The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-05-08

nonsense of every seribhier. because .3ae
ricaH uriters should be encouraged Could
me lavish eucomiums, which az hestnw
Ell upon these Productions, Hhrlhrr IN
poetry nr prose, by the editors ot our pub
nc prints, only he pre-rised, posi.fiiy
would readily conclude that nnr verses
lar "xcelled those of Pope or Byron, aud
NAT our essays we're moie elegant than
thos" of Cowley or Addison We're We
SURE that The ddmiratiun IT poem would
be regulated by its power ii inviting sleep,
or that the merit of 4 work would be DE-
termined by rs dimeusons we would not
tor u moment doubt that. for tire formrr
quality the Vision al Coiumbns will be- the
cause ct manga delightful Si,Std, aud, for
the batter that Humphreys Will be allotted
niche IN every A1hrueam.
Our estimate of the literary character
of country srems Ia be governed by tue
number III IT'S hOuks.--So that our country
ahnnnds with book mdkttS, We fear not the
iInputallon OF scientific mltriorty If Mr.
Cooper will strike oH hrs novels little
faster, we envy not the supelior merit Of
/ Walter SCOTS ;--lfthr muses. of New En-
land will only collect Their numerous prize
! f''.'bHs anu TNlAlbIlS. anu commence
nent odes INTO tie form OF volun., W
lear not comparison With the lnspi ed
hards of the Thames or SEINE Notwllh-
standing thr partlalIly which | feel for m,
native land, cannot rXtoi The writings of
every man because he IS an American.
! cannot Z" as far IN my admiration of
Redwood. OF ct lbe Benlus Of p,reItal, as
tue North AosrIcan Review Such
pulls are only calculated Ia create unfa-
Horable ideas of our taste, abroad FIR
when the works are thrmsrl,rs examined
curiosity sluks INTO disgust. When
Foreigners, hearing US boast of tin
literary improvement Of our county
enquire the names Of our celebrated an
ihors. We are unable to confirm tie hast,
assertions of our vanity but, npon re.
view 0t our progress, Gnd M nam. shlnlng
with such lnstre, upon the annals of a.
merlcan literature, as thai which Is immor
tallzed by the discovery Of the eleclrick
fluid
Forever aiming al the worlds esteem,
Our seli-lmporlanCe runs its own scheme
lis true, we often see a fugitive piece
ot eScellent poetry butthos. writers who
have published regular poem are wholly
destitute of that trns poetic fire which is
necessary To affect ones passions" and
without which poetry is not worIa com
posing, The poetry of Doct. Percival
possesses certainly more beauties than that
oi amy otaer American foI VINO has pub
ilshed; but that Is by no nietua remarks
oie.-it Is wntt,nin pretty good ta-te, but
we can hardly suppose 1t viii Survive lis
author hity years. She0stone olscrIce,
i hate sly lie. as do a gordon, tnat Is
wholly fat and regular that slides along
like an ecl,hnd never rISts 10 what uut can
call an tnrqniIIy."-Those of our Porls
| VINO possess taste seem afraid to trust their
genus, lest they should violate some OF the
strict rules of classical style; whd-t, on
the other hand, whrn bold and loft,
sentiment Is expressed, W. fnd it followed
by broken metaphors, gorgeous ePilh1s,
aud forced thoughts. Thee are The anti
hcial flowers that adnrn then gaudy par.
tefres, and are substituted for the slmpiICi.
" OF nature aud the lustn, IS OF Truth,
Poor weeds, rich corn, Coy flowers togett.
er stand"
But 50 long as our pulfer9 continue
Their battery, these scrlhbIere viii never cx-
! iinlt any Of the" mdtuS pudor" Of Horace,
Ton" Poetry l. consaaplIons are the most
Gathering of all Diseases" The North A
mercon Review Is truly work OF which
we may feel proud F.; but, if IT would nM
give to every ldler who chooses To contend
for prIle-poem. brewery scrlbbblrr whom
want or EVEN patriotism prompts 10 add
another 10 American TONES, a." the thun-
/ der Of DemosthenCs, tue weight Of Tul y
the judgment of factus, the .Ioquenco ol
| Livy, the sublmIty of Homer, the majcst j.,
of Virgil, the wit OF OVID, the PROPHECY ol
Horace, the accuracy of Terence, the brev.
! lty OF Ph9drus aud the polgnaucy of Ju-
venal," we should regard its criticism
with more respect, aud read them " ia
more pleasure.
| Ii IS useless to say,that, in prose-wrlting
we are fare more eminent than III poetry
for whilst Of the former We may boasl, for
the latter we are compelled 10 hlu5h.--
! Tho IN this, We are yst entirely 10 our IN
! fancy. and more IN the delIneatIun of read
incidents and real character than in works
of fancy. Our country furnishes the most
interesting subjects for history aud biogra .
| lI1 Dut OuI ltttIuLt Sttill " IifiCl lIlr
| broad field Of romance and fictitious narra-
lion, for the exercise of their genius, to
the narrow bounds of historical truth
The most worthy of our authors II fiction
are undoubtedly living aud Cnoper.---
| But, athU' we admire the full sonorous
langudSt Of the form r,--although We read
With pleasure the pathetic tale Of the
" Broken Heart" and with deeper interest
the story of,he " Young italian; = aItho
we : in a little at the srotesque Characters
drawn 10 " knlckerbocker," T. at tho ac-
coun, of" RIP Van WinkIe," we think,
that, in pathos, he i. not yet 10 be compar-
ed to the elegant 4 moving GoIdsmlthi u IA
hunor that he Is still far behind the chas(e
and natural Addison, and even the eccen-