Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-01-17
TIE ILLUSTRATIONS
In Books and Magazines Do Not
Always illustrate
Reading Matter Often OeeuPyinX q
Secondary PIace-SOme singular
misconceptions ssnlus.
trafedo Lectures.
tChicago Times.1

tChicago Timesl
Do Illustrations serve TO illustrated Do the
ordinary pictures in books, magazines and
newspapers enable the reader to understand
t.ie text any iiore clearly, or form q more
correct idea Of the matter treated of. These
questions Were discussed by the arr section
OF the British social science congress at its
recent meeting The subject is also con-
siderei IN one OK our popular magazines
The general conclusion is that most Of our
resent publications are, To draw it mildly,
overilius;ratei. II is also very generally ad-
rn.ttei even by artists that pictures ordi-
narily serve 10 draw the attention of the
reader from the printed matter and to cause
him 30 pursue it very has lily. Many have
observed that the literary merit of numer-
Gus publications began to decline soon as
al attemp: was made to illustrate them.
In some cases it has been noticed that tine
character OF their readers changed. The read
i;g class gave way to the picture-loving class.
" hen this was the case, more prominence
WIS given to illustrations and at length the
reading matter appeared to be introduced
chiefly for the purpoSs of supplementing the
SCALED Illustrations Most persons have
Eot!-ei that publications designed especially
for children are profuscly illustrated. Those
intended for the CONF aratively ignorant also
cnn;aii many illustrations Books, maya
zines and newspapers intended for the highly
iucatei and thoughtful on the other hand,
contain few or no pictures. The authors OF
tn greatest lit .rary productions have or.
dinsrily lie lined TO have them illustrated.
They have believed that picture; would only
saTve t. detract from their real merits.
Many think that illustrations are highly
beneficial 10 children, and accordingly place
q large number of them in the publications
designed .or children's use. \ singular
commentary on this doctrine is furnished by
= Gentleman who examined many Of the
younger children i'll the Boston school in
orier 10 ascertain their ideas on certain sub
j"cis. He found that most of them thought
tnat COW was about three incLe, long.
They had arrived at this conclusion by see
M the picture Of COW and ore of a gimlet
il the primer they were using in school. They
had seen giInlets at horne AMI in shop win
dow and were therefore acquainted with
their true length, Some Of them had seen
COWS, but 1hey did not recognize them as
si:ch, as their Sc was out of proportion with
thai OF gimlet.
Children who have studied illustrated
r q
the people IN many countries in the world
have nothing 10 do except engage in some
sor. OF sport or quietly enjoy lie 1t is easy
to see u.iy they have this singular idea
Their a,o:ras lies contain illustrations of
the habits, customs, All appearance Of the
people in all the Irircpal countries In
traIcs ;hey are represented n, dancing; in
SIain. Attending bui,-fight: in Italy, visiting
l.
with exceedingly long stems; in Germany,
drinking wine. and in Russia. riding in
s.ei.,lis The idea is conveyed, as well as il
can be 10y the use Of pictures that this is
tic only country in the world in which peo-
lle are obliged 10 wora; for n living. In
other countries it is not necessary to labor in
order to eat. Ali ones time may be spent in
sport or idleness
Adults obtain many erroneous ideas
from what pass for illustrations as children
do. Ii IS the general opin on that the patriot
army that fought at Bunker Hill was chiefly
of old men. In point of fact, it
wa. CHI -fiy made up OF BOYS Trumbull's
painting Of the battle. however, represents
incst Of the i.atrio. soldiers IS venerable men.
Those who have seen t. { original painting OF
copies and prints Of the same are likely to
tllnt. All tutir l!eS tfl3t mot oi our soldiers
"a: Bunker iI.il were past nj :dl- life one
OF CIR national bank notes shows that Column
.sGs and his men landed in iuli dress on The
aud they discovered.
y foreigner who should visit an exh b;;ion
10: paintings by our native artists would
p badly come TO the conclusion that bees
~ this country are Eeyt in straw hives,
thai OGr immense grain crop Is har-
vested with a sickle. 4 at the land Is plowed
b: oxen, and the houses lgi;el with candles
Every winter we have in tins city several
courses OF illustrated lectures on foreign
countries. Many renl ic attend them for the
ltEpp5o of obtaining reliable information re-
sporting region, they wish 10 learn about,
bit caHnt .i-i:. Thcy Sc some maGnifici
views - . pl!a"a in England, an opera
l1oa5o i.r giscc. aui a castle in Spain, and
cau-lEl- ti-3' iley have about as sooi an
I len hs.n foreign countries aS they could
Di .aiI lay lynlinsa year abr; al. The truth is
their impr-->,n, are as far from the real
act t. the cas-, - those of chiliren are who
le'rn al1"u: tn" manners and customs of diff
f-fal- t.-5..i.. by looking ut pictures Of hem