Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-08-01
PROPOSALS
I kOI U = X LIO
Fo REvIYISG TIE
Southern Review.

7E1tlE Subscriber, in proposing the rr-cs-
Il tablismnlel, of tlr Sou,Hern Rcri ",
deems it unnecessary to refer 10 thu history of
that work, which is ;lrrad, in tie poss, sSion OF
the public, or 10 dwell on :hr high estimation in
which it was held both at home and abroad. dl-
ring The period of ITS continuance. Suffice II
20 say. that lis career though brief was. as all
admit bri!ant-crc,i;able to the olit!l and tn
the wnoic American Union. Its failure Tie
subject of universal regret-was owing, Il Is
| well known. not to Il 'lrS'rtllIun ni ta'ent and
public spirit but arose lst from its limited cir
cuIatioir, which was hv no means adequate to
sustain 4 work of such magnitude, and 2ndly,
| from III political differences whi"h agiialed the
country about ii" time OF lis discon'Inuance
ivdITg the friends of Southern literature IN
to two great parties. and p evening that hnr-
nnony Of opinion and r0-"perallnn III rhc dis
cllssIon Of Iradi g questions. which IS desirable
III work proicssediy devoted to tho cause OF
the .,oul. and lhc wiln!" South.
Il is proper consider first. the riiit; Of
trv;ews. regarded us organs OF the literary spi-
rt and opinions Ui Tie age. and secondly. lie
niortarcc and cccssly of establishing such
work at the Son h. at the present time. On
he first point, it is scarccl" necessary 10 SLY
,rici:. ir the present advanced stage Of perlnd-
ica literature. Ably conducted icview> are
lie oils ritz Of {, rgil state of rivizaio an'i
',rr Tie best evidence. nowadays. that cam Dr.
furnished al intellectual advance ncmt. and Tao
prevalence oil a pur" and e evl'cd pu:np!i
The iaSt huf century has produced few ali-
lnors OF cnli!l' .c". either in Great Britain :
nlerica. ~ comparison with :hc aif C nrIN
'nat preceded II. aud the rcaSO prob bly, is. nl
liza: there ilS been want of Mus talent and
-.
;,rlt simply because distinguished scholars have
lhunh Il reader and better organ throu.rI
which Ia act directly on the public mind in Re.
Vi VS. than through the m''dium uf boo, S-lhr
od more :rdio;,. and more expensive method.
# therefor. il be us icd. what evid"uce rs
ran b" furnished of the superior intel igear
and progress OF tn" present century, pr
gress of winch w, are so ap: to brast-the re-.
;,Iy is that it is to he found il. the high cIiaracter
of the >iuartcrly feri"ws abroad and ut hom
Il i, b. affirmed. that we ilave no native Ii e,a
ture in this country, and therefore no materials
TO furnish the round work for Reviews the n
Swer is that onr Reviews collStitatr our natv"
literature. and that If learning Il d scholarship!
are sought tor. they are To he found in orr Re
views, which therefore should be warmly and
firmly supported, as an evidence and fair one
of our literary pretenSio and our national
character .jrsidcs, no one callsc. il may he
safely affirmed, has contributed So much tn eli.
rit talent, to awaken literary ambition, and TO
produce the highest orher OF filr and puwer!lr.
writing. Us the establishment of Reviews an
many individuals have been stimulated in ex
traordnary el1or's. and have bee subsequent
known far and wide to fame, Ia consequence oi
The opportunities they have enjoyed and ilnpro-
ved ni contributing successfully to works Of :,
inaue !ial and highly respectable c!iaractei-
individuals, WHO, Otherwise in all probability
would never lave been tempted 10 test tllrii
strength OH the literary arena with such compct
ilorS as they would be likel ly 10 meet there.
The great aim Of Reviews is, to discuss snh-
jects edrnedy thoroughly profoundIy-in such
a manner as To bear upon the whole social sys
TEN. and pro uce broad. deep and pernlanen!
impression upon the general character of pro.
pie: In one word. their obiert is to diinse
knowledge. not to foster priudiccs-lo create.
direct and comtrol-nul :" ech" opninns-l
produce beneficial changes upon n larme sca'
-nntto perpetnate or ever tolerate existing Il
buses. 1t Is obvious. therefore, that while, il,
tllr inflncy of American literature spirit ul
indulgence has been felt and extended 10 the
faults Of our lighter periodicals. which are rap
ldlv issued from the press, and which, lav
served as vehicles often for The attempts Of H."
mere literary drbutani, l;arirrly Review
having higher aims to accomrli>l and intend
ing to represent and cmhody, in the most pow
erful and attractive form. the opinions only of
the most enlightened minds should be con-
'lucted with Il scrupn!ous reearI to the purst
principles Of taste. and 10 the elevation and nd
vnncement Of our literary and national cllur-
actcr.
IN respect to the importance and necessity of
'slab1ishing snch work nj the South ut the
pr sent time there can be little donb, in the
minds of our discerning and public spirited
citizens. We mnsl have such work or fall
behind the spirit of he aye which, is o! pre-.
min"ntlv inquSitv" AMI cnt rprisn cuarar-
ter, and the South should have sucl. a wo k,nut
only from motives Of literary pride and emml-
ton. in order 10 keep pac" with tho respectable
advances "fthe ther wide. inielliren arI'' tiri-
vnr Sc ions of the american republic. but also
b"cauSc the South has Il the prese tpcriad cs
p"c;ally, certain great aud lradin" Interests of
Its own TO promote. which can be most etfcctu-
ally Subserved through tho Instrument Iitv of
snch periodical. Il is not necesSar TO raise
he war cry against other portion. OF the Uninr
who may feel disposed, as hey often do. to diC:
fer from MS in their views Of our agricultural.
commercial and political interests. but it is i'm.
pnrtant, highly so. that we shnnH take orr
southern position firmly in the present attitude
o ur national affairs: that our 'osition should
he clearly Known and understood, both Mt home
and abroad; that we snu'd be ready to defend
ourselves aud our institutions from nll covert or
open asants; that we should maintain the prin.
cipes ofihe Federal Constitution in its origin.
alin'enton, with firm and unflinching spirit.
and promote the cause of pure and elevated
literature by all the inducements thar can he
held ont to stimulate the ambition and pride OF
intelligent and chivalric people.
Propositions have hernfrequentv made here
tofore for The revival of the Southern Review,
which unfortunately have not been crowned
with the success that was hoped or nnticinnted
for rthcm. Different causes have been ASSIGNED
for the failure Of these pro ects. hut the LEADING
one undoubtedly is, the neglecting to avail our.
zC