The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-04-06
PROSPECTUS OF THE
SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER

THOMAS W. WHITE, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR
THIS is A MONTHLY MAGAZINE, devoted
chiefly TO Literature, hut occasionally finding room
for articles that fall within the scope of Science and not
protesting entire disdain of tasteful selections thong
its matter has been as it will continue to be, the
original
sble are jealousy excluded They are sometimes
blended with discussions literature or in moral science
otherwise unobjectionable, to gain admittance I'll
sake Of the valuable matter TO which they adhere
but whenever that happens, they Incidental only
primary They dross, tolerated only because it
not well be severed from the sterling ore wherewih it
Reviews and Critical Notices occupy their due spa
in the work and il is the editors aim that they shout
have threefold tendency-to convey in a condensed
FORM such valuable truths interesting incidents
embodied in the works rcviewed-to direct the readers
attention 10 books that deserve to be readand to warn
him against wasting time and money upon that large
ber which merit only to be burned. In this age OF publ
cations, that by their variety and multitude distract and
overwhelm every undiscrimnating student, impartial
criticism governed by the views Just mentioned is one of
the most inesmable and Indispensable of auxiares to
him who does wish TO discriminate
Essays and Tales having in view utility or amusement
or both, Historical Skeches-and "reminiscences of
minute for history yet Calculating and height
enng its Interestingly be regarded as forming the staple
OF the work And of Indigenous poetry, enough IS pub.
lished-sometimes of mean strain-to manifest and to
cultivate the growing poetcal taste and talents OF our
country.
The times appear, for several reasons demand such
a work-and not one alone, but many The public mind
is everish and ntaed STILL from recent political strfes
The soft assuasiye influence Of literature is needed to
aay that fever and sooihe that irritation Vice and folly
roting abroad They should be driven by indignant
rebuke, dashed by rdcule, into their fitting haunts
Ignorance lords it immense proportion OF our
people Every spring should be set in moron to arouse
the enlightened and increase their NUMBER so that the
great enemy of popular may longer brood,
like potentous cloud the destnes Of country
And to accomplish all these ends, what powerful
agent can be employed than periodical the plan of
the Messenger; that plan be but carried practice
The South peculiarly requies such an agent. In all
periodicals. Norhward Of that city, there probably
least twenty-five thirty Is this contrast justified by
the wealth. the leisure the native talent, the actual
literary Of the Southern people, compared with those
Of the Northern No: for in wealth. talents and TASTE
may Justly claim at least equality with bre-
thren; and domestic institution exclusively our own,
beyond all doubt affords 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 the name of this
periodicals. and not with design to noursh local pre-.
udices advocate supposed local interests Far from
any such thought il is the editors event wish to the
North and South bound endearngy together forever, In
the silken bands Of mutual kindness and affection Far
from meditang hostility to the North, he has already
drawn and he hopes to draw much his choicest
matter thence ano happy indeed will he deem himself.
should his y making each region know se 1'nes
lowering clouds that threaten the peace OF BOTH and
brighten and strengthen the sacred ties Of fraterna
love.
The Southern Literary Messenger has now reached the
fifth No. OF its third volume How far il has acted out the
ideas here uttered it is not for the editor to say. He
believes however that it falls not further short OF them
than human weakness usually makes practice fall short of
theory.
The Messenger is issued monthly Each number OF the
work contains GA large superroyal pages printed in the
very handsomest manner, type, and paper
equal at least to that which any other periodical is
printed in our country
No subscription will be received for less than volume
and must commence with the current The price Is
IS per volume, which must be paid in all cases at the time
of subscribing. This is particularly advered TO now to
avoid Misrepresentation, future Observation-Disclosures
order will hereafter he attended TO unless accompanied
with the price Of subscription.
The postage on the Messenger is six cents on any sin
gle No for all distances under 100 milesover 100 miles.
ten cents.
All communications letters, relative the Messen
Ger mus, he addressed to THOMAS w. WHITE,
Southern Literary Messenger Office, Richmond, Va