
reading known sensational generally seen in
the form of novels.
Not that all novels should be condemned, rs Ger.
tain writer's contend; for of them are written
in the highest style of composition and are almost
an education in themselves. Such books rs DR.
Crolcy's 'Salathier can never be laid aside and
read, their vivid pictures will often be recalled
with real pleasure, well profit.
There are those who shrink from George Sand vet
in all the range of felton, there is purcr nober
character portrayed, none more truly womanIy,
than she has given us in "COnsuolo." This book,
with its sequel, The Countess of Rudolstadt,- is
her masterpiece, and is very valuable reading ms
well for tho high character of its heroine for its
historical information. OF George Sand, Thackary
has said, the "charm of her melancholy sentences
falls like the sound of country BELLS swcetly and
sadly upon the ear 1t is also that of her
books should never be read, or if read quickly for
gotten for the misery thcy depict is hopeless 80
complete, that it leaves shadow on the mind.
Where will we find puror Christian feeling. or
more exalted moral sentiment. or more tender, al
most womanly sympathy for the oppressed. than
Victor Hugo manifesto
Some critics tell that George Eliot's Daniel
Dcronda" is yet be read for the guidance Of lic
as VIC read Shakespeare, and Dante, and Milton
but this 10 false and extravasant praise. While
Daniel Deronda' is finely and brilliantly written.
in pure and classic English, and while it exerts
strong though subtle influence over the mind, tho
moral tone of the book ID, beyond u doubt far from
elevatiug and cnnobling. In her ''RomOla' il seen
the looseness of principle which strikes us so
unfavorably in Daniel Dcronda," and there is no
good reason why these novels should not be in
cluded in the class known pernicious reading.
We have, in Charles Dickens, an author who OK
cells in portraying some phases of character, and
whom most persons delight to read but many of
the characters he depicts revolving in their
and utter disregard for all moral feeling
that to read oven oarclessly is more hurtful than
beneficial, particularly to minds with low moral do
velopment. But ut the tilno. he has written
very fine passages, for instance, his dcscrip
ton of the death of Little Nell.
Could Bryant, at the age of eighteen, have writ
ten 'Thanatopsis," had his mind been obscurcd and
polluted by the trashy reading Of which the country
has such surplus, and in which the children Of to-
day indulge so frcclyf The time is come when ov
cry effort should be made to stop this growing evil
and to teach the young the Importance of reading
only pure classic literature such books will ed
ucate and refine their moral and religious faculties
Some argue that il matters bu: little what chill
dren read that they grow older, they will for
sake their ayorite books for others which are bet
ter; but these persons mistake greatly tasto for
pernicioas reading, acquired, is very difficult
to overcome; for the mind will turn from the cool
gray tints Of sober reading and calm thought, to
the highly eolored and eXtrayagant fancies, often
named, it in mockery, pictures of real life
The young people need to be educated in this Re
speot in regard to what they should read Our time
given to be spent in reading that which
serves only to lower and degrade our whole mental
and moral being
Educate your children to read history. What
fascinating pursuit can there be than reading
the chronicles Of tho different nations Of Europei
and at the time the mind Is stored with useful
knowledge. II novels are read. they should be So
lected with grea; care, and those which have his
torioal tendency should be preferred.
Good poetry has a most soothing, quiet influence
over tho mind. Take, for instance, the poems of
jean Ingelow; there is u sweetness and charm, n
peculiar quaintness about them. which is very fasei
mating, also the poems of TennysOn. Shelley,
and, with exceptions, thOse of Elizabeth Bar
rctt Browning.
Let only the best literature be read; the best
works Of the best authors be studied and in time
will be seen Il more refined, intelligent and Chris
tan people, and will cease to the great lack
of manners, morals and Christianity which is 50
common to-day.
The children of today will, long. be the men
and women in whose hands the destiny Of nation
will rest How important, then, that thoy should
be educated to and love all that is true and
pure. md noble in literature, and nature, re-
iccting all that is hurtful or immoral
ELIZA J. JoHSsToS.
IkoY, July - lSSl