Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-11-19
respsctlss OF the
Southern Literary Messenger.

i
EHIS Is a monfhly Magazine, devoted
Il chiefly 70 Literature, but occasionally
finding room also for articles that fall within
the scope d Science and moi processing an
entire dsdam Of tasteful selections, 1hBnghItE
u3tter mas been as i vii continue 10 be, III
the MAN 0rIguIal.
Party Politics and controversial Theology
as lar as possible, are lealousiy exelnded
They are sometimes SO blended with discus
sIons IL literature or III mDEal science, other
wise nnaDlectIonable, as TO gam admIftancE
f0r the sake OF the more valuable matter tC
winch they adhere: but whenever that hap
pens, they are Incidental only not primary
! They are dros5 tolerated only because Il can
not well be severed from tine sterling ore where
with i Is Incorporated.
Review and Critical Notices OCCUPY 1hez1
dne space In the work and 4 Is tine editor
am thai T3ey should nave thTesf0lG 1enden.
cy-te oazVsT II q condensed fo-n, sucb Fala-
able truths "a increasing incidents a are ED.
bodied II The works reTleEeG--to direct he
readers attention 70 books that deserve 10 be
reae.-ada 70 Ean I'm against wasting tine
and noBeF upon that large number. which
merit onsy 10 be burned In this are, Of publ
cations that hy Their ya-se1y and multitude DIS
tract and oTerE helm every undlscnminztsag
student. impartial criticism governed By the
views jnsfmenilones. : one a The most nest
u1abie and indispensable a auXhaTles, 70 him
who does wish % discriminate.
ESSAYS. and Tales having n view utility ol
amusement, or botA-Iilstorscel Sketches
and "reminiscences OF too minnie Tor HissOrT
yet calculating Il and keightening It's inter
ei,-may Be regarded as forming the staple
OF the work And CT Indigenous Poetry
enough Is Dublished-sOnetlmes Of no mean
strain-io manifest and 10 cultivate the grow
ing poetry taste and talents Of our coun-
Try.
The time appears, Tor several reasons. 10
demand such a work: and not one alone, but
many. TIE public mind Is feverish and Irr1ta-
ted stu, from recent political striSes. The
soft asSuasIye influence OF literature Is needed.
to allay that fever and smoo;he that irritation.
Vice and fclIF are riosIng abroad: they should
be driven bT indignant rebuke. or lashed bv
ridicnle, into Their fitting haunts. Ignorance
lords It over an immense proportion Of our peo-
pie. Every spring should be set IN motion. to
arouse the enlightened, and to increase Their
number; so that the great enemy of popular
government may no longer brood, Ike por-
tentous cloud over the destines Of our country.
And 10 accomplish al these ends, what more
powerful agent can be employed, than aper-
odical, on the plan Of the Messenger; If that
plan be but carried out IN practices
The South peculiarly requires such an agent
In all The Union, south of Washington, there
are but two literary periodicals. Northxard
of that city, there probably are at least TWEEN
ty-fye or thirty. Is this contrast justified by
the wealth, the leisure the native talent, or the
actual literary taste, of tie Southern people,
compared with those of the Northern9 No
for in wealth, talents and taste. we may Justly
claim at least an equality with our bTefhrea
and domestic institution exclusively our own,
beyond all doubt, affords US, if we choose. twice
the leisure for reading and writing which they
enjoy.
1t was from deep sense of this local want
that the word Southern was engrafted on this
periodical; and not with any design to nour-
lsh local prejudices or to advocate supposed
local interests. Far from any such thought. Il
Is the editors fervent wish to see the. North
and South bound endeanngly together forever,
IN the sIken bands Of mutual kindness and az
lection. Far from meditating hostility TO the
North, he has already drawn, and be hopes
therefore to draw much of his choicest matter
thence: and happr indeed viii he deem him
sell, should ms pages, by making each region
know the other better. contribute in any es-
sential degree to dispel the lowering clouds
that now threaten the peace of both, and to
brighten and strengthen the sacred ties of fra
ternaI love.
The Southern Literary Messenger has now
reached the 18th No Of the third volume.
How far It has acted out the IDEAS here uttered.
Is not for the editor to say. He BELIEVES. how
ever, that It falls not further short of them. than
human weakness usually makes Practice fall
short of Theory.
CONDITIONS.
l. The Southern Literary Messenger is
published IN monthly numbers, of "a large su-
perroyal octave pages each, on the best Of pa
per, and neatly covered, at So year, payable
in advance.
z. Or five new subscribers By sending their
names and twenty dollars at one time 10 the
editor, VIII receive their copies for one year,
for that sumo at dollars for each.
3. The risk nfloss Of payments for subscrip-
tons, which have been properly committed 10
the mail; or the hands Of postmaster, IS as
sumed By the editor.
4. II subscription is not directed to be dis
continued before the first number Of the next
volume has been published, It VII be taken as
a continuance for another year. Subscriptions
must commence with the beginning Of the
volumes and win not be taken for less than
years publication
). The mutual obligations Of the publisher
and subscriber, for the year. are fully incurred
as soon az the frst number Of the volume IS
issued; and after that time, no dIscOntinuance
Of a subscription VIII be permitted. Nor VII
= subscription be discontinued for any earlier