Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1922-05-04
LITERATURE-ITs VALUE
{ From Easter4 Progress)


past? This question has been
spoken of by many speakers OF
the day. The author sends to the
publisher his explanation. When
we listen to the Grafton of the
day we go to our homes ponder
ing over the address that is still
ringing in our ears. An under
standing of the manuscript OF
the past relieves the congestion
that is worrying the audience.
Go back TO the time when Ed
ward Everett and Lincoln spoke
at Gettysburg. Mr.. Everett
spoke two hours, but there was a
feeling OF restlessness over the
crowd until he finished his adj
dress then when the sturdy back
woodsman arose to address the
audience, there was a feeling in
his soul which could not be be-
trayed, when he delivered that
five minute address to a spell
bound audience. What did he
do? He spoke to the people and
for them; this is why the address
was a success for Mr.. Lincoln.
Now what Lincoln did for the
Gettysburg audience the great
poets and prose writers have
done for mankind at large. They
speak the things that other pee
pie feel.
We hear passages of the Bible
read and re-read but fail to see
the beauty in it. What is the
matter with this method? There
is but one conclusion to be
drawn. We would not think Of
reading or hearing read to us one
act of one of the plays of Shakes
peare and one act of another Of
his plays and hope to hold the
connection or see the beauty il
each play. Neither can you read
a few verses there in the Bible
and hope to get the beauty Of
each chapter or each book. We
must read play or a book thru
if we wish to hold the connection
throughout the book or play.
Every book, play or manu-
script should open to YOU some
beautiful trait of character, some
incentive for you to aspire to
higher ideals. or gain the goal for
which you are striving to gain.
Literature is an outlet for your
own soul as we'll as an inflow OF
others. As wide and as varied
however as the domain of litera-
ture seems, the greatest works
can be divided into two classes.
You often hear it said that a man.
or an event is famous in song
and story" Now this expression
song and story" really means
the wholue realm of literature. It
includes first, lyric poetry, and
second, the longer works, prose
or verse that tells story. The
other kinds of literature are mod
or combinations Of
these two. There are a number
Of poets and story writers of the
English language. The latter may
be sighted to the English writer,
Tennyson, and the American poet
Longfellow.
There is no better way in which
the youth of America can be lift
ed to higher ideals than through
literature. 1t is the best way to
keep the vision of good ideals be-
fore theyouth and the man or
woman on the road through life.
1t is a fact that the fundamental
characteristics of American liter
tilre is its ideal. Converse with
the authors of the past through
their works and you will agree
with this statement.
Emerson said of Thorean:
fWhere ever there is knowledge,
where ever there is virtue, where
ever there is beauty he will find
home" The readers of good lit
erature can find knowledge, viz
tuous ideals, beauty and be at
home
We study human nature in
books so it can be studied in life.
Great fiction is a laboratory
course in human nature; it is toI
real life what astronomy is TOT
the stars, what the world Of the
microscope and telescope is to the
naked eye. IT is not a substi-
tute for real life, but an introduc-
ton to. real life.
Literature can recall the past,
interpret the present, and antici
pate the future. 1t can take you
back to Greece and Rome when
was at its highest
There is one person, who can Wit
alize the past, he is none other
than the poet. Literature not
only recalls the past but it can
make it an ever living present.
T o+-c ra,d aad c+,1dx, 1itaro