The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1884-04-18
ENGLISH LITERATURE.

An address delivered by Prof. Ill &.
Benson, OF Drain Academy, before tho
Teachers Institute, tat Albany, ,Th urs-
day evening, April 4th.
AT the kind request of the Honorable
State Superintendent, am here to-
night, to speak for few moments upon
Tho subject of teaching English Litera-
ture in our public schools. And | am
especially gratifiOd on being able TO do
SO, because | feel that tho subject IL
ono OF most vital Importance to tho
welfare, eternal as we'll as temporal, Of
our dear boys and girls. And / desire
To preface my further remark., with
The statement, that in the expression
"English Literature" include all read-
ing matter that is printed aud scattered
abroad thro'gh the land, for the perusal of
the young, From The Song Of Solomon,
to tho ribald ditties that are shouted
With blaspheming oaths in dens of in
fanny. From Milton'a sublime master.
piece, Paradise Lost" TO the "bIood
and thunder, knock .dowu-and haul
OUT dime novel that is no rapidly edn-
eating the youth of our land to be grad
uAted with dubious honors in the peni-
tentiary or upon tho scafTold. The
mind IN contemplating this subject
divides all publications, unconsciously
into two great classes That which i.
good, pare, apd elevating in its tone
and that which is perniclous and des-
tructive Of the moral nature. There n
an abundance Of the first great cla,1, to
be obtained at trifiing expense, upon
the shelves Of every reputable bookseller;
and heaven knows there's enough Of tho
latter, to ruin more immortal souls than
this world can afford to spare. The
iittle child who has scarcely more than
lenFned to lisp his evening prayer at
mothers knee, AZ he opens his in
q 'ng eyes 10 tho motley scenes which
~ ound him on every hand, discovers
that his inward consc:ousness does not
contain perennial source OF knowl-
edege ; feels vague longing 70 get be-
yond the marrow confines Of tho garlen
wall, 10 find out, il may be, something
OF the strange new world which lies
outside. This now emotion Juggling al
bis little heart strings, ia beyond his
comprehension, aud, indeed, he y.
little dreams Of its presence, that h,
never seeks TO analyzs il, or learr
whence it comes YET none the lest
eagerly doos he respond TO it's might,
Influence for il is implanted 40 com
pletely into his very existencs. by th
omniscient Creator, that, il il he no
satisfied, he becomes, Of truth, lik
unhappy Byron's Manfred "Halfdus
haif Deity, alike uaiit to sink or soar.
II = the voice Of inspiration, from th
Great l Am, saying, "Little child, com
UP higher" And all unwillingiy b
obeys the summons. Tho FIRST ste
that he takes, is to learn to lisp tn
words that fall from the lips Of lovin
mother. and from these, he goes o
learning mors and more as the fel
grows wider and wider. He learns ths
this wonderful power called languac
may be welded without the organs
speech. That the hand may be taugl
to speak with silent force, and that ii
eye may usurp the functions of the ca
and drink in these silent sentences. II
discovers that Though ahe lips may fal
ter, and the tongue may stammer, y,
. the God like intellect Of man is not col
fined to these frail instruments of h
= will, but that no has invented write
characters whereby he may transm
the fruits OF his thought and researC
in manner which shall attract multi
tudes whom his voice could never reac
and that be may continue speaking
eArth's teeming millions when hand ar
tongue have lsng since moldered
their kindred dust beneath the clods
the valley, and his spirit has ascend'
to its prototype, the great first caus
No wonder is it, then, that he seeks
master this key the new sources
knowledge. With patient toll ar
weary days of labor, at last he acquir
the art Of reading. and now, behold
is lifted to a glorious eminence, frs
whcas lofty pinnacle grander horizo
fresher fields and sublimer prospec
spread out before him in panoram
beauty. The thoughts of sage, ,scienti
and priest, are now his own. Virl
Horace, and Homer /; Chaucer, ,Spens
and many another of olden time cha
again their divine strains for his ente
tainment, while Tennison, Mocl
Byron, Whittier and Longfellow, jc
to swell his soul with glad new Al
them of exultant praise. The tolls o
New ton or Kepler, bear to him ri
fruits, which are his for the pluckil