The Arkansas banner., 1844-03-27

disability results from the greater proportion of writers engaged in it than in any other While, for example, Great Britain possesses not more than five living historians, she pos sesses more than fifty professional writers of fiction. not to speak of hundreds more, who occasionally go aside from other walks, to try their powers in this department. The American writer of fiction is consequently ex- posed 10 degree of competition, to winch no other branch of literary labor IS subjected: Some idea of this competition may be gathered i from the vast number of the reprints of Euro pean novels and tales (954 reported III one year of our table; and yet these form but really small number of the works oi ths class produced annually in Great Britain The se~ auctions of this species Of writing bring nun dreds into the field of competition, while the colder and more laborious character ol the stu dies in history, biography and metaphysics, serve always to keep the number of laborers within certain and easily defined limits. Be- ] sides. we do not find that the American biogra- pher or historian is at all engaged Ill competi- ton with the European. The works of biog- raphy and history, written by Americans, are most usually devoted to American subjects, subjects of which the European student IS el- ther totally unaware, or to which he IS, m all probability, wholly indifferent. Thus, with the exception of lrving's Conquest ot Granada, which ssemi-historicali in character, and Pres cott's Ferdinand and Isabella, we donot, at this moment, recall the name of single American historian who has gone out oi Amenca for his subject It follows from this, that, while the American historian, Of biographer, free from competition, is almost sure of a pub lisher,-the American novelist must take hls chance, in the same field, with hundreds of others, all of whom, as their works cost nothing to the American publisher, are likely to be preferred before him. Unless he has already obtained local reputation, which renders it inevitable that an eager demand will be found for his writings, he may wait i for months, and even years, without provok- ing the consideration of tho publisher; and hundreds of works are written, equal in merit to one third of the European reprints, which, as the authors have not yet acquired the magic of name'' are offered to the public, gratuitous7y, and ill vain. This is point which shall be resumed hereafter.
 Enough, we think, has been already said to show the value of American Literature, its sudden rise into Importance, the number ot it's productions, their great variety, and lntrln- i sic value. ThiSv value too, we have endeavored incidentally, to show, being attached to them, not merely by any excess of national self esteem, but. in the absolute want of 1t, and, even against their own will, by our heredi- tary enemies. We have seen that, while the l ot+ ba Ao,a tellect, its resources in fancy and imagina tion-the arts of general letters, they do so in the teeth of the vital fact that they are con suming-nay, preferring-the fruits ot Ame- rican Literature, in almost every department our works of history and education-our belles-lettres, theology, and iurisprudence.- Wedonotdwell upon the humiliating fact, that they are making these appropriations clan destihely, dis6guring the commodities which they steal, in order to prevent their recogni- tion It is enough for our purpose, that they make use of the commodity, that they ap- prove of 1t, applaud it, and frequently prefer 1t to their own.
 Such, then, Is the history of American Lit erature for the twenty years it was struggling into existence Such were its triumphs and achievements in spite of every disadvantage, in spite of the competition with the intellect of the maternal nation-speaking the same language-in possession of the same market, but of the exclusive faith and confidence of the American people. In that brief period, amidst these disadvantages and disabilities, we produced our metaphysicians, our histo- rians, our philosophers, our poets, our nov elists, and, through them, compelled hear ing in the European courts of art and refine ment, as we had already done, through our statesmen and warriors, in the cabinets of European politics. What might have been augured from such a beginning? What a long and glorious future was to be inferred i from such a dawn The calculation rests with every reader. Enough for us to say l that, according to all reasonable measures of conjecture, it would seem to be impossible, easly,-the circumstances being sufficient to remain unchanged
 ssTo fix barrier to the giants strenth,
 Or curb his swiftness in the forward race" But the circumstances of his career were not suffered to remain unchanged. His strength has suddenly been paralyzed, his swifness has been curbed, his limbs are no longer free, his flight is no longer upward, onward, con tending for the goal. He lies prostrate-his limbs fettered-his strength and spirit hum- bled and prostrate in the dust. American Literature is as suddenly silent as if it never had voice. It's authors, if they have not ceased to write, have almost ceased to pub fish. Some of them, through sheer neces- sity, are driven to other and less congenial occupations; and the books which are nov given us from the press, are kind which, evidently, if they give bread to publisher and printer, can afford little or nothing to the writer. The inquiry into the cause of this singular and sudden change must be reserved for another communication
 l am, sir, with sentiments
 Of real respect, very
 Faithfully yours,
 w. GILMORE SIMMS.
 Woodland, Nop. 10, lS43.
 CoBBETT. ON DUELING.-Cobbett. when