Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-08-11
GOOD AND BAD BOOKS
The View Of RuSkin Touching The First
Variety.
NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE
Peasant ms We'll ns Prince Can hnre
n Lfbrary-Thc Influence or Lite
rary surroundings-Thc Unspenk-
abIe Dali Mt Alton.
ocorrespondence O, the Dlspatch)

are m!Qcr. Famlllaflty beseiS P"''''NN'
and we are using the simple comparison
now without adjectives. and spending the
arid days I'm cool reflections beneath the
shadow OF great rocks and spreading
trees. Also. we are studying RaphaeIs
prophetic Guide for August" In TINS
unique production the great humoug au-
vises that on the LIST, 9th, 9lh, ana -5ln
of the month one shall avoid women
and keep quiet. very quiet'-a cohdl'ioh
entirely superfuous, as either would ma
turaliy induce the other. on the 10Th
It is luck TO travel and sign writings
in the forenoon" but no exceptions are
made as 10 a prOmissory note, or an
l. o. L. for last weeks board. Three
SUNDAYS in the month are unfortunate,
and the fourth Sunday the Grand Hum
bug sets apart 10 visit tiny friends.
Which last. II the hot wave continues
would be the most unfortunate of them
all-ccrtainly for the friends.
RTSKIN'S VIEW.
one can easily improve on Raphael.
1t is too hot to travel. and more pleasant
TO read writings signed by other people.
and printed IN clear type. Ruskin wei
SAYS: Bread OF flour is good, but there
is a bread sweet a. honey, If We would
cat If. In a good book Poor.
indeed. is he who cannot pay his bakers
bill" There are none so poor. WIN
such lavish profusion Is this bread OF
know ledge supplied that our range OF
books IS unexhaustble. and the humDiest
farmer may II he Will. WELD the sickle
with his brawny hand, and between rs
hours OF laborous toll cultivate bis NINA
-
sons" ,,
There is no excuse for ignorance. The
cheapness Of books renders a library ON
fering only I'm kind az easy OF Access u
a peasant as a prince. nome N'th"N'
books IS like "A room without "lhuVNs'
Shuu that house whose cold. Glaring "hlIs
show no books upon the shelses' anu 'hS
immaculate order Of whose chahs anu
tables is never Uttered by paper or nas"-
zine. Starved souls are therein ana now
ever bountiful may be its spread or crea-
inc comforts. II is the abode Of narrow
prejudice and mean hearts. NO man 10
dav has a right TO bring up family OF
children without books: he cheats tfen.
Children learn 10 read 10y association Win
books. and the love Of knowledge comes
with reading and grows upon II.
BOOK LOVE.
Book love has been POLITICALLY called the
good angel that keeps watch by the
hearth and hallows il, shielding the in
mates from perils that Turk without. II
is a love which calls for no justiiicat ton.
apol0ey. nor defence: a thing so good IN
itself that It Is a possession 10 rejoice over
and 70 be proud Of. Is II Claiming VINO
bears this tribute 10 the value Of books:
The diffusion of these silent teachers.
books. whilst an unspeakable good TO the
individual IS also 10 become the stability
Of the nation? Alas! there is an 'un-
speakable" Of another kind-wiie-spread
and dinusive in evil-the unspeakab.e In
art and in books. which IS vastly different
from dear old Channing's 'unspeakable
good" Of other days
IT DIsGUSTs.
I'nspeakable-how hateful the word be
comes-unspeakable literature. sc-called.
has so far outdistance1 the boldest at
tempts of the most daring writers Of the
past that its reading disgusts the unfas-
tldiOus man Of the world. Place the "ur-
speakabie" in the hands Of the lnexpsri-
encsd who believe It's distorted drawing.
and the effect cannot be estimated. We
want nature-human nature-and charac-
ter sketching, true to life and tersely
drawn; but for humanity's sake take
away the "urspoakable"' 1t is a Caliban
Of literature, hydra-headed. and II I'M
speakahle. why not unwr.table? TO coin q
worse word. There was a book Of that
sort drifting around here last summer.
brought by some travelling tourists. the
No, forbid that any pen should voice a
word 10 advertise THE Unspeakable --"
in It's multiple monstrUsity Of sentiment
and slush. And yet IL was an accepted
book-rcad by cultivated. refined peop-e.
and commented upon and criticized quite
as much In a matter-of-cOurse manner as
would have been "rhe Snowbird" or the
prosaic old "I.ampllghDr" Of our mothers.
NOT FOR SUMMER.
Decidedly. the ''unspeakable' are not
books for summer reading They give
pain and disturb the even equanimity Of
ones views and opinions; TO say nothing
Of a savage desire 10 impale the writer
upon a mammoth pen or drown him-and
it Is usually "him'-in a hOgshead of
his own black ink,
Next 10 a stupid woman treeless.
level landscape is the most tiresone thing
| know We are never crossed with
either here. Every winding road and
rounded hill is consecrated by the growth
OF giant trees beautiful in unstudied
groups. and charming in dim twilight
Of shady isles Age Is kinder TO a tree
than to other objects of nature; 1t dig
nihes it, enhances its beauty. and adds
10 its usefulness. Next 20 "A mountain.
or the passion OF the resistless sea.
century-old oak is the grandest Of OBJ
iects. 4 guest up here once bomoaned
the lack Of hot weather-pipes and cleo
trio bells. Out of doors the sun SHIN
mered through these immense trees;
down either valley was the sparkling
wet Of water in the distance; a squirrel
IMPLIED the grass i'm happy safety be-
meath the window, and the bird plumed
his vest in an althea bush near BY
MY dear Madam" one felt tempted TO
ask. what do you want Of hot water
and bells in room that looks out upon
the vale Of Arcadia
SUMMER BALLS.
The second series of the summer balls
came of at The Alton last Tuesday
night II was largely attended. and bril-
liant with handsome costumes Of the Ia
dies. Other forms OF entertainment fol-
low one another in rapid succession.
While the 'proiracted meetings" yet
continue at Rhodes. they do not interfere
with our social amenities, doubtless on
the theory that one must live. to die. as
well as vice versa. Several converts have
been added to the church.
DR.. William L. Williams who has served
acceptably for two terms In tn. Virginia
Legislature, will be a candidate for re-
nomination at the coming convention.
The contingent of Cincinnati and Cow
ineton guests at THE Alton" Mountain
Ton" and Locust Dale" spent Thursday |
at Humpback.
Rev. J. II. Robinson left here Tuesday |
for White Sulphur Springs Mr.. Robinson. |
wha was converted under the evangelical |
preaching Of Mr.. Fife. will become an |
nrnnceMst and Is alreanY meeting with