Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-03-02

that the most powerful factor
in what is called destiny is
personal character. Whatever helps
toward the growth of this has prac-
tical use. Literature is but an ex-
preston of the truths of life and the
world as seen by the master minds OF
each generation 1t is of value only
as an exponent Of human, evolution
and an inspiration to future progress.
"Only those books are for the making
OF men into which man has gone in
to the making" says Burroughs.
Each century bequeaths to the next
choice few Of these products of master
spirits-a heritage Of sometimes dear
bought experience, ripe thoughts and
wisdom, which it is our privilege to
use and to build upon. Admitting
with Matthew Arnold that conduct
is three.fourths of life," we must ac-
knowledge that large part Of the re-
naming fourth and that which may
furnish inspiration and give the trend
to conduct Of life, is books. What do
they mean to practical life? II poems
they mean ennobling impulses, in
spring hints, "divining roots to our
deeper natures" Mrs. Browning In
Aurora Leigh speaks of the great poets
as the only truth tellers now left to
God; the only speakers of essential
truth opposed to relative compara-
tive and temporal truths; the only
holders by His sunskirts through con-
ventlonal gray glooms." Then there
10 the field Of fiction which just now
seems to be the type of literature
most universally read and enjoyed, /,
(unless we call newspapers literature),
and which does for our times what the
drama did for the days of Shaksspers
most truly "holds the mirror up to
life and nature" and deilneates the
hearts and souls, the motives and con-
duct of men and women. The good
novelist stands next to the poet In
helpful influence. But to suggest
even oil the kinds and classes Of
writer's who help US by "lending
their minds out to US" would take
too long, and to dwell upon the
value Of literature In home 10 need
less. We all appreciate 1t. Next to
helping them to lead sweet, clean,
true lives, you can do nothing better
for your children than to supply them
with good reading.
There sometimes comes the ques-
tion to people busy and interested In
other things, "What is good litera.
ture? What shall read? How can /
get 1t? How much will it cost?"
There is very worthy little book
published by Houghton, Miflin & Co.,
called Literary Landmarks tprice rs
csnts) from which you can answer
every one Of these questions for your
self, whether you want to be guided In
the selection of your children's litera-
ture or your own. Besides sketching
the greater works of literature, as the
title suggests, very valuable portion
of 1t is the list of books at the end,
with the names of publishers, the
price, and some suggestions as to their
nature and special value.
For grown people who can take up a
detailed study Of some one line of lit
erature, another very helpful guide is
a small book called the Study Glass by
Miss Mahan. 1t outlines a plan of
work, and gives hints for study that
covers large field Of literature and
might furnish lifetimes study or
may be taken up in small sections
according to your time and choice.
The work comprises:
Outlines of the study of SHAKESPEARE,
English Drama, English Poets
Browning, The English Essay, of the
Novel. For 10th century authors
only, Miss Hodgkin's Literary Leaf
lets form an excellent directory.
So far as present day thought is
concerned, no household ought to be
satisfied without good reading, when
one dollar per year will bring each
month as much good thought as is
contained in McClure's Magazine
The Cosmopolitan, The Puritan,
Munseys, or the Ladies Home Jour,
nal; from two to four dollars will
bring the Review Of Reviews, The
Outlook, Literary Digest, Current
Literary, Forum, Harper's 10th Cen
tury, Century, Atlantic, ETC., and
think that there is by no means the
difference in worth that there is In
price between the one and four dollar
magazines. II we wish to know
what books are now being talked about
what they treat of-where We can
get them, we have but to turn to the
advertisinp columns Of any of thu