The Arkansas banner., 1844-01-16
PR OSPECTUS S
Southern Literary Messenger.


 E7HlS is monthly Magazine, devoted chiefly te
 E LITERATURE, but occasionally finding room also for articles that fall within the scope of Scr NcE and protesting disdain of tasteful selections though its matter has been will continue to be, in the main, original.
 Party Politics and controversial Theology, as fal possible, are ealously excluded. They are some. times blended with discussions in literature or r moral science, otherwise unobectionable as to gain admittance for the sake of the more valuable matter to which they adhere: but whenever that happens they are Incidental, only not primary. They are dross, tolerated only because they cannot well be severed from the sterling wherewith it is neor- porated
 Reviews, and Critical Notices occupy their due space in the work and 1t Is the Editors aim that they should have three-fold tendency-to convey, in condensed form, such valuable truths or incl dents as are embodied in the works reviewed-to direct the readers attention to books that deserve to be read-and to warn him against wasting time and money upon that large number which merits only to be burned. In this age of publications that by their variety and multitude distract and over- wheln every undIscrminahng student, IMPARTIAL CRITICISM, governed by the views just mentioned. is of the most inestimable and indispensable of auXaries, to him who DOES WISH to discriminate.
 Essays, and Tales, having in view utility or amusement, or both-IIistorical Sketches and Re- miniscenees of events too minute for History, yet elucidating it, and Eeightening its interests may be regarded as forming the staple of the work And of ofindigenious Poetry, enough is published-some- times of no mean strain-to manifest and to cuti- vate the growing taste and talents of the country
 The times appear for several reasons, to demand such work-and not one alone, but many. The public mind is feverished and rritated still from re- cent political stres the soft assuasve influence of Literature is needed to allay that fever, and soothe that irritation. Vice and folly are rioting abroad:- they should be driven by indignant rebuIe, or lash ed by ridcule, into their fitting hauns. Ignorance lords its over an immense proportion of our people every spring should be set in motion to arouse the enlightened. and to increase their number so that the great enemy of popular government may no longer brood, like portentous cloud over the desti nies of our country. And to accomplish all these ends, what more powerful agent can be employed than periodical on the plan of the Messenger: if that plan be but carried out in practice
 The SOUTH peculiarly requires such an agent- In all the Union, south of Washington, there are but two Literary periodicals Northward of that city there are probably at least twenty-five or thir- ty Is this contrast justified by the wealth, the eis- ure the native talent the actual literary taste of the Southern people, compared with those of the Northern? No for in wealth, talents and taste We may justly claim at least an EQUALITY with our brethren; and domestic institution exclusively our own, beyond all doubt afford us five choose twice the leisure for reading and writing which they enjoy
 It was from deep sense of this LOCAL want, that the word SOUTHERN was engrafted on the name of this periodical and not with any design to nourish local preindces or to advocate supposed local inter- ests Far from any such thought, it is the Editors fervent wish to see the North and South bound en- dearingly together forever, in the silken bands of mutual kindness and affection. Far from medtatng HOSTILITY to the north, he has already drawn, and he hopes hereafter to draw, mnch of his choicest matter thence; and happy indeed will he deem him- self, should his pages, by making each region know the other better contribute in any essential degree to dispe forever the lowering clouds that so lately threatened the peace of both, and to brighten and strengthen the sacred ties of fraternal love-
 The Southern Literary Messengar has now com menced it's ninth rolme and ninth year. How far it has acted out the ideas here uttered 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 ofTHEoRY.
 Richmond, Ha October lS43