Evening star., 1948-09-15
his and. That
!, By Charles r. Trace,oeH

1t won't be long now until winter the. best
reading time Those who like to read need no
special occasion, but there is little doubt that
cold nights are good Despite widespread and
persistent propaganda for going out, there still
are thousands of people who stay in Whole
communities indeed, remain indoors on chilly
fall evenings and the colder evenings of winter
enjoying the open fire. the radio conversation
and books and now televison. If many do
little snoozing, even in the face of these charms
it must not be held too much against them
All the vigor this sad world needs certainly
is in the Safekeeping of the radio boys. How
full of life, sparkle and pep they are, to be
sure! Nothing is said by them, or done by
them, except with a bang. At times they be-
come slightly tiresome, but it must be remem-
bered that they are earning their living and
in big way hence, they build up their vigor
q part of their stock in trade And they
are so young! Forgive them, grandpaw for
disturbing your Snooze.
Older and less vigorous persons of whom
there are many (although it may not be just
the thing to mention it,, will value the quiet,
reStful evening at home.
What you need to do is get out more
There is no quiet person who has not re-
celved that advice, always from some one who
does. indeed. go out plenty What is he fleeing
from? What does he do where he goes that
is more fun than We do at home? 1t would
be interesting to have quiet person give the
go-out prescription to quiet person, just for
e. change. 1t seems that common prescriptions
always are given by opposites. They are on
tap for all emergencies. including the common
cold.
Reading is gentle pleasure.
Old books are as good as new ones. although
readers know there enough of the latter,
if perchance they prefer them. Whole bat
teries of new authors have sprung up, men
uh reallv uiritc we'll Universal
education is good for writer's, even II it will not
end war New writers do not bother their
knowing heads as to whether they are as good
as old writers They feel sure they are best
because they are the newest. The cult of the
new fourishes in every generation. and there
is no arguing with the bright boys. Fortu-
nately for them. they know. They are right
They are the people. and wisdom will die
with them. Yet surely it is a pleasure to pick
up an old book. The reader can go clear back
to ancient Rome If he wants to. but he does
not have to 60 that far He can select mildly
oldie. such as Hard Times" by Charles Dickens
Fortunate for him if 1t is the only book by
the old master he has not read It's a good
book for snowy night, or blowy night. For
a few pages the Dickens atmosphere will seem
strange. Nobody writes that way any more
Few writer's hammer their ideas home at you
as he did. Gradgrind and McChokeumchild-
Dickens liked such names, and so did his read
ers and so will you If you read him. Read a few
pages and then these names seem to be the
best names possible. You would not have a
one of them changed. You suddenly feel sorry
for the earnest young person who decided sew
eral years ago, to rewrite Nicholas Nickleby."
and did it. with none too good results. To
ask Dickens to be Cronin IS to ask the sun
to be the moon, the Washington Monument to
be the Capitol, and bread to be beefsteak, or
something.
A cold night is better night than most to
renew ones tagging interest in the writer who
at one time had the readers of America at his
feet.
They met the boat from England to find out
about the fate of Little Nell
Dickens fundamentally was an actor. He saw
his characters and watched them act. He was
an energetic master of ceremonies, and his
readers had to have energy of mind to read
him The modern reader who takes up his
Dickens, preferring to stay at home with his
wonderful people. NAV not be so devoid Of
energy as some Of his friends think.