The native American., 1837-09-30
REVIEW OF BOOKS, MAGAZINES, &c.
CRITICAL AND AMERICAN.

/ REVIEW OF BOOKS, MAGAZINES, &c.
| CRIrIcAL AND AMERICAN.
| Mr.. Forrest has made his American bow to the New
York audience. He was received with great ecat by
his old friends, who gave him three cheers as he ret-
red from the stage. Mr.. Forrest made speech--of
Icourse-every body makes speech nowadays
the President at bis Inauguration, down the captain
of wood scow. It's trne old English fashion, and
our voluble countrymen very fond Of spoung to
their guabIe fellow-countrymen. We hope Mr.. For
rest is not spoiled by foreign travel-formery he
thorough-gong- -bold--unbowing native paying his
profits to American writer's for tragedies American
subjects-and he should remember that his fortune
made by his enacting !" Metamora," by Dr. Bird
though some wiseacres say that Metamora was with
out the pale of the Legitimate drama. These two
words much abused in unlearned, but still pedantic
mouths. The Legitimate drama, quoth they, is the
pure old English school-the plays of Shakespeare,
and Sheridan and Goldsmith, and Foote. We say
the legitimate drama is living, enduring, undying
host of emotions dwelling within our hearts, and ope-
rated upon-attuned by the spells Of genius-what-
ever is tragic comic within can be worked on
the materials of the conuration lie within our natures
the wand is in the hand Of talent. What was the e-
gtimate drama before the time Of the old English ac-
| Of Anstophanes and Epichamus-of Sophocles and
Eschylus-be received by those very persons who so
laud the legitimate dramas We are opposed to this
sickly afecation-we have SUBJECTS for whole plays
in our hisories-we only want the public taste 10 en-
courage writeis-we want the public patronage, if
the unpoec truth must out, bring forward our en-
bryo authors. We want of the idle cant about
the old legitimate drama-we have builtup new sys-
tenn Of Government, out Of the rss and blood of the
most glorious tragedy that shook the arighted
world with terror-a tragedy in acts--the old
tragedies and the modern of fve-but lasted
for seven years-the curtain was rolled up before
world for audenceand actors spoke in the quaking
artillery, and their wit carried at the edge of their
sabres-they uttered an adherence Of kings and of
kings laws, and finally, amid the discharge Of cannon
and bright gleam Of swords, the pens of world
on the stage at Yorktownthe curtain fell, and the
boards covered knee deep with laurels. If from
such scenes governments novel in its nature could
be created, surely we can build up an Independent
drama from the Can play writers
work nothing from this material Of national glory, Of
general anxiety, of personal adventure! Turn back
the history of your country poets Of the north
the west and the southgaze on her sufferings-hink
of her aohievements-an then dip your pens in your
ink horns, and go to work-and my word for it, you
will produce the slegitimate American drama.'
i 4Fa
Upon table lies the neatest and incest of all the
monthlies, The SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER
FoR SEPTEMBER. We have on more than one-occasion
bestowed praise Mr. White the proprietor Of this
work-he continues to deserve best wishes. Some
writer in the Alexandra Gazette dating from Rich.
mond lately applied the critical lash rather severely
our Southern Editor and we conceded with the re-
viewer in many Of his points, and thanked him for the
trouble he had taken, though could not give him
credit for boldness, inasmuch he was an anonymous
writer--when boldness wears mask, then cowardice
may lord it on the earth. Mr.. White has been unfor-
in many Of his contributors but where is there
the monthly that has not necessarily support and
patonize number of bad writers as well as bad sub
scribers? There few whose enthusiastic love
Of literature and certain periodical, is superior to
their intellectual power, but they too good friends
to be sneered from the list of the welcome; and the
Editor balancing the good wishes with the bad pens,
amiaby decides that he will allow them the gratica
tion Of seeing themselves in prnthe only grati6ca-
tion he may possibly enjoy, is to witness the destruc
tion they inevitably bring upon their avore works. by
the publication therein Of their pet ideas. We could
name several contributors to the Southern Literary
Messenger who doubtless the pension list of the
Editors amiabty, and he is only waiting for the fu
mes Of vanity to shoulder the altar Of their self
conceit and then he will be free from their special f
vors. We do not blame Mr.. White-we think we un.
derstand his position-possibly We have felt as he
does--but no matter for that.
/ The present number opens with defence of very
severe article which appeared some months back in
the Messenger, on the works Of Boz We we'll re-
member the sensation made by that critque in the
fined literary circle OF this city, and the horror that
was expressed tha- Dickins should be sneezed at We
did not agree with the very able Editor Of the Messen
ger, in his structures Boz, do we now, though
we admire his defence in this number much, that
were unfortunate to have law suit in Rich
mond, would seek the Editor, and get him to be
our COUNSELLOR we know he is lawyer, and that he
has an Attorneys" board painted his doorway
We will not be foolish to give reasons Of diff
ference with the eloquent critic.
HELEN DEFENDED--is learned as far as it goes-bnt
it is small subject, and the critique is in bad
forr