Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-08-22
PROPOSALS
Southern Review.
FO REVIYING THE

b t,hlisumeu, of the Southern ltcvi W.
deems it unnecessary TO refer 20 tn" history "i
that work. which is already IN tie poSs' Ss!on Oh
the p,,dc, or 10 dwell ON the higl, estimation IN
which it was held both at home and abroad ''u'
ring the period OF It's cnn!lnnanc". Suiiice u
10 saw. thu, us career though hrlef. was. as all
admit brilliant-creditabl to the south and t"
the whole American Uninm. Is failure The
subject of universal regret-was owing. II Is
we 4 known not to destituion of ia'eht and
! uubc spirit, but arose lst. from its limted Cir
culatio:r, which was by no m"ans adequate to
sustain n work of such ma" ntude. and 2ndly.
from rh. political differences which ag'lted the
coupry abuut h. time OF lis diSconinuanre.
.l,vid;lg the friends OF S"ut,ern literature IN
10 two grca' parties AMI p evening thai h,r-
mony of opinion and cooperation in the dis
| cussion Of i"adi questions. which is desirable
in work procssediy devote to the cause Of
the Sout, and Tie whole Sorlh.
II is proper % 'on-idtr first. the uli't. OF
:rv.ews REGARDED is ''rgans of the literary spI-
rit and opinions oi the a%r. aud s. ondlr. 'lic
lnpGriaucc and crcssiiy of establishing such
work at the Sou h. at the p csrn' umr. I'm
:tc first point, it is scarcely I'cces>alf 10 say
nuch. in the present advanced stage of period
ical llrrra,Ir'. Ably conducted reviews are
The IFS RIG of Il iig!I Statc of ivi!ization. am!
arr. ir best evidence. nowadays, thai CO" br
| furnished nf riel ctual advancement and the
prevalence o! Il pure and e evated phll"Snph!,
| The nSt half Century has produce! 'ew au-
t!lors nf' cmin r' either in Great Britain ''r
inc ~ica M comparison with 'hG half ninly
hat ,rec ded tt. and the re;so prob bly, Is. 0t
TIA; there has been want OF .rplls. talent and
scholarship in this conIcsScdly nt:'lIr'tl,a' age
| hui simply brcallSe distinguished scholars have
| found :; reader and better organ through
which tn act dire NY Oil the public mind III Re-
vi,ws, t:ian through the medium oi bo0Ns-ille
oa more Irdioii~ aEtl more "XprIISve mriiiOd.
| If lhpreiurn ii be as ed. what cvi!"rce is 'r
can b. furnished of i'Ie superior Intel lSenc
and progress ol I'll! present Century, pr"
| grcsS of which w. are so ap: to h"ast-- The re-
,;r Is that it is to be Ioud the high c!aractrr
If the .uar;erl: iteri VS. abroad and ut home
| Ei it be affirmed that we ,lave no native lea-
tllrc IN this .ouiiry, a. d therefore no ,na'eras
| 10 furnish the round work for Reviews. the AZ
| sw;'r is that oil; Reviews cOaStiiut'' our native
literature. and that if learning a. Il scholarship
are sought Ior they are TO be found III our Re
views, which therefore Shou;tl he warmly and
iirmy supported. as an evidence. and fair ore.
of our literary pre,cnsio and oar natl" at
| character ijcsid. s. no one cause. II may be
safely aiirme,l, has contributed =" muc.: Ia eli
rit talent. to Awaken literary ambition, and to
produce the hghrs! orlcr OF fin aud p.'wernl
writing, as the establishment Of h'ri"ws; au!
many Individuals have been stimulated to ex
traortlnary efur's. and have be- subsequently
knnv;n far and wide to fame, n consequence OF
the opportunities they have enjoyed aud impro-
we'd ni cnlltributin" su cessinll to Works Of 50
utiue tial and highly Respectable Il c!Iaractel-
| individuals. who, Otherwise. in all p' 'Ohahliliy
| would never have brel tempt 10 test their
strength on the literary nrena with such compel
tors rs they would b. likely 10 mrc, there.
Tie great aim of Reviews is, to discuss sub
ecls !edrncdlv thoroughly profoundly yin such
! a marcr as to bear upon the whole social syS
tem and pro .nce broad. deep and permanent
| mprcsSior upon the general character OF pco-
pie: In one word their obje"t is to ditluse
! knowledge not t, foster pTiHdices-o crea'e.
direct and co ,trol-nuf - ech" oplrl"nS--t',
| produce henecil changes Il ION large scale
-nntto perpetna.e or ''vc! tolerate eNistin. a.
buses. Il Is Obvious therefore, that while. in
the nf;,ncy of American literature 4 spirit af
Indulgence has Eccn fell and extended TO tic
faults of oar lighter periodicals which nrc rap
idlv issued FROM the press. and which har'
served Us vehicles often Tor the attempts OF ti!c
mere literary drbutant, t,uar,rry Reviews.
having higher aims to accomplish. and intend
ing to represent ans! cmbUdv, im the most pow
eriill and attractive form, the opinions only Of
the most enlightened minds should be con-
Quoted with Il scrl,puIouS reear' to the purrSt
ptincipIcs Of taste, and 10 the elevation and ad-
vanrement Of our literary and national char
acter.
In rcspec, to the Importance and necessity OF
establishing such work at the South at the
present time. there can be little doubt i'll the
minds of our discerning and public spirited
ci'izeils. We must have such n work or fall
behind the spirit Of the age which is Ola pre-.
emincntv nquislivc and ent"rprising charac-
ter. and the South should has C such work ,mot
only from motives Of literary pride and emua.
:inn in order to keep pace witt the respectable
advances oft the rthcr wide, intelligent, aud thrl-
wing sections of The american republic, but also
because the South has. III the prase. tpcrind Is
peciaIlv. certain great and lcadinr interests Of
rs own TO promote which can be most eficctu-
~; snbsnrved through the instrument Iity OF
auch Il periodical. II is not necessary to raise
me war cry against other portion OF the Uninr
who MAJ feel disposed, as hey often do, to diff
fer from us in their views Of our agricultural
commrrriaI and political interests, but it is i'm.
portant, highly so. that we should take orr
:ou lIcrn position firmly in the present attitude
..,ir national affi,irS that our position should
bc clearly known and understood both at home
and abroad; that wes lnu be ready to de!cn!l
ourselves I'd orr institutions firm all covert OF
npen asanlts; liza: we should maintain the prin-
cnles of The Federal Constitution in its origin
al in'ention, with firm and unfincling spirit
and rromoc the cars" of nure and elevated
literature by all the inducements thai can he
held ont to stimulat" the ambition and pride Of
intelligent and chivalric people.
Propositions avr becnfreqnrntly made here
,oiure for Tie revival Of the Southern Review
w ,ich unfortunately have not been crowned
with the SUCCESS that was hoped or anticipaed
for them. DifTercnr causes have been assigned
for the failure Of these pro ects. but the LEADING
Al