The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-05

that l oppose starts from low and false
assumption, that instruction serves only
for tho practical use that 10 made OF it;
Tor example, that he who by his social
position does not make use Of his intel
lectual culture, has no need Of that cul-
tnre. Literature, from this point Of view,
is useful only to the man Of letters; sci
ence, only to the savant; good manners
and fine bearing, only to men OF the
world. The poor man should be Ignor.
ant, for education and knowledge are
useless to him. Blasphemy, gentlemen
The culture Of the mind and the culture
OF the soul are duties for every man
They are not simply ornaments, they are
things as sacred as religion"
There is no study, although We might
say ii has no practical value, that does
% much for the culture Of the mind and
the soul AZ Literature. Geometry is Of
immense advantage in developing the
reasoning faculties; Botany and Geology
teach ms observation; but the study Of
Literature elevates rs mentally, NOR.
ally snd spiritually, and since this
10 the end and aim OF education, there i
nothing Of such worth included in the
school course, AZ the study Of the mas.
ters OF our language.
FL Literature do not mean the study
Ct text book, containing the criticisms
that have been made on oil the long line
Of authors since the time Of Chaucer,
'ths Arst Apder Of our faire language
although this has it, yaiHe, but ] mean
Tho NV Of writer's themselves, VIA.
they thought, said az: I'D did We would
not consult mans neigbbor to beccc.ne
acquainted with him, but We would con-
verse with the man himself. learn the
springs that move him, his peculiarities
and his good qualities; 90 il We would
study IN author to the best advantage,
We must not confine ourselves tc the crit.
les, his neighbors, but We must study the
author himself; and study him q he il
seen in his works.
We cannot all 60 to college, but We
can, il We have acquired taste for good
literature, do much toward the great
work Of education. One who has acquir.
ed this tcste for good, wholesome litera
ture has at his command q source Of new
or ending pleasure and profit Books
are his companions, authors are his
friends, they counsel him in time Of
trouble. they encourage him in deepon.
dency, they laugh at his follies, they de.
light him with their humor, they please
him with their fanciee, and, best Of all
they inspire him with q noble ambition
and fire him with q zeal that is sure to
lead to. at least some measure, Of success
And thus they WELD u,pboundcd influences
over him.
We do not realize how much books
have to do with our character, our veal
or woe. / think there is nothing
nothing,-not even home surroundings
that has such power over NJ Is what We
read.
A young lady. stricken with consump'
ton, was reading serial story, y story
Of consumptive like herself, and moi
her own phys,cian could describe hsl
symptoms better than this writer had
done. She watched eagerly for each sue
heoripe must determine her own. Hel
father, greatly impressed by the effect Of
the story -non bis daughter, sought out
the author, informed - y ~ c'fpsl'
stances, and asked him az a favor
change the intended tate Of the
heorine OF hist story. "Impossibler'
exclaimed the author, NO one with the
symptoms I have described. could recov-
or" But remember, sr," replied the
father, "What the consequences will be-"
After pause, Il will try" promised the
author; and the result was that the real
consumptive recovered with the fictitious
one!
The authors We love best are those
that tighten the burden OF life,-those that
express 90 beautifully our own half
formed ideas. Who has not had thoughts
faint, feeting shadows-tb in vain
We try to grasp. aud how triumphant We
feel when We find these same shadows
clothed in beautiful words that fit in ev-
cry part, and how We admire the genius
that has thus brought them under con-
troll!
We may admire the stately style OF
Carlyle,eDjoy the ironical humor of Thack
cray, and experience constant pleasure
and surprise in reading the fine passages
Of Milton; but We love the sweet music OF
Chaucer; We follow the fortunes Of Dick
ems characters with suspended breath;
and who can tell what place the sweet,
pathetic verse Of Burns holds in the
hearts Of his readers2 Whittier says OF
6cotland's bard:
But who his human heart has laid
To natures bosom nearer?
Who sweetened toll like him, or paid
To love tribute dearer?
''Give lettered pomp to teeth OF Time,
So Bonnie Doom but tarry;
Blot out the Epic's stately rhyme,
But spare his Highland Mary"
What tribute from poet to a poet!
Then there is Shakespeare, 1.-The thous-
and.souled Shakespeare" and every soul
. thousand-souled! What master of
our language he was! It has been said
Of him: If in the recollection OF any
passage from Shakespeare, one word
shall have escaped your memory. you
A.