Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1889-06-10
HoWAHD WH4T TO REsD.
[By a bbie Parrott.l


Richard Baxter says, sit is not the reading
of many books which is necessary TO make a
man wise or good, but the we'll reading o. a
few" There is right and a wrong way TO
do anything; the same may be said of read
ing. Four rules which If learned and remem
berett will serve TO guide us in the art of read
ing Alright. First, read with attention, your
mind should be alert and wide awake. This
is moi easy TO do, and some people are un-
able TO keep their minds concentrated on any
thing. Il is OF the utmost importance that
We cultivate the habit Of doing everything
thoroughly; Of keeping our minds fixed on
the sermon OF lecture or conversation ad
dressed 10 us. and in reading, forgetting every
thing but the printed page before us. 1t has
been well sad that, Attention is the mother
OF memory" We complain about our poor
memories, when in reality it is our powers of
attention and observance that ere at fault No.
tice how few people can give an accurate ac-
count Of that which they have seen or heard
or read. This arises chiefly from inability to
keep the mind concentrated The impor-
tance Of cultivating the habit OF attention can
not be too strongly emphasized, for very little
can be accomplished without it. The second
rule is, read with comprehension. One may
concentrate the mind and yet may fail to
catch the auther's meaning. What is the
remedy? Frequent repetition will clear away
10 D1iSf nd nal ha ,NloI he
best readers make halit of reading the
masterpieces of literature over and over until
they become part Of their daily life.
Never let sentence, paragraph, chap
ter or book master you until you have given
it a fair trial by carefully reading 1t many
times. II after that you are stll. III doubt as
to the authors meaning, the probabilities are
that you have chosen something which at the
present time Is beyond your capacity
Here then we will give you rule number
three, which is. read with discrimination in
Your choice of books
Find out what you want TO read and get
the best books on that subject. Your taste
will become cultivated il properly trained;
end aimless reading will give place to
reading which will lie permanent benefit,
vital force in your life. Never read any.
thing just to be able to say you have read it.
Constantly climb the literary ladder, and the
higher you begin the sooner you vii! reach the
top. The fourth or last rule is, read with re
Election. "Much reading like much eating is
wholly useless without digestion. Think
over what yoa have read. Learn to form
opinions about everything that you read. Learn
To think and TO judge for yourself, but do not
form opinions Just for the sake of having them;
be able to give reason lor Your Views
Your reading should teach you to think and
Judge aright to look at life intelli9enily.
In addition to the rules given there are
other directions, which, If learned and prac
ticed, will help to make us intelligent readers
Do not think you are too busy TO read; one
who loves reading will find time, no matter
how much he may be occupied. Not by neg
lecting duties, moi by taking time that should
be given TO sleep, but by saving the minutes
that would otherwise be wasted. Suppose
| you can secure only thirty minutes daily; mul.
/ tiply them by three hundred and sixtyfive and
/ you will have more than week, day and
night. Does tins seem little? Experience
will show that great things will be accom-.
plished by carrying OH, the plan Of regularly
doing little at time.
Read 10y subjects. The memory is
strengthened by repitition. A number Of
books read consecutively on the history Of q
certain country will prove far more useful
than larger number of books read in a
butterfly style, alighting on one bush after
another, but never staying long enough to
exhaust the sweets Of any one flower. Never
fail to learn the meaning Of word not pre-
viously known to you. There can be nc
real growth unless there is sufficient ambition
TO induce the reader 10 add to his vocabulary
by learning new words.
Let us remember then the four words given
rs rules. Attention, Comprehension, DIS
crminatlon and Reflection, and mark theil
meaning; for with a proper use of these rules
and careful study Of the suggestions which
follow, then our hearts and minds will not
lack cultivation.