The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-11-30
BURG, NOVEMBER 30. 1874
.9.uERIc.i.v LI7ER.4TrRE.

ChanBe Nnleh ms taken place IA The ulIin
ions Of The British public with regard to IN
literary claIacirr of America. This chang
nfopiuion Is not copfned 10 our litcrar.
character. Our institutions, our customs
our manners, are all viewed with a liberia
eye, aud It no longer snacks Of snartncs
To indulge in low abuse of American nro
duollons, nor do we any longer see Fear
on's and Nesb's and Faux's, aspiring IL
81 bad cminencc" by misrcprrsening and
discoloring our habits aud pursuits. Tn,
enconiums bestowed on The author %
The Pilot, The SPY and Iht Pioneers ar
donbIy valuable, because they are Just. II,
may be- trul, called our National .A6rtiia
lie deals in none Of HAT so1 trash with
which Washington Irving has deluged The
reading world, and which has procured for
his meadows Of Margin" n conspicuous
place la The libraries Of our heart sick sem
uT1cntalists--- carries us hre' The almost
iracklrss Wlldf of cur native fofrsis--pOints
ont the hardshlps Of the first settlers
makes rs acquainted with The tolls Of the
pioneers, beneath whose sturdy stroke
the woods bowed, aud by whose enter
prize farms were cultivated aud cities rear
ed-lie rccuuuts the frals of our soldiers
aud sailors on the land aud on The sea--and
bands down 10 posterty n lasting record of
the salor and enterprise of their fuI elahers.
Of how little value, IN comparison, are all
the pniiDg, milk and water Tales aud
Sketches of the transplanted genius of liz
Ying9 His sekly Inauguration could not
dwell in the siorm--lt plned away amidst
the ronghncss and sternness of republican
ism, and thriyed only in the blaze of royal
ty, amidst coIancts, aud coats of arms and
the paraphernalta aad pomp of rank aud
power. Whenever he has winged his flight
beyond the low purpose al ministcring % the
pride and vanity Of the nobility OF his adop-
ted county, IL has been for the ridiculous
one OF reciling German suprrsuuons, 10
excllethc wonder uf grown children, and
the disgust Of every body else. Let AS not
be understood MS denying To Irving the
splendid qualifications " hich he unduubt
edly possesses. We only lament that these
qualifications have been misdifectcd--thai
instead Of employing them like Cooper, in
celebrating the ldme of his country, be has
consented 10 become the pandcr tolihe de.
PRAYED appetite of British Metropolitans,
for 80 much trash ~ might be grasprd-
thus - We yet hope, however, To see his
talents employed ON other subects--W c
hope 10 hear Of his return io his native
lend, and 10 see lis pen employed on some
of the many themes which wonld do cred
IL 10 his exerlions, aud which would re
ceive credit from them. The extract from
the Ednburg Scotsman follows:
Character Of { copper, Tie american -Nouchst.
We have fixed our eyes ON America as
the refuge aud conservatory Of all those
principles and institutions niach are truly
valuable, aud which, under the name of
Liberty, Comprehend the right OF free and
fair extrtlao of all the faculties ADD powers
o. man, the ell sence of all lettering rcstrc
: ilens Oh lndhs1ry aud taleui, equal priv
leges ofthoughd and action oil all and pro
lection Ia lie FULLEST eXtrnt 10 property OF
every description. Believing that all this
j. substantially realized In the L. States,
we cannot avoid taking deep interest in
every thing which tends 10 generate a
hiedng national spirit ia their citizens, aud
TO waken in them well greuHAcd pride
in their own frats, "a well as in their own
instiiations. Aud this Is nanilcsily one OF
the objects nearest To the heart of our
author. Washington In ing, it must be
allowed, las written what will please every
where but failing Ia perceive or appre-
riate the high destnies OF his country, he
has battered the prejndices of Europe
while Cooper, in the SPY and the Pilot, IN
grounds equally patriotic aud magnau
imous, has beenrousinG the lost pride land
best energies of America. IN his former
work, he recorded some of her glorics by
land in the present, he has characterised
that skill and resolution fram which her
future glorirs are 10 be derived at sea
Smollet had been ut sea but Cooper is
body apd spirit, sailor, The ocean il
L.. Il. ,.I- 4.
confers reality on ail his descriptions. We
hear the roar Of the wsves--the splash o
the 0ars-the hoarse Ianguagr of the sea
men. We see the waters--the ships-th,
manning 0fihe yards--lhe hcaving of tn,
lead-tre very coldaSe of the vessels
Every ruoyemeut-from that of the tack
aug of the itlgatc, to the launching of tn,
whale boat, IS Visible TO our eyes, and ",
actually take part in the proceedings ant
conversations of the crew. They are all
heart aud soul, devoted 10 their profession
aad their country. Every thing is done
nanlcally. The descriptions of the vessel,
OF Their various mauGusres-- the sun
Use IN the German Ocean-uf, NE mis- IN
say, every sea sccne in the novel; are rx
ccllent bat the plotting Of the frigat
though the breakers s. shoals AT mdnigh
the wreckins OF the Ariel, tire fierce sea
fights, and above ell, perhaps, tne las
hours ri the n-capialn aud cockswai,
Ions Tom, and The death ol the sailing
master, Bokropc- ARE gwen with n trut
and force. ard generate such brcaiiAe,
interest, that DE Foe himself is. in SON
respects, thrown al distance by 81
sutnor. Yet nothing is oycrwronfst. /
stead OF obsious strainlng, IN AIR of rou,
freedom, sometimes approaching, but N
sse', ~e think, amounting to coafsrness.
- ih'ownover the whole hut under ;
this appareniease, IA responsibiIt Y may
Traced so deep, as If the homo lr o. An !