THE best and wisest of men have given in their verdict against the reading of romance and fictitious tales, as injurious to mind and morals; and the flood of chaffy works now inundating the world; the newspaper trash, and cheap books, containing the seeds of every evil, sugared over with poisonous sweet, and the religious romance put forth by ecclesiastical bodies, and individuals, are all contaminating and unholy in their tendency.
But of all romance, religious romance is the most dangerous, coming as it does from those who profess to guide the way to heaven, and often teaching (ostensibly) the way to happiness and lasting peace, these fictitious works do more effectually disarm the mind, and mislead those who would if it were possible avoid the snare.
Here is a careful parent who endeavors to avert the evil, and carefully banishes from his family and home every trace of romantic reading, and flatters himself that he will at least in early life train the minds of his children to correct modes of thinking, by placing in their hands histories, principles, science, facts—will set them out on the ocean of life with fair prospects and favorable winds.
But he is outgeneralled; for the very Sunday School where he has sent his precious jewels, to polish, to refine, to fortify them against evil, has already supplied his children with fictitious works (pointed with a moral, to be sure—Satan pointed his first lecture to Eve with a moral, that she should be a god, or as a god), he starts at the discovery that all his care is so frustrated, and opening his eyes he beholds his religious newspapers, both for old and young, fairly leavened with this poisonous literature, when disheartened and perplexed he exclaims to himself, Perhaps I have been31too particular; if these religious institutions have put forth such plausible works of fiction, surely I am not wiser than they all; and down he sinks, from disparagement, and want of courage, and persistency, and throws aside his prejudices, as he now sadly admits (but with inward emotions he cares not to fathom), and in six months his library is flooded with French, English and American novels, and his children now free, revel in reveries and dreams.
That matter-of-fact foundation which the parent had well nigh laid, is apparently swept away by this foaming, raging tide of lying trash, filling the mind with overdrawn views and false principles, often in a moment filling with impure ideas the mind, till then the abode of purity; supplanting studious thought with excitement, vanity and scummy refinement. J. C.