The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-07-20

profit. - pressure ana nope my
wtn the authors mentioned have had good eom,,r
sp am richer for having been in their society H. !,
ssts h ~ man the man with countless monetary as
"as hau no time to read for il ever ary earthiv
possession consoles or assuases pain n svsr ry
va e orinss sadness to that in wakefuness
ae tears and ache for the dark house and the Io ,e.
" ~ s'0'ious society OF such companions.
| JOHN A. KfaLicxs
ne rost wishes to know what read and why read
ana what demands of my are satisfied by reading
read all classes of literature history fiction biography
phosophy and some poetry prefer history TO any other
-, ~ Is very interesting TO read about the
sro"tn maturity and decay of nations and their civ
inzauons History philosophy teaching BY examnle
also ma much to interest in sociological problems It
is interesting to note the movements Of the human mind
an Improvement OF the conditions surrounding hui
mainly and above ALL II is interesting 10 trace the inn
proved conditions OF life that have gradually but surely
been evolved during the last two thousand wears
In fiction have found Dumas the elder very interest
ing particularly in the Count of Monte Crso 1t is the
scheme OF revenge ever evolved and the mag
innocent getting even with those who had injured the hero
also enjoyed very much called "Ten Thousand
year, and Ben Hur" have also read with pleasure at
t wnen wanted diversion the urid hctions of Ga
poriau and many others do value biography very
highly The statements generally one-sided and about
as reliable obituaries
AS to poetry, taste is best satisfied with Pope's
Essay on Man. and Campbels Pleasures Of Hone" has
gwen me some pleasure Burns, Byron Bryant and Long
fellow have all been read with some pleasure
Among works of philosophy have found great deal
OF pleasure in Volney and Carlyle and in Emerson
also in the writings of John P Aged The beauty of ex-
preston in Ingersol has appealed me- too
1t VIII be noted perhaps that have not mentioned the
biole or Shakespeare These l regard incomparaby
above all other literature and in making comparisons
compared only those which consider comparable
The why l read are first for information and
secondly for diversion The wants that are supplied BY
reading are more accurate realization of conditions
rounding our lives compared with conditions surround
ing the lives OF other people in other ages and realization
OF types OF ideals in men, women and portrayed
by writers of fiction
of read the daily papers for current history
the current magazines for thought and research
which is at the moment interesting current trade jour
rails to ascertain what going in my line OF bust
ness, l. E. McAsHAS
Acknowledging the courtesy of asking me contribute
what people read and why they read beg suggest
that if you wish dissertation the subject many
essays extant know, far ADLER than you likely
to get from contributors. IT, however apprehend
is the want collection of personal preferences
and the reasons therefor, mine easily given
First, as to Why Simply help defective and
neglected education because there is so much
to learn, and with the time left is short Knowledge
gained in is retained in memory that acquired in
youth it must he attractive in form harmony with
Temperament and habits of thought
As know little land ess) of sculpture painting,
music and poetry do not read books those subjects.
Recognizing that the greatest study of mankind and
sole object is acquire little food for
hection in declining the books that give
pleasure and therefore profit religious and political
histories science speculative theories historical novels
Believing that the governments the world in the
past, does and will forever rest with the common
people to learn what OF their environments
different periods and 10 follow their evolution from religious
and political barbarism. To illustrate; What the con-
don of the people that induced them follow bndy
the anatca mobiles in that as Cru
sadesi To appreciate SCOTS "Ivanhoe' should read
Mchauds History OF the Crusade" Guizot's France -
and Green's History of the English People" To compre-
bend the evolution Of religion should study
Andrew D. Whites History OF the Warfare of Science
With Theology"
lust now am interested in contrasting the condition
of the people Of rural England OF the time Ed
ward w with that OF those who acknowledge the sick Ed
ward today Only six hundred years intervening yet with
that earlier people America had been discovered window
glass bricks potatoes unknown they were
denied the blessings (se of gunpowder tobacco and
whisky
As to the historical novel it combines romance and
history the former helping keep alive the sometimes
tagging interest in the latter The historical novelist
be in his geography the climate fora and fauna of
the country well the religion government language
traditions of his people If all this be attractiYey told
and you have consulted the maps and encyclopedias you
will have added your stock of food reflection
Again in illustrations Who does better understand the
late Boe he has read Olive Schreiners STORY OF
African FARM And who has heard the Russian side of
the story of Napoeons Moscow campaign unless he has
read Tolstos War and Peace?
Many other examples might be cited but the above
the trend OF persons thoughts and methods of reading
As one can always study for diversion read anything
from Trlby' up the "AlLa Eye" with many of the
intermediate war detective and colonial novels read
and quickly forgotten.
hope have thus accumulated mental store, 30
that as the shadows ngthen and the evening of life -
gone from the pages OF memory peoples,
countries and theories it once my delight study
CHARLES B. PECK.