The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-07-10
PROSPECTUS OF THE
SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER,

THOMAS W. WHITE. EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
THIS is A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, dry@,1
i chiefly 10 literature, but occasionally finding
Tor articles thai Ia, within the scope Of Science aud
protesting an entire dsain OF tasteful selections, thong
lbs matter has been, viii continue TO be- IN the
original
Parry politics and controversial theology, far %,
side, are leulo,islv excluded They sometime,
hiendrd Nth discussions in literature or in moral Srru,r
othrr"lse unoyeciionale AS !" gam admit"hce o[1'
sake OF the more valuable matter 10 which they a'tt
but Whenever that happens they incidental only
primary. They dross tolerated only because il rua
well be severed from the sterling one ~here"tth
Reviews and Critical Notices occupy their due spa
in the work and il is the editors aim that they sh"u
have threeiod teHdency--to convey in II CONDENSED
form, such valuable truths or interesting incidents y ore
embodied in the works reviewea,-io direc, III readers
attention books that deserve TO he read-and !" wan
him against wasting time and money upon that lart" nun
her. which merit only to he burned In tins age OF p.
Gallons that 10y teir variety and multitude distract and
o,erw helm every Understanding student impartial
criticism governed by the views just mentioned Is 81
the nestinable and Indispensable OF auxmres, 70
him who does wish TO discriminate.
Essays and Tales, having in wutity or amusement
lo,h,-HiStorical Skeichcs,--and "Reminiscences "
events too minute for history yet encdans IT, aud hcEt
enne us Interestingly I've regarded as forming the st'e
of the work. And Of indigenous poetry. enough Is pi"
llshcd-somciInes OF no mean sra'to manifest hnd ~
cultivate the growing poetical taste and talents OF on"
country.
The times ap,ear for seyera reasuns 10 demand sura
u wok-and moi alone, hii' mary. The public mind
IS feverish and ri;a,cd still from recent political sre>
he soil, influence oil literature needed
aay that fever and sooihe tina, irritation. Vice and foy
are roiing abroad They should be driven iy Indignant
reinke or dashed by rldcnle, into their fitting have.
Ignorance lords II over immense proportion ~
people. Every spring should bc sci in morton. 10
the enlightened, aud 10 increase their number. That
enemy Of popular government may Iosr hrnoi,
Ike porteEtons cloud, the dcsiiRrs nf or couir.
And to accomplish all these ends, what po"rtHl
be emploped than periodical the plan az
the Messenger il thai plan he m carried oui in pacre
The South. peculiarly, requires such an agent In al
the Union. south OF washington, there n Two literary
pfriodfcals Nnrhwari of thai city, there Irhy nj
e;s, twenty-five thirty, Is this IuS6ed Nv
The wealth, the leisure the uav" talent. the actual
literary taste Of the Southern people. commrcd with those
Of TIE Northern No for in wealth. iacntS, and 'aS'c,
| may Justly claim al least etnnlly With our lr,
'hrom: and domestic institution exclusively "nr own,
cyond AL douM affords if sc choose. twice tho Irsr
I FOR reading and writing. which they enjoy.
II from deep Of this local want that Ne
| word SOUTHERN engritcH on the ~ u.s.
periodical and not with design 10 nnrish o" pre-.
uIccs advocate supposed local interests Far from
4uy such thought * the editors ferven wish 'e
North and South houu endearingly oge'hcr forever
he Sllkeu bands of mutual kindness and affection Fa
/ from mcdiint1g hostility TO the North he has already
drawn ard he hopes hereafter TO draw much Of hs cboCr
matter thence ana happy indeed will he deem mu>eit,
should his pages hy making each region know the n'r
better contribute in any essential degree In dS" ne
lowering clouds tina, threaten the peace Of both ~
70 brighten and strengthen the sacred ties Of fracrnal
| love.
The Southern Literary Messenger has rrnch"d The
fifth No OF liz hd volume How far il has acted on the
ideas hcrp uttered il for the editor tie
! believes huw ever. that il falls further shor Of them
Than human Weakness usually makes practice s Shoh u
| theory.
The Messenger is issued monthly. Each nnm'cr OF the
work contains o. large supcrroya pages printed IA tie
very haDdsomesi manner, new, type, and on paper
equal al least 10 that which any Other penodtca 70
| printed country.
No subscription viii he received 70, less than volume,
and must with the current The prc' y
IS per volume, which must he pa,d ali NJ the mc
of subscribing. This is particularly advericd 10 no" !"
avoid msarrr"h"nsi"n or future m's"nd' rS'and'ns-as