The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-06-25
books of all time.

you cannot otherwise converse, printed
for you. 1t consists of bright accounts
of travel; of good humored and witty
discussions of questions, joyous or
pathetic; stories in the form of fiction;
firm facts related by the real agents con-
cerned with the events of current history
or science; all these are characteristic of
the present age, and we ought to make
use of them. But we should not let
them wholly monopolize our time; for
they are not essentially books. They are
the mere vehicles of the living voice. A
book in it's broadest sense is written not
merely to convey the voice, but to pre-.
serve it. The author has something to
say which he perceives to be true and
useful. So far as he knows, no one else
has said it; and so far as he believes no
one else can say it. 1t is a piece of
knowledge, or sight, which his share of
sunshine and earth has permitted him
to seize. He would fain set it down for.
ever; engrave it on rock il he could.
Now, books of this kind have been
written for ages; and for our choice we
have them all. But not all people have
the same tastes; and TO read to the best
advantage, we should first decide which
particular branch of knowledge seems,
to US, the most interesting or useful
And, having decided this question, we
should read carefully and studiously =
never desultorily all that we can find
in tn at line. But we do not require
many rules in reading, nor too strict
conformity to what rules we have. Only
bear in mind the certain fact that
desultory, careless, and unstudious read
ing of books, be they ever so good,
strengthens not the mind, but racks
the mental constitution and disqualities
it for connected or concentrated thought.
Lord Bacon says: "Reading makes a
full man." by which he meant diligent
application to books stores the mind
with knowledge. And the man or woman
who aspires to mental strength, who
desires to be regarded as leader of
thought can afford to o.read no book in a
dissipated desultory manner. Let him
read good book seriously, y,thoughtfully,
or let him read not at ALL
Suffices it to say that no matter in
what direction our mental tendencies
run, there are always books that will
ennoble our lives, thae will help us to
live better, happier and more useful lives
These are the books we should read and
not those tending to lower our thoughts
and unfit us for every day dutiesof life.
The power of biography in shaping
character is worthy of our mention. The
lives or Washington, Grant, Franklin.
Wendell Philips or any one of host of
others bear lessons of practical truth to
all readers, inspiring them to more
heroic deeds, grander achievements For
as Longfellow says:
| Lives of great men all remind us,
| We can make our lives sublime
And, departing, leave behind us,
Footprints, that perhaps another
Sailing DER lifes solemn main.
forlorn and shipwrecked brother
Seeing, shall take heart again"
There is always some book within the
reach of every one which, if studied. will
exercise an uplifting influence.
Many persons Say that it matters not
if they do read bad books, for they soon
forget them. But this is rot so. They
may seem oforget them, but light trashy
reading soon does its work upon the
mental powers. And worse than the
disintegrating effect upon the mind is
the sloven habit formed by careless
reading
Especially should the young pay earn.
est attention to the choice Of books.
For youth is the seed time of life and
it is then that the correct habits of
reading are formed. The young should be
as careful in the choice of books as in the
choice of companions. And why should
we in literature associate with characters
whom we would shun in real life?
A German boy was reading very excit-
ing novel. Right in the midst of it he
said to himself: This will never do. /
grow too much excited over it, SO here
goes" and he threw the book out into
the river. That was the boy who became
Fichte, the great German philosopher.
We cannot estimate the value of books.
for what would have been the condition
Of our science and art which has made
such progress during the last centuries,
if it had not been for books? What, in
deed, would have been the condition Of
the whole world without these diffusers
of knowledge. Since boo ks have been
published and scattered throughout the
world Right and not Might has held
sway. The nations marked by the high
est civilization are those in which are
found the best readers and students.
And not only are they beneficial to
nations, but also to individuals. What
source of enjoyment is given to home
when the works of great authors are
placed within its reach? By their aid,
we many roam from one extremity of the
earth to the other, learn of the different
countries, their governments,people, etc,
without leaving our firesides.
Through them the past is transformed
into the present, and the kings. princes,