New-York tribune., 1902-12-03
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TT BROWsEs AMONG BOOKS AND THEo-
RIzEs UPON READING IN GENERAL.

..No I'm ashamed to say I haven't read IT.
This was the exclamation, uttered In regret
full almost renorseful. tone, which greeted the
ears of the Five O'clock Tea Club az two belated
members passed through the hall to the doorway
of tho sitting room. The two had been discussing
books up to the moment of entrance. They were
Mrs Wright and NJ 3. Lee and as both were con-
scientious readers each was feeling miseraoy
guilty the mental discovery that she hao not
kept up to the times.
and what are you SO ashamed of not having
readY' queried Miss Meriva1e. looking up as they
entered. '"The Book of Deuteronomy, or Dantes
Inferno?'
.Goodness!" exclaimed Mrs. Quitting. 1--WE never
read, either
I'm one ahead of you. then" laughed Mrs Lee,
as she seated herself. for have read Dante"
I'VE that score said Mrs Wr1gnt'
'for I've read Deuteronomy"
But what modern book were you speaking OF!
asked Mrs. Weldon.
The Virginans'" said Mrs. Lee.
You can't read everything, You know. not even
all the masterpieces" said Miss MerivaIe- L
haven't read all OF Shakespeare, but shan't con-
fess which plays 1 have neglected"
Thereby showing put in Mrs. Lee. syly, that
you are ashamed of not having read them all
.-NIea culpa!" exclaimed Miss Merivale, in the
% Of It. 70 tell the truth. but know should not
BE- Il were PSopd PT0pedI boda s0 here and
now, the name of every play that have left uns
read. But wIla horses couldn't drag IT out OF
but why dent you read thsm7s -, an,su-
eral literature Of the day. AS said before we
why. then, give so much time to the ephemeral
literature Of the day?' gently asked the other new
Because it isn't altogether ephemeral Don
YOU think it important to understand the
spirit of our time than of any other? The
chief even OF the study of history is TO throw
light upon our own age. which Is the outcome Oh
history"
and the mother of the future. I suppose you mean
that even the fiction of day is brilliant and
moving record Of life and manners, not TO De
despised by the student of humanity.
Yes | mean that precisely. 1t is the age or
fiction and though there is lot Of chan with the
wheat and cannot always slit II out accurately,
study of character. and we can't afford to neg
Friction with us takes the place of the epic
poems and folk songs of the earlier ages L sup
nose suggested Mrs. Weldon.
Yes but / don't believe, as many do. that poetry
is lost art among u.s. SAID Mrs. Wynne. me me
Conditions are teaching the public to believe that
they don't want poetry 1t is never advertised or
who always looks first for the verse in a. maga-
zine ,, NJ. ,,,;ht ..tbo+
with every commodity the supply often creates a
a certain thing is generally desired; ana peohIe
think We'll if others want It must have 1T. We
liberateIy force ourselves to read what we think
other people are reading merely for conformity;
well il gives something to talk about. SAID
Mrs Quitting IF We mustn't gossip ABOUT reSi a.
popIlar books It's quite resource. can tell
you The tendency to gossip IS pretty deepy
nle in books is one way to satisfy it. 1t won't do
TO SANDER Mrs. Brown or Mrs Jones, put you ian
fan upon Ibsens characters or rend the herolhe
of the latest Colonial novel with clear con-
seian,e