The New York herald., 1844-11-19

In this days paper number oi curious paragraphs,
taken from the columns of these journals, convey
ing a tolerabe idea of this species OF literature,
which is very little known beyond the limits OF the
city, but prevails to remarkable extent IN all oys-
tercsllars, grog-shops, and barber's-shops round
about New York
The writers and master-spirts of this singular
species Of literature, consist OF curious medley
of broken down politicians broken-down wits
brok en-down poets-broken down players-bro-
ken-down waiters-and broken-down serving
men of all descriptions. II ls this circumstance
which gives the peculiar originality and favor to
this whole species of literature. The amiable &C.
centrcities and peculiar modes Of life Of this class
Of Htyati throw them into contact with grades of
society Of which the generality of writer's know
absolutely nothing. Thus vast regions Of wit, and
humor, and poetry, and original idea, are accessi-
bic to the Sunday journalists into which less fa-
vored writers can never hope TO be able to pene-
trate. In dim and subterranean recesses, where
gin-and-water flows most copiously, and the air Is
loaded with the heavy perfumes of :" the weed,'
whilst dark k-complexioned men in ancient garments
of red.hannel hang over mysterious-looking caul-
drcns on the fire, you are sure to hnd at the So
lemn midnight hour, larger or smaller groupes OF
the oyster-cear Hterati. Here they imbibe their
inspiration-here they retailtheiI witticsms-here
they first give birth to jokes which on the follow
ing Sunday SET all the barbara in a roar.
We hardly know how to classify this species Of
literature. II is dashed with good deal of Cock
neyism-o rather New Yorkism as we ought to
call it here it is the whole rather amusing
to glance at it, in the barber's-shop on a Sunday
morning, or over at Hoboken as you smoke mild
Havana in the still and bamy afternoon. There
is one characteristic, however, which marks all
these iiterdtetrs. Their wit-their poetry-thelr
jokes--their philosophy fancy-tbeir imagl
nation-are all second hand-they derive all their
means OF existence from the dripplngs from the
daily newspapers, or some other external sources.
In fact this species OF literature has the same rela
ton to genius and humor, and taste of the highest
kind, that the secondhand shops, with their Sc
cond-hand fnery, in Chatham street, have to the
elegant and fashionable warehouses in Broadway.
These titrati then, may be denominated the old
clo' men in literature and philosophy.
And yet are not at all to be understood as de-
preciatng this class Of iteratewrs. BY no means
They belong to the craft from which Homer him.
self sprang for do we not know very well that the
immortal bard of the Greclan isles was vagrant
minstrel-a loafog, wandering, begging rhymer :?
So too, amongst the ancient Romans, the founders
of their literature, of the same vagrant class
Ia the middle ages too-n the chivalric era OF the
Crusades-there were crowds Of rhyming loaiers
who laid the foundations of that glorious super
structure of poetry and romance which af-
terwards reared itself on the literature OF Eu-
rore. And to come down still nearer our own
times who were the leading lterati Of the
eighteenth century? Who was DR.. Johnson
that eviaihan Of English literature (! Who were
the writer's in the Spectator, and Rambler? Who
were the WITS and poetasters, and philosophers Of
that brilliant era? Why, the most distinguished
Of them were at one period ftheir career little bet
ter than our medern loafers. Did not the great DR..
Johnson bolt pork-steaks cellar? To be sure he
did Now, why are the oysler-celar iterati to be
ridiculed or abused They belong to class from
which have sprung the brightest OF intellscts, and
which has furnished names whose memorial shall
last for ever 1t is true, we do not exactly say that
from amongst the oystercellar Hterati of New York,
you can pick out Dr. Johnsons, and Addisons, at
random. But we say, that there's no knowing but
from them hereafter there may arise the wit, the
poet, or the philosopher Of the nineteenth century.
For the love of Homer, then, and all the lllustrous
loafers of the past, let us deal gently with these
Let US use them kindly, and hurt not one hair OF
their tender heads-the sculls, thanks to the Won
drous power of ossifcation, are strong enough to
take care Of themselves.
PHILOSOPHY OF SMALL PoTAToEs.-The " Far
mers' Club" meet again to-day at IL o'clock, at
the American Institute, in the Park, for the purpose
Of continuing the discussion on the philosophy of
small potatoes, and the investigation Of the origin
of the disease which has disturbed the nerves OF
that delicious esculent during the last year in many