Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-16
LITER

A SMALL POLITICIAN.
--
LITERARY.
The Intelligent author of the following Criticism, is pleased to in
duge his "thick- coming fincics," in coniecturing what service. lao
might render, aud what wonders he would perform, il he were
bat the Editor Of u Newspaper Little does he wot indeed OF sthe
secrcti Of the prison-house"-of the difficulties he would have 10
encounter, or ofthe niseries he would endure in the vocation he has
depicted. Little docs he dream Of the cares which distract tho Mt
tention of the Editor-or of the various engagements which occupv
his time and press upon his columns. He has not duly considered the
drafts which politics make upon his time-or the many ESSAYS which
claim his space-how very multifaious ao our Public Document
or how Internationally long windcd arc most our Orators in their
Speeches. Even his own well written Essay o the Literary Mes
sengcr, has been obliged to wal, our leisure Till the bucket has gone
three times 10 the iouniain-and nothing could have induced US to
give 1t admission even toSay, but our great desire to promote a Pc
F'o~ienl which we "dmire-and 10 oblisc a Critic whom we esteem.
coMMUIcATED.
How l wish, sometimes, that I were a nc wspaper edi-
tor! There are a hundred improvements of the Press -
that II seems to me | could efectuate. BY shewino INV
readers, rs far as possible, 10th sides of all political Gles-
uons, l would assuage the rancor of parties; for, most of
their intolerance and luminosity springs from reciprocal
Ignorance. would hoist the Temperance flag. which
the gentry of our political Press generally so vilipcnd;
and under 1T, would assist to win for my country one of
the most salutary, If not most glorious, triumphs of mo-
dern times. | would ever and anon give the slumberino
cause OF Colonization a heave onward; confident. that i'm
ITS success Will be found unreasonable blessings to Afri-
ca and to America. Then, Literature and general
science should always have a column or two in my sheet.
i would select from literary periodicals and from stand
ard authors. ! would invite the contributions of good
wrItors. L would strive to keep my readers advised of
all good new publications. 1 would take friendlv notice
of my younger editorial brethren; CHEERING them q
whenever they seemed disposed to make exertions for the
good OF society. The prominently mcritorious of them
should be brought prominently before the public eve:
and IN the pleasing field of criticism | would expatiate
the more dcightedly, when praise, alone, might be my
Journal which has recently sprung into life in Rich
mond, and upon the success Of which many a mind is
hopefully bent, l would discourse in this wise:
THE SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
We have at length found leisure to peruse The Noyem-
Der No. of this periodical, Oudiciously changed now 10
naonMiy) and seldom has n similar expenditure of time
hatfpr I'M Va uAnnn1 L. Ill IL - l.
adJudgcd an Improvement upon the admired first, is. in
our estimation, equally far surpassed by the third. If this
progress continue, theS l.. Messenger will speedily rank
with the foremost OF its contemporaries. Mr.. Whites
diligence, or good fortune, is certainly wonderful. in hay
ing discovered and opened sfuices of talent, or at least
furnished them a channel, and given them n character,
which promise to make Virginia Literature something
more than the cypher it has hitherto been in the eyes Of
the literary world. The fulflment of this promise will
make him a solid benefactor to his country. We REGARD
the success of his enterprise As desirable. not merely as
promoting the culture and growth of native talent, for
toTtttng-nor yet, as redcelning Virginia's cscutclIcon
from the stigma of un!euered, which has heretofore soil
ed it-but also, and principally as furnishing to her sons
and daughters some indigenous readiRg, other than that
which swels and testers with the venom of party poll
tics. The merits and faults of public men and measures.
and the soundness OF principles, are indeed proper, nay,
indispensably neediul, to be discussed by a seiE-rovernino
people. But, when the debate goes to the height VIC too of.
ten behold-when the form of TRUTm is hidden by the
smoke, and her voice drowned amid the roar. of party CON
fict-then do political discussions, and political newspa-
pers, become but nurseries of" hatred malice and all un-
chartableness;' and the mind which would shun ifit does
not loathe their baleful influence, turns gladly To u sheet
where the kindly feelings are exercised, the fancy anus
ed, and the mind enriched. Hence the refrcsliment with
which we, albeit 1--WE confess) hackncycd i'm party war
iare-yct not insensible to IFS ills-look away from even
our own columns and such as ours, to the peace-breath-
ing pages OF the 'Messenger" But let us glance rapid
Iy al Its chief contents. Our singing out some, implies
no disparagcmcnt Of others: since, neither time MOI space
allowing a comment upon all, we necessarily select those
winch Qerllaps accidentally have first and most forcibly
caught our attention.
In"R. g." who writes "Skctchcs 0f Me Hstorg,' &c.
of the Barbary States, we recognize a qent!cnan born IN
his CITY. who * nOW 6Ofu0 credit 10 "A rncnnc1,II. no
ton in one Of the Departments at Washington. The
present article is n concise and lucid outline Of the Ills
tory OF Barbary, from the earliest times; dwelling rather
most upon that of Tripoli. Both in style and matter.
the writer seems 20 competent to the task he has assn
med, that when ne shall have finished the series of Nos.
winch ne promises, his readers cannot fail to have a sin
gularly clear idea Of both the past and the prcssaf-as
concerns those anomalous powers.
" belinda describes the megrims Of Dgsgcpsia. so
much TO the life, that any reader may either swear she is.
as she processes to be, the bensr haif Of one ofits victims.
or else may say, with Sir Hugh Evans " spv a great
PeaFd under her muller and aver, that she is herself
"the dyspeptic mum"
I'm "Ihe Reporters Starry, - a better end is accomplish.
ca than merely showing 'tbc importance Of a syllable "
That foible of poor human nature, which makes IL adout
wealth, rank, or vocation, instead Of merit, "a the critic
ron OF responsibility, is good-humouredly held up to Just
ridicuc.
"Tne Connge in the Glen" by a lady. said to be di.,in.
guislcd in letters, and signing herself :" 5. H." ifnot tho
best article IN this No, may at least contest the palm of
excellence. 10 is a touching New-EngIand story. pre-.
ludcd by a specimen Of ~uncommOnly telcifous movers
IN describing scenery; and concluding with a norai, sur.
PeSsngy 1pppsibe ahu Tutntul. NJ. FlOrtan s. pretty tale
of " Bathurcndi, following the beaten track Of poetry
aud romance, makes Happiness dwell peculiarly In die
PEASANTS cot And, beautiful indeed is the induction.
BY when she IS tEiced thithcr. But, the iustcr conclu.
sion Of " $. H. is
"~IIspinc's has, on earth, no beai babitation. She may dwell in
nc Pa'co o IN The cottage with The rich, Or with the poor; with
INC lrafncdi f Win the ignorant. Her seat i IN the soul AID M.
sw-"ity COOS not depend ~ cxtomal circumstances. a peaceful caa-
ste1se5 amd an haRDtc, eemtHtof heat, grateful for Housings received,
Hmt icehnE no craving desire OF those that arc withheld. are fbe of
lars OF her throne. But, there arc two classes OF psrstDs fbst H.
VIII never dctgnf 10 Wit, b. their rank or siafssn what ID rmy. Nj
Tier the ihe nor the rb1oas arc over happy"
"Cgptds Sport is a traeicomic lov~e-story. told in a
lshtsome and pleasing vein. Amid the siern-ike plav.
iuiness Of its style, there turks much shrcwd observation
upon human life and human weakness.
my CIAssNATgs," by the same hand which wrote
Tor NO. =, OF the Messenger, an "Extract from a novel
that Hecer oH b published, is a tale occupying ton
pages, ts true but we would not have it n paec-no.
not a line shorter. Morris HeWcood, tho chief hero.