The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-09-25

efA'lSe. IS SkfeIuOuStN insisted upon
= by all the learned. worshipful. gov
ernmental and dictatorial person
ages who sit" on county councils or
talk The precious time recklessly away
ia Parliament without apparently ar
irving at any decision of definite work
able good for the nation, il win not per-
h2ps DE considered obtrusive or intru-
siye II a suggestion be put forward as
70 the Importance of one point-the
necessity Of teaching people to read.
This essential Of education is sadly
lacking among the general majority of
educated" persons in Great Britain,
and I think / may say America. Espe-
Cially among those Of the upper
classes in both countries. When we
speak Of these upper" classes we
mean, oil course, those who by chance
OF fortune have been born either TO
such rank or TO such sufficient wealth
as 10 be lifted above the toiling mil
ION. and who have certainly had all
the physical. mental and social advan-
taEes hat tuition, training and gem
elal surroundings can give then. Yet
il is precisely among these that we
find the very ones who cannot read,
who frequently cannot spell and whose
handwriting is so bad as to be well
nigh ulegible. When it is stated that
they cannot read that statement is not
10y an.- means intended 10 convey the
idea that il a book or newspaper be
given TO them they do not understand
the letters or the print in which the
reading matter is presented to their
eyes. They do. But such letters and
such print impress no meaning upon
their minds Any one can prove this by
merely asking them what they have
been reading. In nine cases out of te'
they don't know. And If they ever
did know, during one unusual moment
Of brain activity. they forgot. The
thinking faculty is, with them, like a
WOTn-Cut sieve through which every
thing runs easily and drops to waste.
7 ne news OF the day. he il set forth
ever so boldly in no matter what start
lngly stout headlines, barely eXcites
their interest for more than second.
They may perhaps glance at a couple
OF newspaper placards and lazily OBJ
serve Russia at it again" but Of the
ins and outs Of policy, the difficulties
of Government, the work of nations,
they grasp absolutely nothing.
Thus il happens that when they are
asked their opinion on any such events
IF the hour as may be making his
ry in the future they display their
utter ignorance in such d frankly
stupid fashion that any intelligent in
cuirer is bound 10 be stunned by their
lock Of knowledge and will perhaps
nlUrmur feebly: Have you not read
the news2" TO which will come the
vague reply-~Oh. yes. I read all the
newspapers, But / really don't re-
member the particulars Just nOwi"
What they do remem ber-these 'cul-
tured" persons (and the more highly
they are cultured the more tenacious
is their memory on the points Il
divorce case. They always read that
carefully over and over again. They
comment upon it afterward with such
EustO as 10 make il evident to the
mereSt tyrO that they have learned all
Is worst details by heart. If they can
only revel in the published shame and
disgrace Of one or two of their very
dearest friends. they enjoy and ap-
preciate that kind of mental fare more
than all the beautiful poems and
idyllic romances ever written.
The million" have long ago learned
10 read-and are reading The last is
the most important fact and one
which those who seek to govern them
do wen to remember. For their read
ing is Of a most strange, mixed and
dcsultory order-and who can say
what wOndrous new notions and dis
turbing theories may not leap out
sprite-lilze from the witches. caldron
Of seething ideas round which they
bubble, toll and trouble" wherein the
eve Of newt and toe of frog" in the
IcOk line may contrast with some
thing which is altogether outside the
boiling h-potch-namely, that
sick eagle looking at the sky" which
is the true symbol of the highest
literary art. But the highest literary
art. particularly in it's poetic form. is
ct discount nowadays. And why
Simply because people do not know
how TO read. Moreover, it is very
difficult TO make them learn. They
have neither the skill nor the patience
TO study beautiful thoughts expressed
n beautiful language. They want 10
rush" something through. Whether
poem. play or novel, it must be
rushed through" and done with. No
authors book can be sure Of an
honest and unprejudiced reading.
either by those whose business it is 10
review ii for the press or those whose
pleasure 1T is to skim" It for them
selves. They have mo time" They
have time for motoring. cycling, card
playing. racing, betting. tennis and
crOQuet-anything in short which does
not directly appeal TO the intellectual
faculties-but for real reading they
can neither make leisure nor acquire
aptitude.
This vague sieve-lilke quality OF
brain and general mental inability TO
comprehend or retain impressions Of
character or events, which is becoming
so common among modern so-called
readers" Of books, can but make
things very difficult for authors who
honestly seek TO contribute something
Of their utmost best 20 the world of
literature. Most men and women who
feel the divine afflatus'' and who are
able TO write in style above the aver
age must be conscious of a desire to
rise yet higher than any Of their own
attempted efforts, and TO do something
new, strong and true enough to hold
life, and lasting in il when other con-
temporary work is forgotten. 1t is the
craving Of the sick eagle looking at
the sky" perhaps. nevertheless it is a
noble craving. In taking an aim 1t is