The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-07-23
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= no July huuiDoI vi thlS dplO Periodical
opens with an instructive article upon
" AMERICAN LITERATURE"-" the present
f state Of American letters, The prospect and
means Of their imprOUement;" and in as.
much as the subject is highly interesting and
important, we have given ID particular at.
tentioh. The author in the onset of hi,
remarks dwells with gloguence upon The
Importance of correct literature to nation
which aspires to real greatness ard pros.
perity-and justly declares that witbort il
noPeoPle can reach the goal of true glory
and independence. In country like ours
where the aeople are themselves the ruIors
where their ipse dixit is the law Of tbo
land, and where they hold their destiny in
their own hands, the great benefits of liter.
erature and its actual importance are doub.
ly enhanced-and as they disregard and
neglect it, they will degenerate, and the
glory and power of their country will pro.
portionately diminish. Awaken the spirit
of literature, kindle the fires of learning.
let the sun Of science cast list rays through.
out the length and breadth of our land, and
prosperity and honor will be the destiny of
the nation-but quench that flame, and cha.
os anarchy and despotism will reign
triumphant.
The author clearly points out those evils
which attend American literature, and en-.
forces with ability the vital necessity of a
reform, one of the most prominent he de-
clarcs is the great encouragement the pub.
lie bestow upon the quantity and not the
quality. The country is flooded with light.
uninstructivo, ephemeral productions which,
instead of having tendency to elevate the
morals improve the understanding, train
the mind to correct system of thought,
and reveal the hidden mysteries of science
serve to vitiate the taste, giveI an i'm
proper tone to society and confer an injury
instead of benefit upon the community
To eradicate this glazing evil, the public
should condemn those vehicles of folly. and
yieldmore encouragement to valuable works
of learning, thus elevating the standard of
literature.
Another evil which the writer in cues.
ton deprccates is the spirit of party which
is abroad throughout the land-and while
he commends it when kept within proper
limits, as the sentinel that protects our
rights, yet he declares it when carried to
its present excess, the incendiary that ap.
plies the torch of destruction to our nation
al edilice. Although we differ with him,
as to the disastrous effects which must at
tend (as he terms) "the present frantic
impulses of party spirit" and cannot in
dulge in the same gloomy Eorebodings, yet,
it must be admitted it has a tendendcy to
destroy that refined literary taste which tho
people should encourage. He might also
have dwelt with propriey upon the neg
ect and disregard which is too often the re-
ward for the tolls of the votaries of lftera-
ure. While the dcmagogue, the timeser-
ing politician receives the plaudits of his
and "bears his blushing hon
'rs thick upon him." the real philantrho-
''St the humble devotee of science who Sc
luded from the hustle of the world wastes
lis frail body in understanding, and be.
towing upon his fellow-men the treasures
+ scientific and classic lcre is forgotten,
ncared for, and too often after receiving
% other reward than the pleasure afforded
i'm in diving into the recesses of nature,
roOPs into his tOomb "unwept, unhonored
nd unsung." Until these and other evils
'hich are complained of by the writer are
Prooted it were vain to expect American
terature to obtainthat high position, which
deserves in a land where the freedom of
ctiOn, of thought and of speech is the
irth-right of every one.
There are other prose articles in the
resent number-which we regard as well
-Orthy of attentive peusal-particularly,
Sparks that may kindle," and " A.sketch
MeProgress Of Archaeological science in
mericd."
The political efilsio,s Il cont.;Ds M,