Evening star., 1925-09-26
In science, read by preference the newest
works: in literature, the oldest. The classic
literature Is always modern

works: in literature. the oldest The classic
literature is always modern.
A friend telling me recently that he
had read every word of Darwin's
Origin of Species and Descent of
Man" while away on his vacation, /
could not but express my opinion that
1t had been a waste Of time.
The futility of reading every word
could nowhere be better demonstrated
than In those two books. parts Of them
superseded, as they have been, by later
findings Of scientists. Science is a
fiux-it knows no standing still, but
ever goes onward, let the cost be what
1t may.
To minutely. read Charles Darwin's
great books today Is something of a
waste Of time. In reviewing them re-
Gently for this column, the writer
thereof did go to that trouble, but
then only out Of a sense of duty to his
readers. 1t was a particular case.
l can think of no greater foolish
ness in general than idling away the
time of ones precious vacation with L
worldly word scrutiny Of THE Origin
Of Species" and 1.-The Descent of
Man"
There is a better and more effective
way of reading them-one which, it Is
true, requires some practice, but
which can be learned easily enough
by any one who is enough interested
in books to read them consistently.
The lack of books in many modern
American homes will be considered at
some other time. Today we proceed
on the assumption that those who read
books at all are interested in knowing
the best way to go at scientific book
written in the past.
This past may have been but recent,
so swift is the advance of science.
Unless one is an adept, then, in the
very subject on which he is reading.
he is very likely to find himself SOL
emnly cramming facts into his head
which are no facts at all.
X X *
The best way to read such books is
page by page. rather than word by
word.
This was the method adopted by
that omniverous reader the late Col.
Roosevelt. He managed to go through
a tremendous number Of books in his
lifetime, an astounding total, for which
no other method will account.
He had the habit of taking in the
contents Of whole paragraphs, and
even pages, at a glance. To be able
to do this in its perfection, of course.
requires both a fine mentality and
assiduous practice.
Yet almost any one Of ordinary in
telligence can achieve 1t, in some
measure at least, with the result that
he will save himself much labor and
be able to double or triple the number
of worthwhile books he has read.
Il read every word of it." is the
proud boast of many. This sentence
probably had it's origin in school days.
when the pride of studious pupils
uttered 1t as a rebuke to those dumb
ones that skipped" whole pages. or
even chapters.
Unfortunately, many of our school
day habits follow us through life
some that should be as dutifully laid
aside as were the very histories and
Biographies we used. Do we want to
read history today, we get for our
selves volumes written for adults, not
children.
The plain truth Is that in certain
sorts of books 1t is not only not neces'
sary but undesirable to read every
word" What one wants to find out,
for instance, in such book as THE
Descent of Man" Is simply what Oar
win had to say upon that mooted
question.
To do this, the better plan is to read
by paragraphs. taking in whole
thoughts at a time. 1t is not so hard
as it may sound to those who may
never have attempted it.
Every newspaper man, for instance,
by the very necessities of his work,