why go to college-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


a　solace。　　The　chief　reason　why　so　many　people　do　not　know　how
to　make　comrades　of　such　books　is　because　they　have　come　to　them
too　late。　　We　have　in　this　country　enormous　numbers　of　readers；
probably　a　larger　number　who　read；　and　who　read　many　hours　in　the
week；　than　has　ever　been　known　elsewhere　in　the　world。　　But　what
do　these　millions　read　besides　the　newspapers？　　Possibly　a
denominational　religious　weekly　and　another　journal　of　fashion
or　business。　　Then　come　the　thousands　who　read　the　best　magazines；
and　whatever　else　is　for　the　moment　popular　in　novels　and　poetry
the　last　dialect　story；　the　fashionable　poem；　the　questionable　but
talked…of　novel。　　Let　a　violent　attack　be　made　on　the　decency
of　a　new　story　and　instantly；　if　only　it　is　clever；　its　author
becomes　famous。

But　the　fashions　in　reading　of　a　restless　racethe　women　too　idle；
the　men　too　heavily　workedI　will　not　discuss　here。　　Let　light
literature　be　devourered　by　our　populace　as　his　drug　is　taken
by　the　opium…eater；　and　with　a　similar　narcotic　effect。　　We　can
only　seek　out　the　children；　and　hope　by　giving　them　from　babyhood
bits　of　the　noblest　literature；　to　prepare　them　for　the　great
opportunities　of　mature　life。　　I　urge；　therefore；　reading　as　a
mental　stimulus；　as　a　solace　in　trouble；　a　perpetual　source　of
delight；　and　I　would　point　out　that　we　must　not　delay　to　make
the　great　friendships　that　await　us　on　the　library　shelves　until
sickness　shuts　the　door　on　the　outer　world；　or　death　enters　the
home　and　silences　the　voices　that　once　helped　to　make　these
friendships　sweet。　　If　Homer　and　Shakespeare　and　Wordsworth　and
Browning　are　to　have　meaning　for　us　when　we　need　them　most；　it
will　be　because　they　come　to　us　as　old　familiar　friends　whose
influences　have　permeated　the　glad　and　busy　days　before。　　The
last　time　I　heard　James　Russell　Lowell　talk　to　college　girls；　he
said；for　he　was　too　ill　to　say　many　words〃I　have　only　this　one
message　to　leave　with　you。　　In　all　your　work　in　college　never
lose　sight　of　the　reason　why　you　have　come　here。　　It　is　not　that
you　may　get　something　by　which　to　earn　your　bread；　but　that　every
mouthful　of　bread　may　be　the　sweeter　to　your　taste。〃

And　this　is　the　power　possessed　by　the　mighty　dead；men　of　every
time　and　nation；　whose　voices　death　cannot　silence；　who　are　waiting
even　at　the　poor　man's　elbow；　whose　illuminating　words　may　be
had　for　the　price　of　a　day's　work　in　the　kitchen　or　the　street；
for　lack　of　love　of　whom　many　a　luxurious　home　is　a　dull　and
solitary　spot；　breeding　misery　and　vice。　　Now　the　modern　college
is　especially　equipped　to　introduce　its　students　to　such　literature。
The　library　is　at　last　understood　to　be　the　heart　of　the　college。
The　modern　librarian　is　not　the　keeper　of　books；　as　was　his
predecessor；　but　the　distributer　of　them；　and　the　guide　to　their
resources；　proud　when　he　increases　the　use　of　his　treasures。　　Every
language；　ancient　or　modern；　which　contains　a　literature　is　now
taught　in　college。　　Its　history　is　examined；　its　philology；　its
masterpieces；　and　more　than　ever　is　English　literature　studied
and　loved。　　There　is　now　every　opportunity　for　the　college　student
to　become　an　expert　in　the　use　of　his　own　tongue　and　pen。　　What
other　men　painfully　strive　for　he　can　enjoy　to　the　full　with
comparatively　little　effort。

But　there　is　a　second　invigorating　interest　to　which　college
training　introduces　its　student。　　I　mean　the　study　of　nature；
intimacy　with　the　strange　and　beautiful　world　in　which　we　live。
〃Nature　never　did　betray　the　heart　that　loved　her；〃　sang　her
poet　high　priest。　　When　the　world　has　been　too　much　with　us；
nothing　else　is　so　refreshing　to　tired　eyes　and　mind　as　woods
and　water；　and　an　intelligent　knowledge　of　the　life　within　them。
For　a　generation　past　there　has　been　a　well…nigh　universal　turning
of　the　population　toward　the　cities。　　In　1840　only　nine　per　cent
of　our　people　lived　in　cities　of　8；000　inhabitants　or　more。　　Now
more　than　a　third　of　us　are　found　in　cities。　　But　the　electric…car；
the　telephone；　the　bicycle；　still　keep　avenues　to　the　country　open。
Certain　it　is　that　city　people　feel　a　growing　hunger　for　the
country；　particularly　when　grass　begins　to　grow。　　This　is　a　healthy
taste；　and　must　increase　the　general　knowledge　and　love　of　nature。
Fortunate　are　the　little　children　in　those　schools　whose　teachers
know　and　love　the　world　in　which　they　live。　　Their　young　eyes　are
early　opened　to　the　beauty　of　birds　and　trees　and　plants。　　Not
only　should　we　expect　our　girls　to　have　a　feeling　for　the　fine
sunset　or　the　wide…reaching　panorama　of　field　and　water；　but　to
know　something　also　about　the　less　obvious　aspects　of　nature；
its　structure；　its　methods　of　work；　and　the　endless　diversity　of
its　parts。　　No　one　can　have　read　Matthew　Arnold's　letters　to　his
wife；　his　mother；　and　his　sister；　without　being　struck　by　the
immense　enjoyment　he　took　throughout　his　singularly　simple　and
hard…working　life　in　flowers　and　trees　and　rivers。　　The　English
lake　country　had　given　him　this　happy　inheritance；　with　everywhere
its　sound　of　running　water　and　its　wealth　of　greenery。　　There　is
a　close　connection　between　the　marvellous　unbroken　line　of　English
song；　and　the　passionate　love　of　the　Englishman　for　a　home　in　the
midst　of　birds；　trees；　and　green　fields。

　　　　〃The　world　is　so　full　of　a　number　of　things；
　　　　That　I　think　we　should　all　be　as　happy　as　kings；〃

is　the　opinion　of　everybody　who　knows　nature　as　did　Robert　Louis
Stevenson。　　And　so　our　college　student　may　begin　to　know　it。　　Let
her　enter　the　laboratories　and　investigate　for　herself。　　Let　her
make　her　delicate　experiments　with　the　blowpipe　or　the　balance；
let　her　track　mysterious　life　from　one　hiding…place　to　another；
let　her　〃name　all　the　birds　without　a　gun；〃　and　make　intimates
of　flower　and　fish　and　butterflyand　she　is　dull　indeed　if　breezy
tastes　do　not　follow　her　through　life；　and　forbid　any　of　her　days
to　be　empty　of　intelligent　enjoyment。　　〃Keep　your　years　beautiful；
make　your　own　atmosphere；〃　was　the　parting　advice　of　my　college
president；　himself　a　living　illustration　of　what　he　said。

But　it　is　a　short　step　from　the　love　of　the　complex　and　engaging
world　in　which　we　live　to　the　love　of　our　comrades　in　it。　　Accordingly
the　third　precious　interest　to　be　cultivated　by　the　college　student
is　an　interest　in　people。　　The　scholar　today　is　not　a　being　who
dwells　apart　in　his　cloister；　the　monk's　successor；　he　is　a　leader
of　the　thoughts　and　conduct　of　men。　　So　the　new　subjects　which
stand　beside　the　classics　and　mathematics　of　medieval　culture　are
history；　economics；　ethics；　and　sociology。　　Although　these　subjects
are　as　yet　merely　in　the　making；　thousands　of　students　are　flocking
to　their　investigation；　and　are　going　out　to　try　their　tentative
knowledge　in　College　Settlements　and　City　Missions　and　Children's
Aid　Societies。　　The　best　instincts　of　generous　youth　are　becoming
enlisted　in　these　living　themes。　　And　why　should　our　daughters
remain　aloof　from　the　most　absorbing　work　of　modern　city　life；
work　quite　as　fascinating　to　young　women　as　to　young　men？　　During
many　years　of　listening　to　college　sermons　and　public　lectures　in
Wellesley；　I　always　noticed　a　quickened　attention　in　the　audience
whenever　the　discussion　touched　politics　or　theology。　　These　are；
after　all；　the　permanent　and　peremptory　interests；　and　they　should
be　given　their　full　place　in　a　healthy　and　vigorous　life。

But　if　that　life　includes　a　love　of　books；　of　nature；　of　people；
it　will　naturally　turn　to　enlarged　conceptions　of　religionmy
sixth　and　last　gift　of　college　life。　　In　his　first　sermon　as
Master　of　Balliol　College；　Dr。　Jowett　spoke　of　the　college；　〃First
as　a　place　of　education；　secondly　as　a　place　of　society；　thirdly
as　a　place　of　religion。〃　　He　observed　that　〃men　of　very　great
ability　often　fail　in　life　because　they　are　unable　to　play　their
part　with　effect。　　They　are　shy；　awkward；　self…conscious；　deficient
in　manners；　faults　which　are　as　ruinous　as　vices。〃　　The　supreme
end　of　college　training；　he　said；　〃is　usefulness　in　after　life。〃
Similarly；　when　the　city　of　Cambridge　celebrated　in　Harvard's
Memorial　Hall　the　life　and　death　of　the　gallant　young　ex