Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-08-15
PROPOSALS
Southern Review.
FO REVIYING THE


t;lblls Imen, OF the Southern Kew w.
deea,S i, uunec essay 10 refer 20 th'' llsorl "i
tnat work, which Is ;lrrad III .e po-s' ssIOn OF
the public, or TO dwell OIL The hig estimation in
winch it was held both at home AMI abroad. dn-
ring the period of ITS continuance. Sn;"ce It
10 say. that lis career though brief. was. us all
admit. briant-crclitablc to the south and t"
the wnoIe american Union. s failure the
subicct of universal regrct-was owing, II Is
well known not to 'lcslltuiOr ut ia ent and
public spirit, but arose lst. from its limited cir
culation, which was BY no m"ans adequate TO
sustain work Of such magnitude. aud 2IIdly,
from the political differences which agIlated the
country about Tho time of lis dsconinlanre.
dividing the friends Of Southern Literature in
to two great prrlrs. and p evening that lar-
mony of opinion and cooperation III the dis
cu<sun of iradi. questions. which is desirable
in work proessediv devote to the cause ol
the :;outl and lhe whole South.
Il is proper % consider first. the utility oi
Reviews regarded lis organs of the literary spI-
rit aud opinions Of the are. and $" ondly. ihe
ruportance and necessity of establishing such
work at the Sou h. at the present time. On
The first point, it is scarcev necessary to say
much, in the present advanced Stage OF period
ical literature Ably conducted iieriews are
the oitspring of Il high state of civilization" and
are ;he hest evidence, nowadays. that Cal be
/ furnished of Intellectual advancement and the
prevalence ol pure and elevated philosophy
! The ast baif century has produced few alt-
,!iors of emin .rr either in Great Britain or
| .me ica ~ comparison with the half nInry
la, :rec, led H. and the reason prob bly, l." rot
lIal there iits b. ell want of genius. tale. and
SchnIarSiiip in this coniessedly intellectual age.
ut smply brcallSe distinguish lIo!ars have
| found a reader and hetlrr organ through
which tn act directly on thc public mind in Re-
ii va. than through the mdium of books-llIe
cd more ,rdiou> and more expensive method.
II therefor. i, be asked. what evidence is "r
ran b. furnished of the superior intel!igenc"
and progress of thu present century, pro.
gresS of Which we are so APP to h"ast-thc re-
y Is that it is to he lou Il ia the high character
of the ,Suarterlv levi ws abroad and at hOm..
II il b. affirmed that we have no native lleIa-
ture Ia this country ald ther eiOre no materials
TO furnish The round work for Reviews, the an.
Swcs is that our Reviews constitute nnr native
! literature. and that If learning AID scholarship
are sought Tor tlIev are 10 be found III 0Ur Re
views, which therefore should be warmly and
| firmly supported. as AN evidence. and fair one.
| of our literary pretenSlo and our natIn'al
character l;rsid, =. no one callSc. il may he
safely affirmed, has contributed :" much tn eli.
ri; talent, to awaken literary ambition, and to
produce the highest orIer OF fin" and powerful
writing, H. the establishment of IL vi VS.; an;
nIanv Individuals have been stipulated 10 eX
trao: dinary etfor's and have ber subsequently
known far and wide to fame. Iu consequence OF
the opportunities they have enjoyed and m!.ro.
we'd. ni contributing slrcesSiilIl; to works Of 81
inhne lial and highly res''rctab e a c:'aractel-
individuals. who. otherwise in al p ohahitv
would meyer .,ave bre, tempt d to test th"il
strength OR the literary arena with such cOnprt
itors as they would b" likely meet there.
The great aim Of Reviews is. To discuss sub
jecls learned, ,t.oroa"hIy profoundly III such
Il ma. ner IL tn bear upon the WHO o'e sOriai sy>
tenn. and pro .uce broad deep and permanent
imprcSsiou upon the general character OF IA pro-
pie: In one word their obie"t is to dinse
! knowledge not to foster PR, Iudices-'O crea'e.
direct and control-nui IA echo OpInionS-l'
produce hene6cii changes upon large seal,'
-rlnt to uerpetllate or rveI' tolerate eyIStIn. a.
buses II Is Obvious therefore, that while. IN
the mlancv Of American literature spirit al
Indulgence has been fell and extended to tI,e
faults Of our lighter perodra;s which are APP
idly issued from tie press. and whic' hav'
seiv..d d. vehicles often Tor the atr' mpts of tie
mere literary d"butan', uarlcrly Review>.
havin" higher aims TO accomplish. and intend
iuu to apreSent AMI cmhndv. il, the most pow
erfrI and attractive form. the opinions OILY a.
the most enlightened minds should br con-
Quoted with n scrlIpu oils reaar'I to the pllr'>1
principles of taste, and 10 the elevation aud ad-
yanremeu. Of. our literar, and national char
actcr.
In respect to the importance and necessity OF
establishing such a work at the South at the
present time. there can be littlr doubt in the
minds of our discerning and public spirited
cirizeus We must have such work. or fall
behind the spirit of The aye. which Is Ola pre-.
cmincntlv inquislivr and ent rprisin@ cilarac-
ter. and the South should have such wO !, ,''"t
only from motives Of literary pride and eln"la-
,ion. in order TO keep pace with the respectable
advances nfthe thef wide ntelli~ent. aud thri.
vim. sections Of the American republic, but also
brrause the South has. Il the prese tperiod eS
pecially. certain great and rndin" interests of
its OWL to promote. which can be most eifeclu-
allv subserved through the instrument litv Of
sch periodical. Il is not necessar, to raise
he war cry against other portion Of the Union
who may feel disposed, as they often do. to dl:
fer from us in their views of our agricultural.
commercial and political interests. but it is i'm.
portant, highly so. that we should take orr
southern position firmly in the present attitude
"rr national affairs: tina, orr ostion should
he clearly known and understood. both mt home
and abroad; that we s!,on be ready to deirnI
ourselves AID our institutions firm NIL covert or
open assaults; .lia VIC should maintain the prin-
cipleS of ;he Federal Constitution il. it's orign-
al inention, with y firm and unhinc'Iing spirit
and prono'e the cans" of pure and elevated
literature by all thr iniucem"us thai can he
held out to stimulate the ambition and pride of
intelligent and chivaric people.
Propositions have bernfrequcnily made here
tofore for The revival Of the Southern Review,
which unfortunately have not been crowned
with the success that was hoped or antic"aied
fnrthrm Different causes hav" been assigned
for the failure of these pro ccts bnt the leading