NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 30 October 1919, Page 26

NOTES

Good Reading Carlyle tells us that the true University is a good library. In accordance, with his opinion we have time and again urged those in whose hands the power lies to provide every parish with a Catholic University, in the shape of a good parochial- library. We are not satisfied that we. have overcome the fatal apathy which prevents people .from doing the good that they recognise ought to be done, and we know that it would take an earthquake to shake from their immemorial groove of laissez-faire the majority of those who seethe good that might be done and will not do it. That we have a few good parish libraries is proof that the thing can be done; that we have so few is proof that the zeal of the few is to the sloth of the many as a mosquito to an elephant. Yet, once more, we insist that Catholic parochial libraries ought to be established' in every parish, and that with proper care and with enthusiasm they can. be made not only centres of learning but sources of force and bonds of union for the Catholic body. What in another sphere the Gaelic League clubs did in Ireland might, in the religious and social sphere, be done in. New Zealand by such libraries. We have not yet given up hoping that the inertia and the listlessness will one day be overcome. Co-Ordinate Criticism Father Hull, S.J.,makes a useful suggestion with reference to the criticism of books. Readers ought to be invited to make a brief comment on the books they read. Such comments might be utilised by librarians for the direction of ' Other readers. Considering the number of books of all sorts read annually in most parishes, a very extensive index could in this way be prepared. There would be a section devoted to informative literature for the use of those who wished to obtain special knowledge on, say, a point of history, a scientific theory, a- doctrinal question another section should be reserved for fiction, new and old. The readers ought to sign their comments, so as to make them feel responsible for the blame or praise conveyed. For readers of fiction—who are legion—we should in this manner in a short time have a reliable guide by which a beginner might safely steer a course across the vast ocean of modern novels. How to do this may, be gathered from the following extract from Father Hull's Civilisation and Culture : ~. , w "There would be another function of the proposed bureauto have round 'it a group of men addicted to current romance reading, who would responsibly record their verdict on all they read: such and ' such a novel contains a somewhat sinister Jesuit character but otherwise harmless and interesting and even instructive.' '-] Another book, somewhat sensuous in its descriptions of beauty, but this is incidental and not seriously objectionable,' or, ' insinuates extreme democratic ideas but is not likely to do much harm,' or: The interest of this novel centres round divorce and : is unhealthy reading.' Or, misrepresents the clergy in relation to modern > politics, ; and gives a misleading and mischievous impression,'and "so"--' on, and -so on. /The/. result would be,: a ready-made list of current popular literature, ! divided r into ; three - classes —(1)

Books objectionable or beneficial; (2) Books misleading or vicious; (3) ; A- middle class of books which can be read by the more educated ; reader, with some caution on this : or that particular." 1 '- •' * ■ :' '-;■--. "Reading Maketh a Full Man " ; - To many students it; is.- no little matter " for marvel how busy men of the world" are in a few rare instances as ; ready and accurate in their knowledge of good books as are most professional men of letters. A book in which we have been much engrossed, Lord Morley's Reminiscences, gives us the key of the mystery. We quote a few passages which will throw a flood of light on the subject: "After breakfast rushed into my study. . Looked up the pathetic r passage in Agamemnon about tho desolation of Menelaus and his halls after the flight of Helen. . . Learnt some lines from the Suppiicts about tho burial of the conquered." - : -■''-' ■■■'-••-•• : >'j--"Bead Butcher on the melancholy of the Greeks for an hour. . . . Recalled the ago-worn couplet from the Iliad: ' No more piteous breed than man 'midst all the things that breathe and creep on earth.' Also the splendid lines of Menander, running to much the same effect as the saying of the poet in the Anthology : ' Sweet before all else are things fair to thee by nature, earth, sea. stars, orbs of moon and sun ; all else is but fears and griefs; and even it there should come some good gift to one, Nemesis follows to balance.'" "Being lazy, contented myself with learning old odes once'more, and the passage from Lucretius, de for audi lie divom." "Learnt, fifty lines of Lucretius. Took me just about half an hour. I can mend this ••before long. . . Learnt Catullus's pretty lines on the death of his mistress's bird." "Splendid morning. Read Horace's epistle to Tibullus. .Qui sapere it fori possit qua-e sentiat, et cui Gratia, ■ fa nut, vulefatdo con-tingat aliunde, Kt mundus victim, non deficiente crumena? In this delicious kind of writing Horace never has been, and I should expect never can be, equalled. . "What, could one wish more Than- qood friends, i/ood boohs, and health without a let, ' A shrewd clear head, a tongue to speak his mind, A seemly household, and a purse well-lined?" "How admirable are Chatham's letters to his nephew. Glad to be reminded by him of Horace's sensible lines: Et iii J'osces ante diem lib rum cum lumine, si non Intendes animum- studiis et rebus honestis, Invidia vcl amove vigil torquebcre. Unless you light your lamp ere dawn and read-. Some wholesome book that high resolves may breed, You'll find your sleep go from you, and will toss Upon your pillow, envious, lovesick, cross." . "Learnt some lines of Sophocles about the wheel of fortune, comparing our destinies to the vicissitudes of the moon." •*..., Finally, here is a sentence which shows in what light a scholar must regard the ephemeral novels—even at their bestthat pass for literature to-day among the people: —■ "At 12.30 started for London. Wasted the time bf m journey over a smart, but not really very good "sort of book, commended to me by ——-•: An America-n Girl." ■.-. .,-.■; "''■•' ''"'.'■';' . ,We have picked out of a very few pages the references to the classics. References to modem literature, French, English, and Italian, and German, are abundant; and as one should expect, history philosophy Have a large part in his reading. .'" From all" this one can see how the busiest of men may find time for study, although it is not given - to all to be able '•'•' to 4 detach

themselves as successfully from the cares and occupations of the ■ day. u. This t rather, long note may be i found unreadable by t many; but if it spurs ion . even a ■ few of our, readers and j affords them a - hint as to how to set' about self-culture it is eminently worth while. Remember that a knowledge of •• good books cannot be taught; it can always be learnt. -