, 1883-12-20
Novel Reading.



j great difference Of opinion exists
in regard to novel reading; some rs
serting that it is all bad, and some
asserting that there Is some good il
it. Different persons have different
IDEAS as TO what constitutes Il novel.
and this accounts partly Tor the DIFF
ference OF opinion as To whether
there Is any good in them. Some say
that a move! IS Il work of fiction and
if we condemn them aI. We must con
denim the ''Pilgrims Progress" "
'SteFpin@ Heavenward." and works
OF that class Others have an idea
that ii Is some kind Of bad book. ana
if 80 ought Il be condemned. Web
stnr. however. gives this definition
which we can DO uo better shal ac-
cept: y fictitious tale or narrative
intended to exhibit the operation Of
the passions, and particularly Of
love" II thiai5 50 it is perhaps safe
TO say that Is general thing
it is not well 10 read the passions
and particularly that OF love needs
to be controlled and not excited
Said 4 Christian lady who had
learned To love to read them when
young: L would make any sacrifice
could | thirst after the bible as |
thirst after novels. The greatest
daily cross am called upon to take
up, Is to pass by a novel without
reading it. | would say as Il warning
to all my sex, beware of this fatal
rock; beware OF wasting not only
days but nights, to make yourselves
fools all the rest OF your days, II not
absolutely"
The chaplain OF Newgate prison,
in referring to many fine looking
boys, of respectable parents. in the
city prison said that all had been ac-
customeG TO read the cheap periUGi
Gals tnovelettcs) OF the dag. Hcnry
Ward Beechor Is generally consider
ed quite liberal IL his vieN5 OF NOR
ais, and yet he compares novels to
the ten piaguos Cf Egypt. j. Foster
is considered one of the best Of mod
ern writers, and he says he can con
ceive how they might be made So a1
to do much good. But the question
is not what they might be, but what
they aTe-and as they are they had
better all be burned as SodOm and Go
morrah. Goldsmith and Thackeray
We're both novel writers. The latter,
when asked if he had read certain
novel replied: Il make pies and
tarts to sell, but / eat bread and but
ter" The latter i'll letter Of advice
to friend said: above all never
let your son tonch a novel or ro-
nance" Such advice coming from
such sources ought to be needed.
Some books are called novels
which are not intended To excite the
passions, but to teach science. history
and the like; for OF late years some
good persons seeing the tendency of
people to read works of fiction have
tried to teach other things in them.
There is reason 10 believe, however,
that even the good works Of fiction
are Ike sweetmeatI; little is good,
but much of it is like feeding a child
on candy and 5ugar; it soon dislikcs
stronger fool and grows sickly; and
likewise the mind grows sickly and
does net want stronger food. Where
evil is connected with them it IS best
to be somewhat careful with them, as
with some other good things like
powder OF nitro glycerine.
Most people who crave such read
ing ought to stop. When the child
is continually craving sweetmcats it
neads to be held in check and this
Is but an illustration of the sweet
meats for the mind. The imaGiu
alton is indeed given Us for a wise
purpose. 4 few persons need to have
it developed. Some cold, solid, III
tellectual people are warmed up by
reading Il few OF the better works Of
fiction, while those who have con
stant desire for them need 10 be held
III check.
As to the mode OF rea!ing them it
5 been said ii is well to read them
scholars DO tho Hebrew, begin 1T
last end of the boo. and then we
judge whether the t:.st part is
til reading As to the number to
read, a good rule is to step when
begin to prefer them to more
dreading. If not you cultivate
Imagination above the other fac
IS, and the mind becomes like a
large arm enlarged at the ex-
90 of the other members, OF
like a one-sided apple tree, which
finally breaks down.