San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-20

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Editor LIGHT:
Except some protested scholars, l
have often observed that women in gem
eral read much more than men. bur, for
want of a plan. a fixed object. their read
ing is of little benefit to themselves or
others. "-Gibbon.
This remark is. fear. just as applica.
BILE 10 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the men.
taken at random, RS it is to women. for
INV observation leads me 10 the cOnclu.
sion that Il great many men read nothing
except newspapers, while a still larger
number re nd with no other purpose than
that Of killing time" and escaping the
dreadful malady of ennui. The effect of
reading the newspap RS exclusively is
to produce supertiGiality and to fill the
heads OF men with n mass of l-assOrtcd
miscellaneous and Heterogeneous matter
of no particular use.
Few men read with "a plan. or fixed
object" though both sexes should do so,
If they desire TO read to any profit.
NV observation has satisfied me that
women excel men rs letter writers. The
majority of women write lively and
sketohv letters, which are interesting,
even when they are wanting in the
graces of a really polished style. AS
always like to account for every thing
that appears to admit OF explanation, |
have endeavOred to account for the su-
periority OF women as letter writer's,
and after revolving the matter, have
reached the conclusion that it proceeds
from the natural cast OF their minds.
Women certainly excel men in the
81
manners, and in writing dra-
matically, yet naturally. They
also excel in the art of descriptiOn-and
these things lead them uncOnsciOusly to
employ the true narrative style in writ
ing letters. tis needless to say that
narrative 10 the true epistolary style.
Letters should not be essays nor speech
es. vet men are apt, iDsensibly, TO fall
into an essay or speech when they sit
down to write letter even to a friend.
Women employ plain language and
write in q conversational style, and sell
dom cudgel their brains In order 10 say
eloquent, or smart things. in their let
tiers; they write from their feelings
rather than their heads, and consequent
ly their letters are chatty, lively and in
teresting.
There is n good deal OF diversity of
opinion as TO how reading should be
prosecuted, and many eminent men have
read without "a plan or fixed object"
and in the most desultory manner imag
Unable. No one ever saw Sargent ).
Prentiss reading or studying, yet his
reading WAS most extensive. He was
never known to prepare his law cases
that is, no one ever saw him engaged AT
such preparation, yet, when they come
to be tried, he was fully posted and pre-
pared at all times.
GibbOn has left on record on account
OF his own manner OF reading, which
was unique. He seldom read u book
through, continuously; but. when the
book he was engaged upon, happened,
incidentally, to touch upon. or allude to,
another subject, that excited an interest
in him, he laid the frat book aside, and
read on the new SUBJECT. He cOntended
that this manner OF reading had the eff
feet OF keeping the attention from flag
ging; and that what we read with lively
curiosity and close attention Is more
likely to make durable impression
upon the mind.
This theory is certainly reasonable and
plausible, still this manner Of reading is
often rendered impracticable by the im-
possibility of procuring the books neces-
sary for prosecuting so discursive a
course OF reading. Ii Is true OF the men
tai as well as OF the bodily foOd-that
"wbat Is one mans meat, is another