p. 189 | Novel-Reading by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 26, 1872

Novel-Reading.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

TOO MUCH can scarcely be said against this pernicious and growing habit. Our young people should be everywhere and constantly warned against it. The inducements to engage in it are constantly held out before them. Let us not slack our hands in this matter. A taste once formed for it is exceedingly hard to break. They can just as well form the habit of reading good histories as this trash; and it will be just as enticing to them when they have once formed a taste for it. Young man or woman, do you read novels? I beseech you to think what you are doing. Take advice from others. The following is from the Phrenological Journal, October, 1872:—

“But, seriously, are we going to allow stories to take the place of other literature? Shall we sit and see our friends reading trashy novels without warning them of their ruinous effects? We have already too much day-dreaming and too little real life. Sometimes it seems as though we had forgotten that life was real, but regard it only as a dream, and stories rapidly increase dream-life.

“In speaking of novel-reading, a writer says, ‘It is a culpable habit; it consumes much valuable time; it is also a waste of money. The inveterate novel-reader, like the drunkard, lays out his money for that which is neither food, clothing, nor shelter.’

“The novel-reader’s course is very similar to that of the drunkard. They commence by an ‘occasional’ story, which they read to rest them from business, or to pass away the time while traveling. At first they read nothing but stories which are written for the purpose of exposing national or individual follies. Next they read to learn human nature; then, as their appetite increases, they read without any excuse only to satisfy a longing desire for romance. Finally, business, friends, and many opportunities of doing good, are neglected for the sake of a story. The realities of life are irksome to them. They complain about labor, and are constantly wishing Adam had never sinned and compelled man to ‘earn his bread by the sweat of his brow.’ They wish they had been born rich, or that ‘their ship would come in;’ in fact, they are desirous of anything that will release them from toil and give them leisure.

“Now, have we not right here a work to do? Is it not our duty to help clear the land of this curse? Let us awake, and be as ready to defend the right as others are the wrong. Let us not sit watching the tide of events, vainly regretting that wrong is on the increase, but stand ready to protect the right. ‘Let us not be weary in well-doing, but faithful unto the end.’” D. M. CANRIGHT.