The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1839-12-21
PROSPECTUS
OF THE
Southern Literary Messenger.
T. w. WHITE, Editor and Proprietor.

| This is monthly Magazine, devoted chiefly TO
Literature, but occasionally finding room also for
articles that fall within the scope of Science; and
not protesting entire dsdain oftasteful Selections
though its matter has been, as it will continue 10
| be, in the main, original.
Party politics and controversial Theology, as
| for as possible, are jealousy excluded. They are
sometimes so blended with discussions in literature
or in moral science, otherwise unohj" c,ionable
To gain adnmttance 10, the sake of the more vaIua-
hle matter to which they ADHERE but whenever that
happaAs, they are incidental, only; not primary
They are dross tolerated only because it cannot
well be severed from the stcrdg orc Whcrcwt!l il is
Incorporated.
Reviews, and Critical Notices, occapy THAR rrIue
spree in The work: and il is the Edltors aim flint
they should have ihrref,d tenlenry-to convey,
in condensed form, such valuable truths or inter-
! estlng incidents embudird i'm the works re.
viewed TO direct the readers attention To books
that deserve to be read ,--ald to warn him against
wasting time and money upon that large number,
which merit only to be burned. In this aye, Of pub
ica'ons that by their variety and multitude dstract
and ovcrwhem every un iiscr iraing student, i'm.
partial criticism, governed by tie views just NEIL
tioIcd, it is of the most in stin able and nis-
pensablr Of auxiaries, to him who does wish 10
| discriminate.
{ Essays, AM Tales. having in view utility or
| amusement, or both - Historical Skctchcs-and Rr.
W
eucid ting it, and heig ghiening its Interest, HAY
be regarded Us farming the staple of The work And
Of Indigenous Poetry, enough is puhlislIe'-solue-
times of stTain-to manifest and to culti-
vate the growing poetica taste and ta.enls Of or
country.
The timcs appear, for several reasons, TO demand
such work-and not one alone, but many. The
public mind is ieverish and irritaed still from re-
cent political slri.cs:--The soft, sssuasi,e influence
Lad 10 all, fl,,f c,y, Il
| soothe TINT irritation. Vice and folly are roting
abroad They should be driven by inds nant rebuke
or lasled by rilcule into their fitting haunts L.
nora nee l'rds it over immense proportion of our
icoplc:-Escry spring should lie set in motion, 10
Arouse the enlightened, and to increase their num-
be.; tn It le great enemy OF popular government
nav nn longer brood, like a porlentous cloud, over
!he GrsiiDies IF our country Andtu accomplish AL
thee c.Y. w!:a crfii agent can be employ
ed t,iun periodical. on the Plan oi the Messenger;
If that plan b" carried ont in practice!
r.. South peculiarly requires such an agent. In
all the Union, sou:h of Washington, there are l.ut
two Literary Publications. Northward Of that city,
there probably at easttwcnty- five or thity Is
this contras, justified by the wealth, tic l,surc the
native talent, or tie actual literary taste, OF the
Southern people, compared with those of the North
crn? n ,: for in wealth. talents, an: taste, We lncY
Justly claim at least equality with brethTci
and domestic institution exclusively our own, be-
yund all doubt affords US, if we choose, twice the
leisure for reading and writing, which they cn-
jy.
1t WIS from deep sense Of this local want, that
the word Southern was engrafted on the name of
this periodical, und not with any design 10 nourish
lucl preudces ur to advocate supposed local inter
ess. Far from any such thought, 1t is the Editors
iirvent wish to sce the North and South bound en-
dearlnsIy together forever, in the sken bands of
mutual kindness and affection. Far from mcdita
ting hostility to the north, he has already drawn,
AID hr hopes hereafter to draw, much OF his choi-
ces, matter thence: and happy indie, will lie 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 threa-
ten the peace Of blth and TO brighten and strength
en- sacred ties of fratcrnal love.
The Southern Literary Messenger has now
reached the May No of its fourth voIame. How
fur it has acted out the ideas here uttered is not for
the Editor TO say. lie believes, however, that it
falls not further short of thorn than human weak
ness usually makes Practice fall short of Theory.
CONDITIONS.
l. The Southern Literary Messenger is publish
cd in monthly numbers, Of Gl large superroyal &C.
tavo pages each, on the best of paper, and neatly
covered at S5 year-payablc in advance.
9. Or five new subscribers by sending their
names and SEQ at one time to the editor, will re-
ceive their copies for year for that sum, or at
81 f,r each.
8 The risk of loss Of payments for subscriptions,
which have been properly committed to the mail,
or to the hands of postmaster, is assumed by the
editor.
4. liza subscription is not directed to be discon-
tinucd before the first number of the next volume
has been published, it will be taken as 4 continu-
nncc for another year. Subscriptions must CON-
mcncc with the beginning Of the volume, and mot
be taken for less than years publication, unless
tile individual subscribing is willing TO pay IS for
shorter periodevea if i. be for n single number,
S. he mutnal obligations Of the publisher and
for the year, fully incurr d, as soon
the first number of the volume is issued: and af
ter that time, no dIscontnuance Of q subscription
will be permitted. Nor will subscription be dis,
any earr notice, while any thing
rcuai { G. rp,rss ache ontioa Of the editor