The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1822-09-06
country and the United st,tes. I viii nov

:
IN tins country, is nnt o,.rst..ls..d III,
workmea- but with 4 vast mann. 80 81
'efeht ones, and 1t Is win their books as
i WIN other manulaeinres-if thy did M
IND an extensive market in our e,nntr,
4 one hall OF the artists w,uld ,tarxe 4, I.
Uncomfortable What a vast literary t.,t,
there Is - England, thai is to ssx \ TT,
TOR literary scandal, title tattIe retieving
aud mag Lld.ng. Tie number of tbrse
! publications. are as the leaves amanr III,
trees, tie sands of the sea aud their con-
trnls ri such nature, that TO look into thr,,
, Is Ike looking fora gam of wheat IN = hun.
bred bushels of chat. Opinions of hooks
Ilal the erlucs never read, aud of things
'ney cannot comprehend trumpery pro-
| Ninelai antiquities pulling of quaek au-
tliofs, qaack politicians, quack philan,hro.
/ piSts, aud quack duetor,-ptv revi,als ol
! Old ahAlrdttcs, or new discoveries of ev-
ploded aud forgotten thugs-anecdotes
iaml.iaf 10 every general rradcr-toerthrr
with the fashions, lists ofpromollons, mar
ria5es and deaths. murders and exerntions
these constitute The great mass. among
which, however will occasionally he found
an able scientific article, well written es-
say, and a capital engraving. Indeed il
may with truth BE- said, that these pablica-
IONS owe their greatest beauties 10 the
engrasers. The horsrs, dogs, fddlers,
players, and great men, are beautifully
done.
perceive some Of your bool, fllers, in
the United states, not content with retail
my The contents OF these valuable produc-
tons by plece-meal, as has hitherto been
Practised, have undert ken the task of civ
ing publication of Two or three of them
entire. Among the happy few thus selec-
ted from the mighty mass, is Backwards
Magazine, one of the Ymo,t irlent oppo-
ser5 OF those principles Of liberty. cherish
ed, as do still hope, by our copntrymen,
to be found in all the three kingdoms-the
very echo of the Quarterly Review. II is
therefore most apt selection and does
quite as much honour 10 our national taste,
as our admiration of counscllor's Phillip's
speeches IN their inflated style, & ncongru-
Gus metaphors. Its a disgrace to the talent
on our county, that it does not furnish its
own periodical works, & reelection of the
pubic taste, that selects this ma gazlne for
republication.
Ii MAY possibly BIZ news in your retired
village to tell You, thru the editor of this fe-
rocIous and bouncing magazine, is the SON
.ln-law OF sir Walter Scott, and that he ex-
ceeds al living creature in pulling his wor-
thy father-in-law. Ii Was he that christen-
ed him the " Great Unknown" if do not
mistake, and On al occasion he is foremost
lnrbs offerings Of incense at the shrine of
his IDOL. One might suppose that sense
vi decOrum would restrain him from this
uHblushlng adulation; but they don't mind
these things here, where it is almost ~ ON
mon Tor the author To puff his own book in
the Magazines, as for quacl doctor 10 be
his own trunpeter in the newspapers. 1t
Is related to me, by persons, whose oppor-
tunttles of information are unquestionablr,
that iiyon could trace the appreciation or
censure oil these magazines and reviews to
Their true source, they would, nine times
IN ten, be found to originate in personal,
pohtlcal and religious antipathies or attach
lnen1s, or IN some holy alliance for mutual
defence and mutual praises. In fact, such
Is the notorious prostitution of these re-
views, that the real admirers Of literature,
who are not welded 10 some polical party
or other, pay no sert of attention 10 their
decisions, from conviction thai they ORR
Snate in impure motives.
A greet many books, that were barkrd
IT by tie whole pack, have attained an en-
tenslse circulation, in spite Of the hue and
cry Of eanting hypocrisy and canting criti-
cism. Such has been the case with Lady
Norgan's late works, even in spite of that
ld1tss;ie allectation Of style for which her
LadYshp IS 80 notorious. On the other
hand, a vast many books, which they
have attempted, with all their might, 10 inn
pose upon the patronage of the public, have
afeady sunk into the bottomlcss pit Of o.
bNlon. Ii bcglas 10 be understood that
thIs reviewing Is trade, and that their con-
ductors must not fail 10 please their custom
crs NJ all hazards. Hence, when any OBJ
noyious opinions come abroad and tspc-
cjally any that smack Of rcpublcanlsn, il
the book be written with the pen Of an an
gel, it stands no more chance of receiving
quarter here, than a hereto among 50 many
monks of the twelfth centur". The Au-
thor will be served by these literary Judges
like poor NabOth he will b" accused Of
Liasphrmy, and lose at least his reputation,
ii bot the harvest Of his little vineyard.
On the contrary, if he should happen 10 be
the greatest bIoekhcad IN the world, he
may he sure of good word, If he will on
" calumnate the whole mass Of mankind,
except The rich and noble, by calling them
"deluded wretchrs,' and placing their eX-
eItions to obtain bread to the account Of an
unprinciplcd disregard of all human obli-
cations. 1t is in this way that writer's at
tain 10 honors and rewards in England Just
now, without the display of a single talent
except HE talent Of CLOSING over the cor
ruptions Of the higher, and insulting the
distresses OF the lower, orders.
SUMMARY.
RriLiaL N.L.LL I'm Observation-Disclosures