26 Aug 1858: The Dangers of Ladies Reading Novels

"Novel Reading. - A whole family brought to destitution in England, has had all its misfortunes clearly traced by the authorities to an ungovernable passion for novel reading entertained by the wife and mother. - The husband was sober and industrious, but his wife was indolent and addicted to reading everything procurable in the way of romance. This led her to utterly neglect her husband, herself and her eight children. One daughter in despair, fled the parental home, and threw herself into the haunts of vice. Another was found by the police chained by the legs to prevent her from following her sister’s example. The house exhibited the most offensive appearance of filth and indigence. In the midst of this pollution, privation and poverty, the cause of it sat reading the last ‘sensation work’ of the season, and refused to allow herself to be disturbed in her entertainment." 

Gasp! Sounds like temperance movement should’ve targeted the novel instead of alcohol.

Huston, E. G., editor. San Antonio Texan (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 38, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 26, 1858, Newspaper, August 26, 1858; digital images, (http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth232732/ : accessed August 26, 2013), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, http://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, Austin, Texas.