Evening star., 1932-07-27
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

One Of the fashioned beliefs hap
PLY dropped in this age was that the
, sort of thing to read in Summer was
light fiction"
Today the bulk of readers know
better
They realize that the proper sort of
reading for hot weather is just the
same as for any other time Of the
year.
Good writing.
Whether it be tight" or heavy"
makes no particular difference.
As a matter of fact, those who really
enjoy reading often find that hot
weather is the one best time Of the
year for going through works which
offhand receive the label of heavy"
This happens because the mind does
not sweat. 1t alone, Of all our organs,
refuses to be affected by the heat.
The mind functions quite as well on
hot day as on a cold one.
This is realized by all persons who
actually have command Of their minds.
Many do not, of course; therefore,
they do not understand exactly what
is meant by command"
There is nothing mystical about it,
however.
The mind must be talked to by the
mind, and told what the mind wants
the mind to do.
Conscious direction, to some extent,
is necessary If the trusty old brain is
to function readily and happily in all
sorts of weathers.
subscribe to the ancient doctrine that
there Is some curious relationship be-
tween the state of the weather and
what one should read.
There is not, and never has been,
but large section Of the community,
in the heyday Of the great and glorious
'90s, actually believed that one should
read one sort of book in August and
another type in December.
A little able direction by the mind
will set the mind at rest on such a
proposition and soon convince it that
the real reader is Just as able to pursue
his favorite occupation and recreation
in hot as In cool weather.
The mind does not perspire, remem-
ber.
1t remains serenely aloof from the
mundane affairs of life, as If it were
the natural heir to another world and
knew it.
The mind is proud Of the distinc-
tion which life has given it.
NOI AOl AOLAAlIlB uOSS ~ Dear DOCLl
the burdens and the rewards of living.
The shame Of the mind comes when
1t contemplates such a non-intellectual
process as warfare, and realizes that,
despite all the plain reasons against
it, there is nothing much that can be
done to make intellectually victorious
in this matter
When 1t comes to reading, there the
mind Is strictly on its own plane.
Books were made for the mind, not
for the hands or the legs.
The eyes have it, in sense, since
it Is through them that the majority
OF persons read, but it must not be
forgotten that even here many persons
read with the finger tips.
They, too, are readers.
1t is the mind, in any case, which Is
the reader
The mind reads, the mind tastes, the
mind discards, the mind rejoices.
Once the proper directions have been
given, the mind finds it quite as easy
to read a heavy" work as q light"
one.
There are several plain benefits to be
gained in thus buckling down to a book
which some might regard as more suit
able reading for cold night.
In the first place, the reader plainly
tells himself that reading is not a
meteorological process.
The state Of the wind has nothing
at all to do with it.
1t Is the condition of the mental
faculties which counts hereI