Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-08-22

answered only in e very general way.
II depends upon the reader'b mlnd-nis
capacity, training, trend and aims.
6 In reading for either pleasure or
profit most Of us young and old alike
will follow DR.. johnson, who says: A
man ought toread as inclination leads.
him. for what he reads as a task will
do him little good
But with this view of the case we will
add what DR.. Johnson took for granted.
IF we are to regard our inclination as a
safe guide, 1t should be previously edu-
Gated by thorough course of classical,
authors; for only then can we reap the
best results by following inclination,
because only then can we depend upon
pure taste and judgment.
A few maxims for reading from the
great and gifted may prove suggestive
and helpful to the average reader seek
ling light.
Enerson's rules should be known to
|all:
1. Read no book that is not year
old.
2. None but famous books
3. None but what you like.
Emerson's first rule would save us
springs at once into fame mostly be-
cause it is Infamous, and dies six
months later
His third rule is in line with Dr..
IJohnson's thought, and takes for
granted that our taste has been edu-
Icated to like only the old and famous
His rules are sensible at any rate,
| and should help to save US from the
f,f mo ffny \,
lithat comes TO hand
| All wise critics recognize the impor-
|tance of putting a new book on proba-
ton; for as Sir John Lubbock says in
This admirable essay on books: There
is a struggle for existence and a sur
vival of the fittest' among books as we'll
as among animals and plants
And says Alonzo Of Aragon: Age
recommends four things-old wood To
burn, old Wine TO drink. old friends to
trust and old books to read.''
However, 1T is one thing to own a
library; another, to use it wisely so as
Ito make it profitable.
doubt whether any book can be
made profitable to which we do not
bring the literary appetite. Given that,
lone should heed Carlyie's injunction
land learn to be good readers, which IS
more difficult than you ina CINE. Learn
ITO be dscriminative-to read faithfully
land with attention. all things in which
slyou have a real interest
There are some books which it is
|protitable to read all around. asst were
Ito gain some estimate of the charac-
|sterof the author-to understand some
thing of the age in which he lived, and
his relation to it.
j Lord Brousham advises us to read
of something, and some
thing of everything. And he who reads
thus Will, doubt not, prove himself the
4 best-informed and all-around liberal
minded man among US.
4 Racon's famous epigram remains for
4 ever true: Some books are to be
4 tasted, others to be swallowed and
lsome few to be chewed and digested.''
a OF the former kind are the multitude
i of books. including most Of the fiction
written, that require no thought, for
1.-THE simple reason. as Cotton says,
they made no such demand upon their
5iauthors.i
a Books there are unworthy of careful
perusal, which yet contain worthy mat
tier. For such as these one should learr
6 the art Of skipping and skimming
much as we read the newspa per.
8 The books to be chewed and digestee
Iare those that make US think, and as i
4lrule those that make US think. are tbs