Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-01-05
WINTER READING.

the healthy mind for food. something like
the mid. day craving of the healthy body for
nourishmen. II is ,he saos,n for mental re.
| penisbmen, Our publishing houses. oul
booksellcrs o,r libraries all testify to the
prevalence OF This popuar craving for intel
lectual food II runs through all classes.
EVERYDAY is in search of A book.
To satisfy ones annette upou the best to
be had. /, the score, of health and strength,
both of body and mind There are those
who think that safety ia the measure of
nourishmcpt who think ,ba, 8, long as the
| appetite is unicted. the craving appcas, d,
it docs not matter SO much what the food is,
There are vcgetariuns. who will have II man
gorge on roots, and seed aud fruits; there
are economists and dictarinns, who will sup
ply a growing child with bread and molasscs
and corn.cakc. a.plcn,v: there are old maids
who win no, tolerate gravies or meats, or
| buildings. or anythiog good hut will let you
have cnourh-more than cnourh-of bread,
come ont The average vegetarian, like a
potato-snrout in a cellar. ,bn dietcd child,
male ncryplcss ,imid we,k .knecd the alb
stem,ous maij. one that may have all the
ses. This is how an abundance
of poor food affects the body. Well, how is
| it with the mind Shall we yet Il fine, strong
| product here out of plelty Of weak material :
,,,,,
of novels, if YOU can not get muscle out OF
crackers. If You 10 not build bricks with.
out straw, YOU will not build house with
out it. Fiction is good but il docs not make
thinkers. workers. teachers. are not bred on
novels. 1t is Jus, rs plain Ms that athletes
are no: bred on herbs and pn.try. There is
altogether too much said in faver of light
reading in Ines, DAYS. The habit Of it is dis
arming criticism. Much talk ali around the
subject is induced in: little is said that is
lust TO the point. Writers are afraid of the
facts. because these nrc dis,asteful 10 the
pc 1ple. But III, re are facts about books
which are as ploln TO Inc eccn AS facts abou,
foods. Health and strength of mind come
from solid books,--,he best. Why are not
omnivorous rovel readers quick. strong, clear,
comprehensive minded if the novel is the
great educator among books? The people
who read novels principally. are as badly off.
in their way, as the vegclarians and the
wcaklinrs audtne old minds. They practice
II suicidal regimen. inst AS really as those
who starvc themselves ON unsubslau,ial food.
Not that novels have no place in literature.
but that they do not have the first place.
Some of them are excellent for relish, and
some better Tor dessert. They are the books
which should be read least, and are read most
A course of Winter reading should contain
hut few of them. They are not l1ajulum
for healthy minds. Choose, rather. 10 supply
the keen appetite OF the reading season with
the best, the most substantial books, those
which are acknowledged TO be the building
and builders of brain. Each person who is
old enough to read the right sort of books,
is old enough to know what he wants to read
and TO kEow how to select his own list. The
lists Of others are embarrassing. There are
too many of them, not alike: which shows
that each person ought always to choose his
own books. \ catalogue is proper help.
\ course Of winter reading should be sys-
temalc Some subject should be chosen
and pursued. Dcsultory reading is bad for
the memory, and amounts to nothing in the
end. The mind must grasp something until
it is warm, in order TO accomplish much If
history is chosen, read American, read Eng
lish French, Italian. Greek or Roman: do
not read history Of the world, or histories
of the world. In poetry, read Il poet or II
theme. Read ESSAYS, all those of one man.
or all YOU can find bearing upon one class of
subiects,-art, society. criticism. The best
way to read is to choose some subject which
is of personal interest. and exhaust it. There
are matters up,p which every word that Is
said is of vital interest TO some person. That
person should find that subject and pursue il
d .ligcn,y ard consccu,ivcly. course of
winter reading Of this character will be val.
liable and FASCINATING.
Every one who reads should read some
new books Emcrson's advice, never to read
a book until it is a year old, is misleading.
The old books, especially upon scientific and
social topics, are not up with the times. 1t |
is ref, cion upon the high educational and