The Globe-republican., 1889-11-20
DEsULToRY READING.
Most SO-Called Reading Courses are Pretty
Nearly Pure Idiocy.

Most SO-Called Reading Courses are Pretty
Nearly Pure Idioey.
Mr.. Balfour has recently stepped aside
from political ways to deliver an address
at the opening of a new library, in which
he won the approval Of all true book
lovers by saying good word for what is
among the self-elect known by the con-
temptuous term Of ''desultory reading"
1t is the solemn conviction of the Grad
grinds of the world that there is no read
ing which is of any advantage to man
unless 1t is arranged in courses and de-
voted to some specific end: while equally
the true book lover. the man who Is born
with the literary instinct and convic-
ton, knows beyond paradventure that
this reading which has been stigmatized
as deSultory is the most valuable of all,
and that it is only by the good which is
won by following it through the wind
ing ways in which it leads as through =
labyrinth that one is able to get from
formal reading any benefit whatever.
The first principle of reading should
be that one is profoundly interested
therein. 1t is worse than useless to force
ones self. or to force others. to go over
the pages of any book which does not Of
itself hold the reader. 1t may be neces-
sary now and then to 60 through course
of reading upon special subject as one
does any other mechanical task, but he
labors under complete misunderstand-
ing who supposes that by SO doing he is
increasing his intellectual culture. He
may for a moment increase the unassim-
Hated facts in his mind, but this is al
ways hinderance to mental progress
rather than a help.
The genuine love of books is perhaps
a thing which one must be b I'm with to
enjoy it in its fullness, and it can, after
all be largely cultivated. At least,
there are few people who can not inter-
est themselves in some sort of reading
if they are but placed in position to
reach the books which are adapted to
their minds, and-what is quite as i'm
portant-to their temperaments. What
is known as desultory reading is, after
all, if one only examines the matter a
little closely, reading what is adapted to
the condition of the mind at the mo-
ment. 1t is taking the mental food
which one can digest, instead of dieting
the mind upon those indigestible things
which have some time and somewhere
been supposed to be good for minds of a
different sort in different condition.
Most reading courses are pretty nearly
pure idiocy; stringing together of good
books into perfectly arbitrary and I'M
wholesome composition. One might as
we'll weigh out the food to be eaten
meal by meal for year to come. The
appetite has more 10 do with it than
theories, and is a better guide unless it
has been most fouly dealt with.
The way to read is to read, and if a
person turned into library can not bet
ter find out what to read than anybody
can tell him. he is either too young to
be trusted alone anywhere or mentally
diseased. The mind is its own gauge,
and if it does not work well it is very
seldom that airy outside expedient can
be made to serve instead, If the at
tempt be made it results in something
which is not culture. at least.-Boston
Courier.