Reading

,unlessourcivilizationitselfmayberegardedassuchatranscript.HomerhasneveryetbeenprintedinEnglish,nor?schylus,norVirgileven—worksasrefined,assolidlydone,andasbeautifulalmostasthemorningitselfforlaterwriters,saywhatwewilloftheirgenius,haverarely,ifever,equalledtheelaboratebeautyandfinishandthelifelongandheroicliterarylaborsoftheancients.Theyonlytalkofforgettingthemwhoneverknewthem.Itwillbesoonenoughtoforgetthemwhenwehavethelearningandthegeniuswhichwillenableustoattendtoandappreciatethem.ThatagewillberichindeedwhenthoserelicswhichwecallClassics,andthestillolderandmorethanclassicbutevenlessknownScripturesofthenations,shallhavestillfurtheraccumulated,whentheVaticansshallbefilledwithVedasandZendavestasandBibles,withHomersandDantesandShakespeares,andallthecenturiestocomeshallhavesuccessivelydepositedtheirtrophiesintheforumoftheworld.Bysuchapilewemayhopetoscaleheavenatlast. Theworksofthegreatpoetshaveneveryetbeenreadbymankind,foronlygreatpoetscanreadthem.Theyhaveonlybeenreadasthemultitudereadthestars,atmostastrologically,notastronomically.Mostmenhavelearnedtoreadtoserveapaltryconvenience,astheyhavelearnedtocipherinordertokeepaccountsandnotbecheatedintradebutofreadingasanobleintellectualexercisetheyknowlittleornothingyetthisonlyisreading,inahighsense,notthatwhichlullsusasaluxuryandsuffersthenoblerfacultiestosleepthewhile,butwhatwehavetostandontip-toetoreadanddevoteourmostalertandwakefulhoursto. Ithinkthathavinglearnedourlettersweshouldreadthebestthatisinliterature,andnotbeforeverrepeatingourababs,andwordsofonesyllable,inthefourthorfifthclasses,sittingonthelowestandforemostformallourlives.Mostmenaresatisfiediftheyreadorhearread,andperchancehavebeenconvictedbythewisdomofonegoodbook,theBible,andfortherestoftheirlivesvegetateanddissipatetheirfacultiesinwhatiscalledeasyreading.ThereisaworkinseveralvolumesinourCirculatingLibraryentitledLittleReading,whichIthoughtreferredtoatownofthatnamewhichIhadnotbeento.Therearethosewho,likecormorantsandostriches,candigestallsortsofthis,evenafterthefullestdinnerofmeatsandvegetables,fortheysuffernothingtobewasted.Ifothersarethemachinestoprovidethisprovender,theyarethemachinestoreadit.TheyreadtheninethousandthtaleaboutZebulonandSephronia,andhowtheylovedasnonehadeverlovedbefore,andneitherdidthecourseoftheirtrueloverunsmooth,—atanyrate,howitdidrunandstumble,andgetupagainandgoon!howsomepoorunfortunategotupontoasteeple,whohadbetterneverhavegoneupasfarasthebelfryandthen,havingneedlesslygothimupthere,thehappynovelistringsthebellforalltheworldtocometogetherandhear,Odear!howhedidgetdownagain!Formypart,Ithinkthattheyhadbettermetamorphoseallsuchaspiringheroesofuniversalnoveldomintomanweathercocks,astheyusedtoputheroesamongtheconstellations,andletthemswingroundtheretilltheyarerusty,andnotcomedownatalltobotherhonestmenwiththeirpranks.ThenexttimethenovelistringsthebellIwillnotstirthoughthemeeting-houseburndown.“TheSkipoftheTip-Toe-Hop,aRomanceoftheMiddleAges,bythecelebratedauthorof‘Tittle-Tol-Tan,’toappearinmonthlypartsagreatrushdon’tallcometogether.”Allthistheyreadwithsaucereyes,anderectandprimitivecuriosity,andwithunweariedgizzard,whosecorrugationsevenyetneednosharpening,justassomelittlefour-year-oldbencherhistwo-centgilt-coverededitionofCinderella,—withoutanyimprovement,thatIcansee,inthepronunciation,oraccent,oremphasis,oranymoreskillinextractingorinsertingthemoral.Theresultisdulnessofsight,astagnationofthevitalcirculations,andageneraldeliquiumandsloughingoffofalltheintellectualfacultie