The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-06-07
PROSPECTUS OF THE
SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER,
THOMAS w. WRITE, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.

THIS is A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, devoted
j chiefly 10 literature, but occasionally finding
for articles that fall within the scope OF Science and not
processing entire disdan Of tasteful selections though
It's matter has BEEN will continue TO be- in the main,
| original. "."~" ..
Party politics and controversial theology as far as nos
sble, jealousy excluded. They are sometimes SO
blended with discussions in literature moral science,
otherwise unoheetionae TO gain admittance for the
sake OF The more valuable matter TO which they adhere
bat Whenever that happens they incidental only not
primary They doss, tolerated only because
not well be severed from the sterling wherewith it
incorporated "."}
Reviews and Critical Notices occupy their due space
in the work and it is the editors aim that they should
have threefod lendency--to convey in a condensed
form, such valuable truths interesting incidents
embodied IN the works reviewed,-to direct the readers
attention to books that deserve to be read,-and to
him against wasting time and money upon that large
Der, which merit only to be burned In this age OF publ
cations that by her variety and multitude distract and
orer"helm every undiscrimnating student, impartial
criticism governed by the views just mentioned, of
the most lnesmable and indispensable of axiares,
him who does wish to discriminate
Essays and Tales having in view utility amusement
or boh,-Hstoncal Skotches-and "reminiscences Of
minute for history, yet calculating and height
ening its Interestingly be regarded forming the staple
OF the work And Of Indigenous poetry, enough is pub
lished-somemes Of no mean strain-to manifest and TO
cultivate the growing poeca taste and talents OF our
country.
The times appear for several reasons to demand such
work--and not one alone, but many. The public mind
is feverish and ated STILL from recent political strtes
The Soft assuasve influence of literature is needed,
aay that fever and soothe that irritation Vice and folly
rotng abroad They should be driven by indignant
rebuke, dashed by rdicule into their fitting haunts
Ignorance lords II immense proportion OF our
people Every spring should be set in notion TO arouse
the enlightened and TO increase their number SO that the
great enemy Of popular government may no longer brood
like pocn,ous cloud, the dcstines oil our country
And to accomplish all these ends, what more powcru
agent be employed than periodical, the plan
the Messenger if that plan be but carried out in practice
The South, peculiarly, requires such agent. In all
the Union south Of Washington there but literary
periodicals. Northward Of that city, there probably al
least twenty-five or thirty Is this conras, justified by
the wealth, the leisure the native talent the actual
literary Of tho Southern people, compared withthoSe
Of the Northern No: for in wealth, talents. and taste,
we may Justly claim al least equality with our bre.
thren; and domestic institution exclusively our own
beyond all doubt affords choose twice the leisure
for reading and writing, which they enjoy.
1t was from deep of this local want, that the
word SOUTHERN engrafted the OF this
periodical and not with any design TO noursh local pre-
JUDGES, advocate supposed local interests Far from
any such thought is the editors feren wish to see the
North and South bound endearngy together forever IN
the silken bands OF mutual kindness and affection fM
from meditating hostility to the North, he has ALREADY
drawn and he hopes draw much oil has
matter thence ano happy indeed will he deem himself
should his pages, by making each region Know e @''
better contribute in any essential degree to dSpeI th
lowering clouds that threaten the peace oil boh ana
TO brighten and strengthen the sacred ties oil aleiht'
love. .,"
The Southern Literary Messenger has now reached the
fifth No Of its third volume. How far il has acted out lle
ideas here uttered. it is not for the editor TO lie
believes however that it falls further short Of ihe
than human weakness usually makes practice fall short
theory. ..t..
The Messenger is issued monthly Each number OF ne
work contains ia large superroya pages, printed IN inc
very handsomest MANNER on new type, and on P@EN'
equal at least TO that which any other periodical u
printed in country.
No subscription will he received for less than volume
and must commence with the current The priec y
SIS per volume which must be paid in all at the TIM"
Of subscribing This is particularly advcrtcd to no" "
avoid INSTRUMENTATION or future misunderstanding
no order will hereafter he attended to unless accompanied
with the price Of subscription
The postage on the Messenger is six cents on any sn
gle No for all distances under 100 milesover 100 miles
ten cents So,
All communications or letters, relative TO The Mess'n
ger ms, he addressed 10 THOMAS w. WHITE,
Southern Literary Messenger Office, Richmond va