The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-22
DESK STUDIES FOR GIRLS:
READING COURSES.
III. READING COURSES AND A
GIRLS LIBRARY.
The Reading of Novels.


portion to the amount of fiction they
read. the future would be bright. The
lndiscriminate selection of novels is
what makes the situation especially
bad 1t is not contended that works
Of fiction should have no place in
girls library. On the CONTRARY. fiction
is a department of literature which no
young person should ignore. Dr. w.
T. Harris styles it 1.-The bait by which
we create a love of reading. and it
should lead out to other reading, es-
pecially in the line of science and his
tory and philosophy" A child should
read much fiction, but the amount
should be lessened as the years go by.
A girl of 10 may read five times as
many novels as works of poetry, biog-
raphy, science or history. When she
has reached 20 her literary taste has
been poorly cultivated if fiction forms
half of what she reads. Ideals have
their place, no doubt. in the aspirations
of youth. 1t is not. therefore. sur
prising that children readily read books
that stimulate the love of the magma
tive. Thousands of persons are reached
by the novelist or the biographer to
appreciate the clearer vision of the
poeE. Undoubtedly the great writers
of fiction have been valuable teachers
of the masses. The good novel will
cultivate the desire to excel in what
is ennobling. A certain class of senti-
mental novels present serious dangers
to the minds of persons dissatisfied
with their conditions. The works of
fiction perused should give a true, and
not a false, view of life. The novel
has its place because the imagination
cannot be fully satisfied with history,
biography, travel, or even poetry.
1t is the abuse and not the use of
fiction that is at fault. The only prac-
ucable plan is to regulate novel-read-
ing. There is such an abundance of
good fiction that there is no excuse
for spending time with what is only
second or third rate. Many a girl
spends hours in reading books which
no good judge of literature would ever
add to her library. 1t is not enough to
avoid novels which stimulate the pas
sions, ignore or mislead the conscience
or present views of life that are funda-
mentally false and debasing. To read
only first-class novels is good advice,
but this advice is not enough. Fiction
is not the best kind of literature for
either men or women. Inveterate read
ers of even good novels are not always
well informed. Indeed, they are often
very shallow in their estimate of hu-
man character. Children naturally
like stories, but surely a girl should
not always remain a child. Ice-cream
will clog the appetite if a meal is be-
gun with it. Better to leave it until
the more substantial articles are eaten
In like manner. the first part of ones
leisure every day might be employed
in reading solid works of literature.
If fiction were taken up as recrea-
ton its advantages would be more
lasting 1t is impossible for a girl to
love Dickens without becoming large
hearted. If she appreciates ILackeray
The works of Mrs. Mulock-Craik, Miss
Alcott and Black have given many
girl in a rough and poor home an in
sight into what develops a higher
womanhood. 1t is a mistake to sup
pose a girl should read whatever is for
the time popular.
To know how to read is as import
ant as to know what to read. 1t is
useless to read what does not interest,
but mere interest is little good unless
the intellectual and moral faculties
are cultivated. Girls often read with
out having any purpose in view. Des-
ultory habits are injurious to a student.
Every one should be Il student To
read a few pages here and few pages
there, without any definite object, is a
great waste of time. Some department
of study should be chosen and q definite
line followed. The reading habits of
some persons are largely mechanical.
A book to be useful must be read in
such a manner as to stimulate the
brain, enlarge the understanding and
inspire to noble purpose. 1t is foolish
TO devour many books without some
settled plan. Unless reflection fol-
lows, it does little good to read. Eliza \
beth Barrett Browning says: We err
by reading too much and out of proper
ton to what we think The gifted
poetess has recommended concentra-
ton Too often there is no system in
the selection of books, and what is read
does not cultivate thought. Many per-
sons regard thinking as hard work.
They forget that effort. seif-control
and even hard work may be needed if
mental growth is not to be stunted.
There may be real enjoyment with dis
cipline.
1t is we'll to have regular hours for
reading. If possible a set time should
be assigned for study. With many
persons this may be difficult. Every
girl has. however. some opportunity
for self-improvement. Women have
been known to read while waiting for
the kettle to boil or while rocking the
baby TO sleep. Mary Somerville,
authoress of THE Mechanism of the
Heavens" did much valuable work as
a student, although she had also to
take care of her family. Devotion to
the customs of modern society should
not be allowed to stand in the way of
progress. Better to decline
attending some of the lat homes than
to be ignorant of books. Conversation
is enjoyable when there is something
to talk about A girl who knows moth
ing is very poor company. An intelli- |
gent young woman, if she has culture |
at the same time, is sure TO gain
esteem.
So far as possible. a persons reading
should be by subjects. The subject !
chosen should have some bearing upon |
the duties of life. Many girls have no |
special course marked out for them
selves. They take up their time with |
the first book-usually a novel-that |
comes to hand. Their bill of fare has |
not reference to the kind of food which |
IS needed TO promote mental growth. |
Attention to one subject at a time does |
not imply that the reader should be-
come acquainted with only one branch |
Of knowledge. For the majority of |
girls general information is required. |
Of course. if a. young woman is pre-
pairing herself for some special calling. |
special reading will be necessary. The !
given in these papers have
in view that numerous
lass of girls who do not expect to fol-
ow professional pursuits.
The art of skipping is a very desir-
able one if wisely employed. For young
persons it has its dangers, as it leads
20 superficial reading. A well read
student can get at the pith of a para
graph without going through every
inc. One who is familiar with the
Tally newspapers is able, if intelligent.
20 see at q glance the facts and argu-
nents of an article. The art of skip
ping is really the art of stunning what
al. 4.