Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-30
Wanted a Reading Public.

This is what the publishers say is need
ed-that is, serious readers, those who
care enough about books to buy them,
OVID them, and really possess themselves
of their contents. This is what the writ
ers say is needed-the writer's who are
becoming almost more numerous than
the readers. Nearly everybody writes
for publication; it is i'm possible to pro-
vide vehicles enough for their contribu-
ton, and the reading public to sustain
periodicals does not increase in proper
ton. Everybody agrees that this is the
most intelligent, active-minded age that
ever was, and in its way the most prolific
and productive age. Is there glut an
overproduction in the literery world as
in other departments? Isn't it an odd
outcome of diffused education and of
cheap publications, the decline in the
habit of continuous serious reading? We
have heard a great deal since Lord Brou-
CHAINS time and the socletiks for the
diffusion of knowledge, or desirability of
cheap reading for the masses. The CON
gressmen place cheapness above honesty
in their sincere desire to raise the tone
of the people. There is no product which
is now so cheap as the newspapers, per-
iodicals, and books. For the price of a
buy the immortal work of the greatest
genius of all time in fiction poetry, phil
osOphy, or science. But we doubt if the
class that were to be specially benefited
by this reduction in price of intellectual
food are much profted. Of course some
avail themselves of things placed within
their reach which they could not own for
merly, but it remains true that people
Inc md ~,
cost some effort to obtain. We very
much doubt if the mass of the people
have as good habits of reading as they
had when publications were dearer. Who
is it who buy the five, ten, and twenty
cent editions? Generally those who could
afford to buy, and did buy books at a
fair price, to the remuneration of author
and publisher. And their serious reading
habit has gone down with the price. We
have an increasing leisure class When
does it read? Not much in the winter, for
the demands of society are too exigent
then. For private reading there is no
time, and a short cut to information is
sought by means of drawing-room lee
lures and clubs, which are supposed to
give to social life, without interfering
with it, lacquer of culture. In summer
it is impossible to read much; what is
called the mind needs rest by that
time, and the distractions of out
door life in the mountains and by
the sea forbid anything but the most de-
sultory skimming Of the very lightest
products of the press. To be sure, the
angel of the Atlantic Ocean sees row of
pretty girls on the coast, seated on rocks
or in the stand, all the way from Campo
Bello to Cape May, with novels in their
handsome of the most pleasing imita-
tions of intellectual life ever presented in
the world. 1t is perfect when there is
breeze enough to turn over the leaves.
And the young men-those who are in
busine less. or who are supposed to be get
ting more or less ''cOnditionaF' edu-
cation-do they read as much as the
young ladies? It is curious comment
on the decay of the reading habit in
households, the blank literary condition
of the young mon who come up to the
high-school and colleges. Is it owing en-
tirely to the modern specialization of
knowledge that they usually have read
little except their textbooks?
Now we are not trying to defend the
necessity of reading. They say that
people got on in the Middle Ages very
well without much of it, and that the