HOW AND WHAT TO BEAD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13781, 20 June 1908, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOW AND WHAT TO BEAD.

BY SIR ROBERT STOUT. '...-:_ In my short- address to the students of the Auckland University College, I. alluded to the fact that the-reading of serious books was not popular amongst our people. I have during the last eighteen months travelled through many parts of the North Island, and from what I can learn there are few serious books read by our young people in the North. -.-. In the hotels and boardinghouses I have visited I have not seen a single young person* reading a serious book. The newspaper is read, and occasionally a novel is perused. There are no doubt several causes which lead to this result. Our climate enables our young people to be much in the open air. We have not the long, cold winter nights nor the bad weather that are experienced in the northern latitudes of Europe. Again, newspapers and magazines are plentiful, and our newspapers contain varied reading. Generally in the Saturday paper there are interesting extracts, short stories, and a few columns of science notes, and references to new books. Such newspapers nave become a substitute for books. But the danger of confining the reading to newspapers, however well the selections that appear in them may have been chosen, is that the reading becomes desultory and aimless. Much general information is obtained, no doubt, but no one subject is studied with any depth. . This then is the position, and the question is, How can it be altered? I j propose to deal with; the.subject under the j Mowing hea&s>. &*&.■,&:• time for reading; second, what, to read; ami timti, how to get the books. 'WHEW- TO READ. I I have already referred to bur climate as not tending to make us a reading people. Our young people, even in the winter, are in the open air, and in winter there seem to be as many, it not more, outdoor games than in summer. It is the time for football and hockey, and even the older people then play golf. What time is there then for reading? I believe we do not realise that the odd five or ten.minutes or quarter of an. hour that we spend doing nothing coidd be utilised for reading. Suppose one gets up in the morning, and after a bath and before breakfast has nothing particular to do. Why should not the ■- odd five, ten, or fifteen minutes '"be spent in reading? And during the day it will be found that there are always odd five, ten, or fifteen minutes in which nothing is being done. Many of our people spend these odd times in smoking. Smoking by young people is, in my opinion, worse than a waste of time. It is an indulgence in a drug habit that has an evil effect on their physical wellbeing. There are scores, may I say. hundreds, of youths, from 15 to 21, who smoke cigarettes. Many eminent doctors have pointed out that such smoking has a bad effect on the heart as ■well as tending to phvsical degeneration. The pale, wan, faces of cigarette smokers, and their nervous- irritability, when they are not under the influence of the drug, are both apparent. Why should not the time that is spent in smoking be. spent in reading? There is not a day in which the busiest youth may not have half an hour to an hour for reading, if he will only keep his book handy, and take it up at odd times. I know, in my own case, in my busiest days, by having a book or serious magazine handy, I am able to get through a great deal of reading. To-day, for example, I read: at three different times. I read for about twenty minutes before breakfast two articles in a French review, and in waiting for lunch I read an article in an ethical review, entitled, "The Educaj tional Future." by F. G. Gould, and before I dictated this article I read for another twenty minutes. I only mention this to ■ show' how the "odd' minutes may be utilised. If it be said that the young man on a farm • has to start work immediately he gets his breakfast, and that he has no spare moments at all until bedtime, I answer that this is only the case on rare occasions. There are, even in the . strenuous life of the young farmer, odd five, ten, or fifteen minutes that he may utilise if he has his book handy and never uses nis pipe. The clerk has more odd times at his disposal than the farm servant, but I might go through all the occupations of our people, and point out that there are odd moments to be utilised. There is plenty of time for reading if there is* only the desire to read.

WHAT TO READ. The next question is, What to read. I believe that the reading should be both desultory and systematic. The reading must be desultory if we want to keep abreast of what is taking place in the world, and in the weekly issues, of our newspapers, and also in the Saturday issues of most of our newspapers, there are generally extracts dealing with what is taking place in the world of politics, literature, science, religion, and facial life. All these should be read if we want to keep in touch with the world's history. I call this desultory reading. The reading of some magazines is also" desultory reading; for the subjects are varied and changing. But magazines should not be ignored, for they often contain, in condensed form, most valuable information. But reading must be systematic, and have an aim. Wo should choose our subject, and study all the books that we can obtain bearing on it. , Let me mention what two or three young men did over 40 years ago. For about 18 months or two years they resolved to read books of travel. They were engaged in other studies at the time, and they undertook this kind of reading as a pastime. For example, they commenced with Borneo, and read three books on that island'. These were all the books that could bo?obtained then on Borneo in the library op to them. Then they read all the books they could get on China on Russia, on Sia.m, and on all the countries of Asia. Nowadays books of travel that are obtainable in the libraries ■ are so numerous ■ that a selection would have to be made of a few on each country. This kind of reading is exceedingly interesting. . One gets a knowledge of the different countries of the world, of their physical aspects, climate, productions, etc., and of the social life of their people. No subjects are so interesting as those that come under the name of science. If we -wish to "earn what is said about the constitution of matter, we would naturally read that most interesting book,. "The New Knowledge," bv Professor Duncan, and the. book of Professor J. Thomson, at Cambridge, on electricity. Sir Oliver Lodge's book on the same subject would also be perused. If we read these three books we would get an idea of the "new knowledge*' on what is matter. If we wished to study any historical question we would find that the books were so numerous that we would have to make a selection. If some period is chosen for study, I would recommend that we should read some biographies of people who lived during the period we are studying. Our youths might spend a year on books of history and biography, and a year on books of travel. During another year they might study some special science, and in another year take up sociology and then philosophy. If they wish to know and appreciate the basis of science, sociology, and religion, philosophy cannot be disregarded. The books on philosophy are numerous, and some can be obtained m the libraries. In studying mental and moral science, I would recommend the student to begin with Bain's " Mental and_ Moral Science." It contains a valuable historical portion, showing ' the various philosophical controversies of the past. The books on social science would fill a moderate-sized room. We have one word for ever on our lips—socialism. How fewhave ever read a book on socialism. We should read both sides. Two short books against socialism are by Professor Le Rossignol and W. A. Mallock. We should also read Blatehford, Kirku'p, Hobson. and Schaeffie, and others on socialism, and also Spencer's Study of Sociology.*' I may add that there arc some valuable biographies that ought to be read. For example, what a delightful autobiography is Leigh Hunt's.- I remember reading, when J. was a lad, It gives a sketch of

life in the Georgian period in Europe, The Examiner incident, shows the freedom then existing for the press, and it may be contrasted with the freedom of the press now.: Some of Leigh Hunt's essays are.delightful —"A Jar of Honey from : Mount HyWa, • "The Religion of the Heart," etc. Should anyone be ignorant of' the humour, ot 'Charles Lamb, " The Essays of Elm can be got for a shilling. Many an autobiography, however, is more than a detailing of social events that are not found in ordinary histories. '~. It :is often a ; private talk with a great man,-in which he opens his soul to the public. Herbert Spencer ,s is such an autobio~raphy. . And what will impress the reader most in : this autobiography is the absolute truthfulness of the writer. He has slurred over nothing,, , and. one rises from a ■ perusal of the autootography with, an even higher opinion ot. Spencer than his philosophical works give. If we want to get an idea o~ style we must read some of the essuyiete—Addison, Swift, Steele, Johnson, Bacon, Buskin, etc., and last, but not least, Robert Louts. Stevenson. And the works of Elbert j Hubbard give both style and virility.. j Every employer, if he is wise, should m- j gist on his young employees reading'. .The | [Message to Garcia," "The Cigaretist, ,' ; ; ["Pasteboard Proclivities," and _ the : charming biographies entitled " Little ! Journeys " shouM be in the hands of i every youth. True poetry is the highest thoughts in the best rhythmical language, and one is not educated who has-uot drunk-;, of that Pierian spring. I would advise; ; the young law student to read Browning s: "The Ring and the Book," and -he will find that poetry is not foreign to advocacy. Nor is theology, if he willPP r Dr. Salmon's able and witty book, " The Infallibility of the Church." _ , ,-..,.-So many have made suggestions as to what to read that it would be a vain repetition for me. to attempt, to enumerate i %<&* books with which <>«" young people I shouldl':be;-acouaiateai. ; •■.Numerous lists i have been: published. Tke~gm^VS v 3M.-, I are all obtainable in cheap editions, and a dozen volumes -of the ' masterssill&itito are worth a thousand of most oiP themodern novels. Scott, Thackeray, Dickens, George Eliot, Beade, Meredith, Hardy, etc., should be known. or should he be ignorant of the American writers, Emerson, Lowell, Donald ' Mitchell (J. K. Mnirvel), J. Lane Allan, Washington Irving, Hawthorne, U. W. Holmes, etc. Then there are the poets, beginning with Shakespero and ..ending with Watson. Might I suggest the "Golden Treasury" selection as a sincere book that will give some of the best ot our English poems. HOW TO READ. The important thing, however, is to choose a subject and study it and read the best that can be said on it by the: best men, whether their views are in unison or not. I have been, reading five, books lately. They are: "Lord Acton and his Circle," by Abbot Gasquefc.. (1906); "Lectures on Modern History, by Lord Acton, 1906 " The- History of Freedom and Other Essays," by Lord 4cton (1907); "Historical Essays and Studies," by Lord Acton (1907): "Lord Acton's Letters to. Miss Mary Gladstone (1905). I need hardly say that Lord Acton was believed to be the most learned man in Europe. He was understood to be engaged on a " History ot. Freedom or Liberty" in all countries, but he died before he accomplished his task. The three volumes of his lectures have been- collected, edited by Messrs. Figgis and Lawrence, and they are precious documents. Lord Acton's, wide knowledge of history is exemplified in these volumes. He was at home in the literature of Italy, Austria, Germany, France, etc. But; it is not his learning that impresses one. It is his devotion to truth. Truth to him is the most important thing, and he strives to find out what the truth is about every historical statement. 'He lived and died a. Roman Catholic, and his' impartiality " may be .tested by ■ the; following extract, on the part the Roman Church played m the St Bartholomew massacre. In dealing with the St. Bartholomew massacre he points out that a great number of Catholic writers had denied the complicity of the Church in this terrible business. He however, shows that down, to a certain period all.the great Catholic writers admitted that the blame of the massacre rested on the Catholic Church, and he continues : — •

Then there was a change. A time came when the Catholics, having long relied on force, were compelled to appeal to.opinion. That which had been defiantly acknowledged and defended required to be explained away. The same motive which ha .dnutiflcd the murder now prompted the lie. Men shrank from the conviction that the rulers and restorers of their Church had been murderers and abettors-of murder, and that so much, fnfamv had been coupled with so much zeal. They feared to say that the most monstrous of crimes had been solemnly approved at Rome lest they should devote Papacy to.the execration of mankind. A mm of facts were invented to meet the difficulty. The victims were insignificant to number; thev were slain for no reason connected with region the Pope believed in the existence of the plot; the plot was a reality; the ■medal was fictitious; the massacre was a feint concerted with the Protestants themsllves- the Pope rejoiced only. when lie heard that it was over. These things have been repeated so often that they have sometimes been believed, .men Leave, fallen into tins way of speaking 'whose sincerity was, m - impeachable, and who were not -shaken in their religion by the errors and vices of Popes. Mohler was pre-eminently such a man. In his lectures on the " History of the Church" which were published only last year K c he said that the Catholics as such took no part in the massacre; that no .cardinahMshop. or priest shared in the counsels that prepared it; that Chai.ies nevei informed the Pope that a conspiracy had been dfscovered, and that Gregory made his thanksgiving only because the Kings life was saved Such things, will cease to be written when men perceive that truth is the only merit that gives dignity and worth to history.

A. Protestant, however, before lie casts stones at the Catholic Church for burning heretics should read what. Actou\has.to say on the " Protestant Theory of Persecution " Might I also direct attention to his essays on "Wolsey and the Divorce of Henry VIII.," "The Vatican Council, and "The Secret History of Charles 11. They are well worth reading, and state fact's that are little known. BOOKS ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. The third question is, How can books be obtained? If our young men are resident in any of the chief towns, they may be obtained in any of the subscription libraries that are in every town, or they may go in their spare hours to the public libraries and read there. In our country districts there are few places that have not a library. In the Far North I found good libraries at Whangaroa, Russell, Mangonui, and Kawakawa, And I am sure that throughout' the Dominion there are few places where books cannot be obtained from a library. But even, if books cannot be obtained from a library, they are now so cheap that the best of literature can be obtained for very small sums. I venture to say that if our youn" men would determine to set aside Is per week for literature they would soon have a very fair library, and how many of our young men do not spend more on the drug habit than Is per week? Dent, Routledge, Scott, Nelson, ■ Macmillan, and other English publishers are publishing the best books of our best men at from 6d to 2s per volume. They might get a volume a fortnight, that is twenty-six volumes a year. It is not necessary to introduce personal experiences, and if I do so it is only for the purpose of emphasising some statement, and perhaps showing a way that young men might follow. I can say that at eighteen I had accumulated a "considerable number of books, and my "means were more scanty than those of almost any young man" in the Dominion who is in employment. If our young people get the passion for literature there will be many opportunities for satisfying thenlove' of reading. It would take too long to point out the benefits of reading and of literature. Books are a solace to mankind. No man should be deemed educated who is ignorant of what the best men have said in tlie best way about the things of this life. There are pleasures in books that cannot be obtained, elsewhere, and the effect on New Zealand of having our people. a literary people, well read in all the best books, would be such as to exceeu our most sanguine expectations of the effect of culture..