The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1904-10-29

ment the gentlemen in charge and
hope under their wise management
the old University will grow until it
becomes one OF the grandest institu-
tons of learning in the south
ABOUT THE BOOKS WE READ.
This is not to be a sermon by the
"Highway and By-way Pteacher,Y
but Just little heart to heart talk
about one of the most delightful and
helpful tastes that can't possibly be
cultivated, taste for good litcrataro.
1t. gives ennobling employment for
leisure hours it enables one =
happy alone; it prevents tie ni.nd
from craving external excitement 1t
gives elevation and refinement to So
cial intercourse by furnishing useful
topics for conversation, to the exclu-
sion of the frivolous and slanderous.
Properly directed, it adorns the mind
with imperishable graces, and endows
it with unreasonable power for use
fitness.
The sickly morbid development, OF
which the present age gives so many
melancholy specimens, is almost en-
tirely due to the fact that great ma
iority of the youth of our country,
instead of selecting a proper quantity
Of the yer best mental food, are con-
stantly devouring great masses OF
that empty, frothy, highly-seasoned
deady-poisoned sentimental trash
which passes itself along under the
dainty and delicate title of light lit
erature."
Lord Bacon quantity, but wisely
says some books are to be only tast-
ed, others to be swallowed, and some
few chewed and digested." That is,
some are to be read only in part;
others are to be read, but not curious
w: and some few are to be read
wholly, with great diligence and at
tention, as the choicest food of the
mind. "a few good books, digested
we'll, do feed the mind; much clogs
or doth ill-humors breed"
The masses of our youth do not
read good books, but become deeply
interested in the trashy literature OF
the Duchess" type, and, in the course
of few years, their minds are SO
intent on thrilling and unnatural &C
tons that to sit and carefully read
good book is difficult task, indeed.
In the selection of his reading, the
| American youth uses no clear, dis
crminate Judgment, but plunges into
| the great sea of our literature, and
devotes his time to trashy reading
that cannot possibly have any benehc-
| ial effect, but, ON the Their hand,
transfers the reader from world OF
cold, stern facts and realities to
mythical Utopia existing only in the
shallow brain of some narrow-mind-
ed crank. His mind soon becomes
intoxicated with light reading and he
has no relish for the class of literature
no relish for the class of literature
which will, in the future, prove a po-
tent factor in promoting his advance
ment in the more popular and prac-
teal bearing of his education. For
short time, his power of magma
ton is cultivated, but the ultimate
effect in his ideas become narrow and
whimsical, his views are fanatical and
without reason, his sense of the beau
tiful and good and true is destroyed,
and he lives apart from the world in
some land of the imagination where,
like the beautiful isle of the Lotus
Eaters" all is Sweet peace and COM
fort"
We would impress upon our boys
and girls the Importance OF reading
only those books which possess in
tellectual force and value. 1t has been
estimated that there are more than
ninety thousand books in the English
language which deserve to be read.
1t is, of course, impossible to read
even a small percentage of this num-
Der, but with careful attention and
necessary research. a number of the
best ones may be selected that will
prove of incalculable value to the
reader.
1t may occur to you that such
course would prove monotonous to
the reader. To some extent, that IS
true. We suggest, that after deep
and thoughtful reading, piece OF
light literature" is always acceptable,
and we might add, beneficial. 1t af-
fords relaxation to the brain and al
lows the concentrated forces to scat
ter by transferring thought to ac-
tions more poefical in their nature.
In our physical diet, all the laws Of
hygiene demand that we partake only