The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-29
PROSPECTUS OF THE
SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGE
TuoN.s W wuIrE. ypIrop .Nn pporaIrro,

THOMAS W. WHITE, EDITOR AND PRorRIEToE
THIS IS MONTHLY MAGAZINE, devoted
i chiefly 10 literature, but occasionally finding room
for articles that fall within the scope OF Science and not
protesting entire disdan Of tasteful selections thong
its matter has been, as will continue to be- in the a
original Ba.,, ,,,.. !, ,,.o,o. :. e
sible, jealousy excluded. They are sometimes
blended with discussions in literature in moral science
otherwise unobeconalle, 10 gain Abundance or Ii
sake OF the valuable matter TO which they adhere
but whenever that happens, they incidental only
PRIMARY. They dross, tolerated only because It con
not well he severed from the sterling ~heewitA
Reviews and Critical Notices occupy their due spa
in the work and il is the editors aim tina, they shout
have threeold tendency--to convey in condensed
form, such valuable truths interesting incidents
embodied in the works reviewed,-io direct the readers
attention TO books that deserve to be read and 10
him against wasting time and money upon tina, large mum
Der, which merit only TO be burned In this of publ
cations that by Cher variety and multitude distract and
oyern helm every understanding student impartial
CRITICISM governed by the views just mentioned Of
the inestimabe and Indispensable of auxliares 10
him who does wish to discriminate,
Essays and Tales, having in view utility amusement
or boh,-Historical Sketches,--and "reminiscences Of
events too minute for history yet Calculating it, and height
ening its be regarded forming the staple
OF the work And OF indigenous poetry, enough is pub
lshed-somenes of no mean strain-to manifest and 10
cultivate the growing poeca taste and talents Of
country.
The times appear for several reasons to demand such
work--and not one alone but many. The public mind
Is eversh and rrtated STILL from political strfes
The soft assuasive influence of literature is needed
aay that fever and soohe that irritation Vice and folly
roting abroad They should be driven by indignant
rebuke or dashed by rdiculc into their fitting haunts
Ignorance lords IT over an immense proportion Of
people. Every spring should be set in notion
the enlightened, and TO increase their numbers that the
great enemy Of popular government may no longer brood,
ike porteHous cloud over the desnies Of o';r county,
And TO accomplish all these ends, what more powerful
agent can be employed than periodical the plan OF
the Messenger il that plan be but carried practice
The South, peculiarly, requles such an agent. In all
the Union south Of Washington there but two literary
periodicals Northward Of that city, there probably at
least twenty-five thirty! Is this contrast justified by
the wealth, the leisure the native talent, or the actual
literary taste Of the Southern people, compared with those
of the Northern No: for in wealth. talents, and TASTE
may justly claim at least equality with our bre
thren; and domestic institution exclusively own
beyond all doubt affords us, if choose twice the leisure
for reading and writing, which they enjoy.
1t was from deep Of this local want that the
word SOUTHERN was engrafted on the name OF this
periodicals and not with any design TO nonrsh local pre-
udccs advocate supposed local interests Far from
such thought IL the editors ervent wish TO the
North and South bound endearingly together forever
the sken bands Of mutual kindness and affection Far
from medating hostility to the North he has already
drawn and he hopes hereafter to draw much oil his choicest
matter thence; happy indeed will he deem himself,
should his pages, by making each region know the other
better contribute in any essential degree to dspel the
lowering clouds that now threaten the OF both and
to brighten and strengthen the sacred ties OF fraterna
love-
The Southern Literary Messenger has reached the
fifth No Of its third volume How far has acted out The
ideas here uttered il is not for the editor to say lie
believes, however that il falls not further short Of them
than human weakness usually makes practice fall short OF
theory
The Messenger is issued monthly. Each number OF the
work contains Ga large super-roya pages printed in the
very handsomest manner, new type, and on paper
equal mt least that which any other periodical il
printed in our country.
No subscription will he received for less than volume
and must commence with the current one The price
IS per volume which must be pad in all cases at the time
Of subscribing This is particularly adveed TO now to
avoid misapprehension, future Observation-Disclosures
no order will hereafter be attended to unless accompanied
with the price Of subscription.
The hostage on the Messenger is six cents any sin
gle No for all distances under 100 mes-over 100 miles
ten cents :.
All communications or letters relative to the Messen
ger must be addressed to THOMAS w WHITE
Southern Literary Messenger Office, Richmond, Va