The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-23
sELP-EDUcATIoN.

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SPECIFICATION.
How can a young man get an eoucauo''
FOR himself Il he has not had the adVah-
-. Of a college course? This Is the
question that was asked OF Tho Times
lost Sunday. The desire OF men has al
wavs been for the power that comes
from knowledge. and the truest knowl-
ode IS the demesne OF the educated man.
The mastery OF life that comes from eou-
.a+;on ia a Tar higher and different form
OF power than that which results from
the mere acquisition Of number OF
facts.
7,.arcation and instruction are not one
erd the same instruction is essentially
the result and aim Of the more or less me-
ehanical process of .nemorizing. NO nna]-
ter how wide the range nor how valuable
In. information 80 acquired may DC, the
tn.tructed man is always sharply sepa-
-ated from the educated man by their
different points Of view of the world and
aife.
Sudden suffering or Coy. unlocked Tor
failure or SUCCESS. these are the tests
that try mems souls, and In the trlal the
true basis of a mans life is mace APP
1,erent. The instructed man In the lace
os some crisis. will cast about him to re-
call what some other man said or ola
in a like case Not SO Of the truly eou-
Gated man. He will in such case seek
! To find from his own heart the true course
that any man ought to pursue, ana ne
will not seek in vain. The glory anu
mower Of education is that 1t gives 10
these who attain it that community OF
Thought and oneness Of purpose with the
rreat minds of the world, from which in
n,riods of stress and strain will come
spontaneously and naturally the choice OF
She right course Education implies an
e.cr widening outlook. 1t is state Oh
mind, or rather conscious ana acuVe
att;tude, that can be both gained and IN
creased 1t has always been, II we may
SO describe it, the concrete expression or
mans desire to come into that freedom
8 which belongs to those that know the
truth.
How shall a man get this attitude and
this force that comes from 1T? For those
who have been deprived Of the inspiration
that comes from personal contact with
great teachers, or have not hao' WINE
sui they were plastic and receptive, the
tmpress of associations with the literary
traditions of university or college there
htill remains the great and ineXhausuple
Ieean Of education that is found in BOOKS.
El,t to navigate that sea a chart is neces-
sary for the student in search Of his bet
her self as ever it was for mariner seek
ing gold or going home.
In answer to this natural and funda-
mental demand lists of the best books"
have been prepared from time to time
or these lists. and the reasons therefor
tie best that we have seen appeared in
tic London Academy a year ago. This
article gave within the narrow compass
OF fifty books a. chart that would safe
guard any young voyager on the troubled
and ever restless sea on whose bosom
are launched the hopes and efforts OF
those that seek for education
The list is divided into ten parts. Each
4
3 should be read as groundwork for the
further pursuit Of that branch OF knowl-
edge.
First, as preliminary course, is given
q series Of works in Latin as the basis
Of our grammar, and also for the i'm
nortant influence it has exerted on our
language.
Second, series OF books treating of
the science of number. space and time.
these books bear the more usual names
o. arithmetic, geometry, algebra and
trigonometry.
The student then takes up a course of
study in natural science. reading such
books as Hunley's Lessons in Element
airy Philosophy" and Sir Robert Balls
story Of the Heavens. .
Re development Of the imagination Is
], no less essential part of a mans edu-
CO ton than the strengthening OF his rea-
soning powers. SO the next step is to
take up the great epic and dramatic
mems of the world. In these, the first
nv. names are obviously Shakespeare
E,,ion, Aeschylus. Homer and Dante. Fol
these to whom the atmosphere of the
Greek writer's is unfamiliar pleasant
s,cans of transition is offered in Millions
Samson .Agonistes. In prose fiction the
choice is much more difficult But the
Academy submits as perhaps the best ex.
a,rples OF modern novels Ficiding's TON
Zones; Pride and Prejudice" by Jane
i,stin; ..osmond.'' by Thackeray; "Pers
Scriot." by Balzac. and Peace and
Mar. by Tolstoi.
As the Academy points out. self-edu-
btcd men are more apt than other men
IL education TO be led away by precon,
s. cssSed fallacies and notions. or by mis-.
u se.pg terms. and il q. Therefore. well Y
.s $3.50 aai,St 10 GROSS ot naisapprehen'