ople still hold that it is a bad thing for the young to read
works of fiction. They believe that young minds get a moral twist from
reading that which they know is not true, the descriptions of mere
imaginary heroes and heroines, and of things which never happened.
Now, this is a very narrow, limited view of a big question. These
people do not understand the office of the imagination; they do not
realize that many of the fictitious heroes and heroines that live in
our minds, even from childhood's days, are much more real in their
influence on our lives than some of those that exist in flesh and blood.

Dickens' marvelous characters seem more real to us than any we have
ever met. They have followed millions of people from childhood to old
age, and influenced their whole lives for good. Many of us would look
upon it as a great calamity to have these characters of fiction blotted
out of our memory and their influence taken out of our lives.

Readers are sometimes so wrought up by a good work of fiction, their
minds are raised to such a pitch of courage and daring, all their
faculties so sharpened and braced, their whole nature so stimulated,
that they can for the time being attempt and accomplish things which
were impossible to them without the stimulus.

This, it seems to me, is one of the great values of fiction. If it is
good and elevating, it is a splendid exercise of all the mental and
moral faculties; it increases courage; it rouses enthusiasm; it sweeps
the brain-ash off the mind, and actually strengthens its ability to
grasp new principles and to grapple with the difficulties of life.

Many a discouraged soul has been refreshened, re-invigorated, has taken
on new life by the reading of a good romance. I recall a bit of
fiction, called "The Magic Story," which has helped thousands of
discouraged souls, given them new hope, new life, when they were ready
to give up the struggle.

The reading of good fiction is a splendid imagination exerciser and
builder. It stimulates it by suggestions, powerfully increases its
picturing capacity, and keeps it fresh and vigorous and wholesome, and
a wholesome imagination plays a very great part in every sane and
worthy life. It makes it possible for us to shut out the most
disagreeable past, to shut out at will all hideous memories of our
mistakes, failures, and misfortunes; it helps us to forget our trouble
and sorrows, and to slip at will into a new, fresh world of our