Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-22
The Prairie Flower,
AN INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE OF LITERATURE AND
rRITlClSM.

INDEPENDENT MAGAZINE OF LITERATURE AMI
CRITICISM.
Western Literature CUntound the phrase we
none we shall never hear another word about
western Literature" as long Us we live! w hat
IS "western" literature that it is different from
eastern southern or any other sort Ut literature!
Scarcely newspaper or periodical when we open
is without sumo encouraging and cUndescGhulhS
lOve-pat on the poor shoulder Vi "WesIefn ilterA'
ture," or western puetry," or some such outra'
geuus nonsense. Now we have the presumption
to believe that literature and poetry, wherever they
exist, are founded upon the same immutuble prln'
cipe, which principle is communication ot hu-
man genius with the immortal beauty perVadns
all nu.ure-whch shapes alike The cloud, tile ruin
bow, the starry Skies the whispering landscape,
and clothes them in all its celestial essences-aHu
which devciopes with its beauty .creating power
well the delicate rOse-leat as tile souls highest
aspirations after The infinite and the eternal. III
| the material as well the intellectual world,
every thing tends constantly towards perfection.
The germ bursts from the rotting seed, in the dark
iurrOw, and springs upward towards the light u
bring forth its perfect and beautiful iorIns-even
as the soul of man, struggling with the miSts Of
animal passion and cropping IN the darkness Ut lis
imperfect organization, tends upward ana onward
till it again miuges with the divine source Ut
beauty whence ii sprung.
This is literature; and what miserable nonsense,
a thing apart from the general order of nature
some interesting phenOmeROn-an intellectual
nUnstrosty-tO be patted cncOuragngly on the
back, and to receive the stinted ana reluctant
praises Of set-appolnted eastern critics, be-
slowed very much i'll the same manner that they
would drUpa shilling into tie hat Of an itlneran
mendicant who murders Clnderel!a'S Waltz uuC
the overture to Fra DavolO Oh villianous hanl
organ We want no such patronizing encourage
ment. Does ''western' patriotism, or western
e!Oqucnce, or "weStern" craftsmanship, SHRINK
from comparison with the patrlotlc and tie elO
quent OF the world! When men speek Ut Clay, VI
Prentice, or Marshall, do they quality their adul
rationby the remark that "they pretty We'll iul
a new country and why should distinctions 81
Udious and So ridiculous be made respecting Iteru
ture! We are sick of this atiectalIOn and, 81
far as our humble abilities 90, we are determined
that it shall be done away with. We are about Il
commence the publication of an independent maya
zine o. literature and Notwithstanding witnlI
its range every subject OF interest in beeSietLrGs
the fine arts and general literature. " e mean t,
show the increduous world that the unnoticet
| PRAlRIE-F FLOWER, which wastes it sweetness Vi
the desert air." glowS with as divine beauty
and breathes as pure fragrance, as the gayes
exotic that aunts in the parterrcs Of metropolitan
tu shion We ask no allowances to be made-n
ndulgenceS to be granted--our modest hoquet
because 1t chances to be gathered from the path
less prairie, within the shadows Of the Indian
wig-wam or the rude hut of the ruder pioneer
We wish our work to be judged strictly, severely
without prejudice or favor; and if the PRAIRI
| FLOWEE, dripping with fresh and oderous dew>
finds welcome well--if it be thrown aside, to min
gle unnoced with the rubbish which strews III
earth, it Is also well. The only favor we ask ia
it is that no favor beyond its strict deserts, sha
be extended 10 it,
The first number Of tile PRAIRIE Flower wi
he issued on the first Of November next-after tina
it will appear monthly. The form chosen for I'll
work II similar to the other monthly magazines
a large octave each number containing from IS
ia pages
The price Of the Prairie Flower is So yea
Single numbers can always be procured, a 80 cent
each.
Letters relating to the work may be addressed
postpaid, to "Pubshsrs Of the Prairie F.owe
St. Louis, Mo"
st Louis, Sept. "a, 1871.