Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-23
HINTS ON HEADING.


Second Porusnt or Great Value
Marked Margins nn Assistance.
Helen North writes in Ia -psr's Bds Idr.
All books need not to be read carefully;
indeed, 1t is often waste Of time to
linger long over o volume whose entire
thought 10 not essential to ones purpose.
II is an art acquired only by practics TO
CLEAN wisely and rapidly from some-
what barren yet occasionally fruitful
book. Many, probably most, volumes
demand time and careful thought. The
second reading of good book is often OF
great value. The thoughts retained from
the first reading are impressed more
fully on the mind, and become as.
simulated with ones mental structure,
while others OF value that were unnoted
before are gathered in.
II there is no tins for second read
ing, il ia an excellent idea to read with a
blue pencil in hand, and to mark those
passages on which one would like to
bestow further Thought. Iu the eyes OF
me people, marking book Ia an IN
pardonable sin, bu. the PRACTICE has
many advantages. The value OF tho
marked volums is greatly enhanced not
only to the owner, whose attention is
thus readily called to pesssges o. special
interest ana importance, bat also to the
borrower, who is able to follow the
readers Thought, and learn his judg-
ment and taste. The objection that Il
book whose margins are intetlined looks
loss clean and fresh than il free from
markings, has no weight. OF what value
is shelf full Of books that have been
riRidly kept free from theaa written CON.
iaentg, and look rs clean as il just from
the publisher, tx5ept to command q
higher prlc3 when, some years henos, our
cherished possessions are taken 70 a
dealer in second hAnl literatureP
A judIcio1sly marked book is souros
OF delight to the marker and his friends,
and becomes tenfoli more q part of tbs
readers thought than any other. II 10
unnecessary to say that tho marking
Should be done by no ore but tbs owner,
and common-scnse will sugges. bard
pencil for tho purpose.
The advice 80 generally given to pass
by no reference the nearing OF which is
not ut once apparent works in two Ways
Tho reader who takes up Milton for the
fl :at time, and whose education has not
been liberal one, would lose all the
freshness OF the thought which the author
brcSthes forth if he forced himself to
continually consult books Of mythology
and history. This habit of frequently in
tsrrupting the authors Thought TO con-
suit dictionary or cyoloI eiia results dis
astrously IL owe 10 attempting to reoog-
MIA the authors genius. Sometimes o
blue mark, or list Of obscure words
jotted down for future reference, will
rolisva the r0ader's Conscience, ind not
sensibiy diminish his interest in the
book. AT other times the close relation
OF Thought end illustration positively
demands investigation from som' outside
source.
Read With friend If possible; not
necessarily aloud or together, but II the
thoughts Of two friends are directed to
the same oourse Of reading during the
dey, its subj cts are pretty sure to be dig-
cussed and it, subgtaace mora thoroughly
digested and assnissed. Years after,
an allusion to thu hook or q quoted
passage recalls the thought and this friend
both probably aud pleasantly. Dis
cussion always emphasizes aud greatly
facilitates comprehension of written
peRe.