The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-09-04
ABOUT BOOKS.

OHAh go
their different characteristics have
of late become of such Importance as
a subject for discussion in the Chat
that I do not consider it inappropr1-
ate TO add a few observations of my
own.
First then, books r a remarkable
force toward e~1evating or lowering a
youthful Misunderstanding one to an
imaginative standpoint Owe the
"cares that infest the day" or low
ering with the vulgar strife to emu
late some pet character in his fasc1-
mating immortality. Therefore a
reader should first learn to
distinguish the ideal good from the
alluring bad. He should learn to
pass by the dime novel with its OBJ
scene covers and descriptions of the
violent gayety of western life or n
ribaldry of '.rich' New York. He
should learn to spurn all the
cheeky" stuff depicting in it's sour
rilous style the scenes OF Paris or
the vice of London. He should learn
to spurn all matter tending to fasten
in vile pursuits the hopes and
promises of maturity. And perceiv-
ing thus his danger, he should earn
to search for that depicting the
beautiful examples, the delights and
glories. of a moral life.
And if he loves to linger over the
melodies of ages and to mediate
upon the achievements of ancient
people, give him a key to Scott, from
whose pages can still be heard the
minstrelsy of Scottish borders and
the din of the mountaineers as they
clash in battle or chase the stag.
Waverley, as he leads over the crags
and mountain-chasms will inspire !;
Ellen, as she sings doleful lays for
her absent lover, ''the noble Graeme,"
or glides over the crystal waters as
1.-the Lady of the Lake" and stands
guardian Naiad of the strand" en-
thuse and the brave Fitz-James, as
he faces with firm defiance Roderick's
"Clan-Alpine soldiers true" and
fights to avenge ''poor Blanche" or
the feet Malise, as he speeds with
the s'Fiery Cross over the noun
tain-side, and calls A1pine's sons to
arms, and, sinking at last, cover
him streams his widows tears, will
glorify and exalt to love!
Again, if he, a broad reader,
though now hungry, is still thrilled
with a love for the beautiful and
grand, give him Shakespeare, who
will offer with pleasing voice the
fantastic plays of the gods, and
extol to historic grace all the infinite
forces of being Milton, whose sweet
notes will beguile sorrow from the
heart Tennyson, whose polish will
sweeten life with the beauty of love
and nature or Longfellow, whose
~gentleness of address will crowd the
heart will mildness of thought and
feeling. Then will Hawthorne WELD
his fairy wand, and Irving muse his
reader to sleep on the summit of the
Catskills.
Now, listen to the melodious blend
ings of centuries grown old before
our age! What an intermingling of
attainments, what astounding e1o-
qUence, firing from the halls Of
majestic Rome, and echoing down to
our own time What pages glowing
with the lofty sentiment of Greece's
noblest? Do you not feel, after
these harmonies have echoed through
your imagination, that the stately
volumes of lore are means whereby
we live in unstinted halo with
the ~ancients?
Aye, It's a glory to live in reach of
these treasures of ever-speaking
learning, for tbs true
''That books hoist our interests up
To a full breeze of thinking, which
Doth wait our hopes and aims off
To the calm-belt of knowledge"
Yes a "~calm-belt" indeed for
there all is contentment. There a
righteous knowledge ever c~onfronts
deception, staying every error, and
there an ever-enduring comfort
whispers joy to the sorrowful soul
and hope to the wearied heart.
There is found a heaven of pleasure
for all who seek. Every breeze
whispers it's poetry every riH laughs
out its g1eefnl song tuned TO the lnta