The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-03-09
nnnNs no NEAn.
wilEiS CoIuu1 view, oscar WiIds's sug,
gaStions.
lYilEie Collins In Pail Iltu Gazette.

WilGie CnlliuS Views Oscar Wilds'S suG
gsStious.
lYgEie Collins IL Pail Ifq!l Gasetl,.
You have proposal that should rec
OmmeRd to experienced readers some o
the books which ara necessary for lib
eral education; and you have kindly ssn
a list OF works drawn out by Sir join
Lubbock with this object in view, an,
recently published in your journal
am sincerely sensible OF tho Compli
mNnt to myself which IL implied in you
suggestion; but | am at the same lin,
afraid that you have addressed yoursel
TO the wrong man, Let me own tho truth
add one nlnTe to the number oi reCxlt g
people who astonish Sir John Lubbock b,
devo,ipg liuls care to the selection o
what they read, | pick up tho literature
that hsppenG TO fall la my way, and liyt
upon 1t as well as CRn-like the spar
rows who are picking up tho crumbs out
eide Of my window while write. II
may still quote my experience OF myself
lot the add that havc never gotten any
good out OF book unless the book inter
ested me In the iint instance. When
[ find that reading becomes an elIOrt
instead Of q pleasure I shut uy
the volume, respecting the eminent authol
and admiring my envlable iellow.creaturo
VINO have succeeded whore have failed
These sentiments have been espeCiall,
lively in me Ito give mn example) when
have laid aside in despair "Olarissa Iiar
love-" "L9 NOuVelle HelOiss," the plays
OF Ben johnson, Burke on "The Sublime
and Beautiful" Hallsm's "Middle Ages
and RosCoe's "Liie OF Leo the Tenth" Ii
person with this good reason 10 blu3h
for himself (it he was only young enough
TO do III the right sort Of person to pro
duce o List OF books for readers In search
Of q liberal eduCation9 You will agree
with me that he ia capable Of seriously
recommending Sterne's Sentimental
Journey" as the beat book OF travels that
has ever been written, and Byron't
Ohilde Harold" as the grandest poem
which the world has seen since the lrsI
publication OF paradise Lest"
After this confession, II ] nevertheless
venture to Oiler few suggestions, will you
trust my honesty, even while you douh'
my disCreiionP In any Gaze, the tomb o.
literature Is close by you. You can give
me decent burial In the waste.papel
basket.
WHAT IS A LIBERAL EDUCATION?
To begin with, What Ia a liberal educs,
eduCati0n2 II stood at my house door
and put that question 10 the frat ten intel
ligent'looking persons who passed by,
believe l should receive ten answers all Ut
variance one with the other. My owr
ideas cordially recognizes any system OIL
education the direct tendency Of which Il
to make us better Christians. Looking
over Sir John Lubbock's list from thil
point OF view-that Is TO say, assuming
that the production Of good citizen rep
ressrlts the most valuable. result OF a lib
eral educatloi-I submit that The beB
book which your correspondent hal
recommended Is "The Vicar OF Wake
iield"-and Of the many sChoolnasterl
Judging them by their works. in whost
capacity for useful teaching hs believes,
the two In whom |, for my part, most i'm
pliCitly tlust, arc Walter Scott and CharleI
Dickens. Holding theSe extraordinary
opinions, II you asked me to pick out {
biographical work for general reading,
should choose later Boswell'B supremel,
great book, of Course) LoCkharL's "Life O
Scott" Let the general reader follow my
advice, and he will find himself not onl!
introduced to the greatest genius that hal
ever written novels, but provided with til,
example Of a man modest, just, generous
resolute and merciful q man whose verN
faults and failinRs have been transformed
into virtues through the noble atonemen
that he offered, at the peril and the uacrl
| fee OF his life.
THE POPULAR TAgTR.