, 1841-10-30
THE PRAIRIE flo FER:
I'm Independent Magazine of Literature
and Criticism.

and Criticism.
Western Literature! Confound The phrase.
we hope we shall never hear another word
about "Wes,ern Literature" as long as we
livei What is "wesiern literature" that 1t
is different from eastern or southern or any
other sort Of literature? Scarcely 4 news
paper OF periodical which we open is with
out some encouraging AMI condescending
~lovc-pat IN the poor shoulder of .weStern
literature or "wesiern pn"trv,' or some
sr,ch outrageous nonsense. Nnw we have
The presumption to believe that literature
and poetry. wherever they exist. are found
I'd upon the SAINT innutahle principle. which
principle isa communication Of human re-
mus with the immortal beauty pervading all
nature-which shapes alike the cloud, the
Rainbow, the starry skies. the whispering
landscape. and clothes them all in its celes-
,iaI es<ences-and which dc.eIopes with its
Misunderstanding power as well the delicate
ro.e-Ielf as The souls hi. hest aspirations
Iirer the infinite and the etrrnrl. In TIE
material as well rs the intellectual world.
ever thing tends constantly towards perfec-
ton. The germ bursts from the rotting
seed. in the dark furrow. and springs upward
towards the light 10 bring forth its perfect
and beautiful forms-even as the soul OF man,
struggling with the mISts OF animal passion
and cropping in the darkest of its imperfect
organization. tends upward and onward TIL
il again mingle> with In, divine source Of
beauir whence il sp,u y.
tbs Is literature; and what miserable
nonsense. then. tn iaIk "f western" li,era.
t,,ra nc N n ,ynr. n ti,,n0, "a f.npn tito
general order nf na'ue--Snnr Interesting
phenomenon-;.n intellectual monsirnsirv-
TO be patred cncnuragingIv an the hack. and
10 receive. the stinied and reluctant praises
of seltappointed "eastern" critics. bestowed
very much in the same manner that they
would drop Il shilling into the hat OF an itine-
RAM mendicant, who murders CinGerella's
Waltz and the overture to Fra Diavolo on a
v%ilanous handorgan! We want no such pat.
ronizing encouragement. Does "weStern"
patriotism. or "western''% eloquence, or "wes-
term craftsmanship, shrink from a compari-
son with the patriotic and the eloquent of
the world! When men speak Of Clay, or
Prentice. or Marshall, do they qualify their
admiration by the remark that 'they are pref
~ well for a new country? and why should
utSiitIIlivuo w ouipuS Nv ~ W
made respecting literature! We are sick
OF this sffectation; and, so far as our humble
abilities 90, we are determined that it shall
be done away with. We are about to com
mence the publication of an Independent
magazine of literature and criticism-inclu-
ding within its range every subject OF inte-
terest in belIes.lettres, the fine arts and gene
raj literature. We mean to show TO the in
credulous world that the %unnoticed PRAIRIE
FLOWER, which "wastes its sweetness on the
desert air." CLOVIS with as divine 4 beauty,
and breathes as pure a fragrance. as the gay
est exotic that flaunts in the parterres Of me-
tropolitan fashion. We ask no allowance to
be made-no in%delgences to be granted-our
modest boquet, because it chances to be gath
cred from the painless prairie, within the
shadow Of the Indians wig-wam or the rude
hut If the ruder pioneer. We wish our
work Ia be Judged strictly, s"vrrelv-wilh.
mi prejudice ar favor; and If the Pn.'rrr
FLOWER. dripping with fresh and odorous
de VS., finds welcome, weIl-f 1t be brown