The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-01-09
ABOUT BOOKS.
Our Literary Correspondent Contributes
Some Characteristic Criticisms.

Our Literary Correspondent Contributes
Some Characteristic Criticisms.
The man who does not love a good
book is an inidel and ought to be put
out of the congregation of the elect. 1t
is q ves.v fine and marvellous thing this
necronancy Of the printer which takes
us out Of the thousand little carping
cares OF life and sets. us in the midst of
the company Of those great ones who,
being dead, yet speak through the liv-
ing pa. Tie enchanted carpet OF
the Aral.a Nights did not cary its
lucky nuaer through space half SO
swiftly al does the, plain black ink Of
the printer
There are books and books, of course.
There are those who tell us that they
find no pleasure in anything printed
except tie classics. Nothing modern
appeals TO them They look upon a
new book as gourmand looks upon
new wine. They fall foul of the theo-
logians in one respect They damn
the living and exalt the dead. The
only authors they will admit to their
shelves are embalmed ones. Their IL
braries are Egyptian tombs, in which a
young mummy of a thousand years or
SO would feel disreputably juvenile.
hope these good people enjoy reading.
But have a suspicion that they never
form opinions of books. They merely
borrow others. And they will have
none 81 e those upon which all the
world has long ago agreed
There is another set of readers who
detest life of any kind in books. These
are they who sit at the feet of Willie
Howells and James and other realists
of the dish water school. They admire
magazine poetry and laugh at John K.
Bangs whom may the devil foldunder
his wing and steer homeward | pie
sumo these readers are happy while
reading. They say they are. And
they are seldom original enough to lie.
There is another large class which
delights in books that are more or less
widowed with piety. They devour
reams Of paper to get ataste Of moral.
There s.2ist.he q. greaE number of these
good people E. p. Roe sold some-
like d million copies of his books. /
have no quarrel with Roe, though !
think that if the Creator had encased
him in a.good red herring there might
have been reason for an additional
morning and evening hymn of thanks
giving. Still have no quarrel with
Mr.. Roe. He is dead.
There is another class of people who
revel in the tumultuous plots Of writer's
like Laura Jean Libbey. Miss Libbey
receives ten thousand a year, ] believe.
So it is plain that her readers are le-
glon. suppose Miss Libbey's readers
have us good right TO be pleased as
have shakespeare. And Miss Libbey
is not wholly without good parts. She,
too, will die some time.
x
LIDO not care sn much what is in q
book that ! refuse to read any. | like
to form my own conclusions. hate to
take thi'- gs OH others says Tastes
differ. know Il most excellent man
who does not like oysters. And yet
trust he will go to heaven. know an
other who adores parsnips and is abb
solutelp honest. 1t is not given unto
all of us to look with eyes of equal
pleasure upon things to eat and drink.
Neither can any man rightfully tell me
what intellectual food shall relish. /
do not propose to be dieted by any lit
erarv DR.. Bantlng. am willing to
confess right here that do not care q
snap for Pope, and that / would rather
take ninety days in Jail than read the
Faerie Qneene. The best book | have
ever run across is the bible. speak of
ii now merely as a literary production.
It is a 1naryelouslye entertaining volume.
The man who has not stepped himself
in it's we'll Of undefiled English has no
right to call himself educated.
THE KICKER.
Florida Philosophy.
M, 40 yc;,,, tn;