The National tribune., 1883-11-29
LOYAL WOMbN'SW WORK
Reading Circle---Health TalkS---Ex-
perience Meeting---Relief Corps.
rconaue,oa By Katc B. shcrnoOod.l

rConducscd 5y Kaic B. shcrroood.l
"some books are to be tasted, others swal-
lowed, and some few chewed and digested
-Ffdacis Bacon.
1t was Francis Bacon who gave us the com
mon English form of a wise Latin proverb in
the trite saying knowledge is power"
de who has learned the uses of books has ac-
ouired a power which will influence his entire
life for veal or woe. The same writer, two
centuries and half ago. made this keen sum-
mary of the uses of books: !" Histories make
men wise: poets witty: the mathematics sub
tile; natural philosophy, deep; morals, grave;
logic and rhetoric, able TO contend" he might
have added that fiction and biography stlmu-
late the imagination 3nd excite emulation, and
science broadans the understanding aid uni0lds
manifold secrets hidden TO the common eye
Books may be termed the granary OF man.
kind, where is treasured the traits of all en-
deavOrs, the seed of the progress yet TO be.
But, in order 20 adapt them to our purposes, 1t
is necessary f0r US 10 know what we are able
to utilize, 10 digest and assimilate. We do not
give to babe the corn IN the ear, but rather
such particles extracted and prepared as may
be suitable to its nndevelOped organs Of nutri-
tion. For the same reason we would not place
IN the hands Of a little child some huge and
musty tome fraught though it be with the
wisdom of the ages.
RoLLAND's ANCIENT HISTORY.
A book with which our grandfathers took
good solid comfort was the reputable work,
published In Z succession of volumes, which
bore the above tide. But some of those very
excellent grandfathers were guilty of the
singular error OF trying to cram this strongly
favored condensed food upon the children and
grandchildren OF tie household, with conse-
ouent attack Of bookish indigestion IN each
n
with which. later on IL life and knowledge,
they might h2ye appropriated such works.
We have ia mind one such grandfather, VINO,
whenever he saw one Of the boys and girls sit
4ng down 10 a story or a Munchaussn tale,
would say: Ny conscience, reading such
trash again Why don't yOu read Rolland'S
Ancient Hisieyyg'" Or again. ii would be:
"Now, there's D'Anbignes History Of the
Reformation Why not improve your time in
reading something Of yalueg" Here was a
case where the motive was OF the best, but the
judgment OF ne worst As well feed q baby
who has not cut his miik teeth on rosst beef
and Yorkshire padding as TO cram the imna-
ture minds Of youth with the data OF dynasties
and revolution.
WHAT TO READ.
The auest lon then, q. What shall we read. - re-
lates MOI oaly lethe moral and literary character
of our looks. bus 10 their fitness 10 our own par
ticular needs. Or tastes as well as O2r culture
and conditions. must be consulted in our selec-
ti0n Of books. For this reason, what is both
profitable and Of benefit 10 the man or woman of
fhirfy-iive inay be positively hurtful TO the
child Of twelve. OF the boy or girl Of fifteen or
twenty. Not ihat the book is Objectionable
in itself but simply that it is for the growing
mind too stimulating, or, il may be, incOmpre-
hensible.
The first p5int to consider in the selection OF
hooks is their adaptability 10 the reader. The
=
is gradually led along 20 fountains of deeper
knowledge through Robinson Crusoe," The
Swiss Family iaosinsoA, Dean Swifts LillipR-
tiansH and The Tale OF Tub" to Abbott:
:. History OF the French Revolution and Dick
ems Tale OF Two Cities has had a safe and
sure guide. IL is natural for us to expect that
he viii now go forward 10 Eotley's Rise and
Fall of the Datch RepHbIic" and Macaulay':
Critical and Biographical Essays and vii
sandwich his substantial array Of facts with
the graces Of poesy as found in Moore and
Tennyson and L0RgleilOw, the profound phi
loseply OF D2coa and the worldwide wisdom
of Shakespeare and Carlyle. The point is Il
begin right Mix for babes, strong meat fol
men"
BEWARE or cRAMNISG.
Sometime those whose opportunities are tht
feEest for seearing books develop into tht
most intelligent readers. The reason is appar
ent, since, win fzBer books, they are con
strained 70 - more carefully those IN thei
possession r a. ing them again and again. and >
fixing thei- contents indelibly upon thei
memory Ca-slai reading thus becomes
fixed habit. There is 10 temptation TO skim
in the frst placs, and the habit OF being thor
o8gh IN anything grows, IL time, to be a passion
like everything else.
Beware Gf wandering thoughts in reading
and if You find y0ar Hind distracted from thi
page OF sentence return 20 il again and again
-. -
thisa matter cf conscience in acquiring the hab
il. What would rOI think Ct the harvester who
going through fed Of wheat that had beel
cut and shocked. wonla pass along taking on
sheaf now ssH1 then at random. leaving Ia
greater portion standing? And yet. this
what he careless or superficial reader is dom
ever day Read fewer books aud make yOuI
self master ol taeir contents. Reading f0r tn
mere Ezke Of reading amounts almost 10 vice
siace j. weake1s the powers Of memory an
inspasrs The reasoning faculties leaving onl
sonlusioa and hesitancy ana doubt.
NOTHING TO READ.
A very poor opinion one who reasons n
teliigeuHy iGust have Of the smart boy VIII
tells yoa me has oev01rod whole library in
single winter o. Nhe, wits Two or thrse handre
Standard volumes II las command -ceoil s inform
you that he s quito disguised becaUse be h.
nothing - read. Nothing 10 read whH
eminent scholar tells rs that, with ever
book oblifel.ited but Shakespeare and the Bibl
there would Ssh exist The sum and substance
al literature. GAgther in prose OF poetry, dram
OF song
II yOu have only tie Bible, do not say 20
have nothing 10 rad. There you viii find q
pr0feuneest history. the widest romance, Il
most exalted coalp0sition tho divines. p0etr
tie loftiesi warss Of the imagination, and Il
grandesi figures Of speech. is 1t a swee
toGgA.ag patoral you would havef Read u
story o. Elfh. Are you IN the deeps Of sorro
and slilictien2 Let the cry If job be the vol
Of yoaT e0;ap plainGi Are yOa filed with Il
spirit Of thanksgiving? Turn to the I07l
Psalm o, give thanks unto the Lord, for
Is good: for Ills mercy endarcth f0Teverlo
j 0fat0ry you are ia search Of? Stand with Pa
on Mars 1911 and listen 10 that superb declaF
ton to the philosophers at Athens. Stay 20
soul vita the sabhme utteraaces Of Isaiah, a.
Jet your spirit soar away with ST. John al
hear the voice Of the strong and mighty ans
saying: Blesscd is be that readefh al
they that hear the words Of this prophecy a.
keep those things which are written therein
Health Talks.
scARLI-F FEsvER AND MEASLES.
OF the thirtg or more exadatiYe and iniai
mat0ry affections o. the skin, quite nunf
are caused by infection or contagion, amo
which are measles, scarlet fever. saaIl-p,
chjcken-poE, vacc nation, erysipeias, gland,
and malignant pus.uie. Another class Of d