New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-08-22

s.copd edition. with additions. London lsiJ.
We csnno, give a notion of the plan and contents
4 ,his H,,le volume better than by copying some
passages from the Preface
Tho narrative portion OF these pages says Thorn
a, record Of scenes and circumstances interviewer
,h nv experiencc-with my destiny. The feelings
"a ,ances pleasure and the pain that lowered about
- s,mess existence were all my own-my property
-2se aerial Investments held and fashioned into mea-
.,ed verse The selfpOrtraiture herein attempted
. not altogether Egotism neither nasmuch as the main
m,nts of the sketch 10 be found in the separate
$500. of thousand families in Scotland within these
80 ,cn years That fact. however being contemplated
= mas. ard in reference its bulk only, acts more on
s ,0sdy than the PITY OF mankind ~ II human sym
,.,he ike the human eye could not compass an OBJECT
f,,esedngl y large and, the same time exceedingly
"a, N Il no small share in the end and ann OF the
-e.ent little work, impart TO portion OF the com
rsny glimpse Of what IS sometimes going on III an
,b,r and even If only that is accomplished, some good
,yce will be DONE have long had II notion that many
n the heart burnings that run through me SOCIAL
Waoty surng not SO much from the disnctiveness Of
e.,.e. az their mutual ignorance Of each other Inc
ri.ersby rich look upon the mserably poor with dis
rus, and dread scarcely giving them credit for sens
kty sufficient feel their own sorrows. That is IL
prsnce with It's gilded side The poor in turn foster
hatred Of the wealthy a sole inher1iance-look on
grandeur their natural enemy, and benz 10 the men
man rule IN gall and bleeding Shadows on the
one sde and DtmagOgues the other are the portions
,hs, come oenes utO contact These are the uckless
things that skirt the great divisions exchanging all that
i offensive therein. MAN KNOW TIYsEIF.' should be
written on the nigh, hand on the left Men, kHo~ EACH
OTHER
In this book the Recollections are introduced for
the sake of the Rhymes and in the same relation
ship as parent and child, one the offspring OF the
cher and in that association alone can they be m
teres,ing IL write no more in either than what
kpew-and not all Of thai-so Feeling has left Fancy
little to do in the matter
There are two ways of considering Poems or the
products of literature in general We may tolerate
only what is excellent, and demand that whatever
is consigned TO print for the benefit OF the human
race should exhibit fruits perfect in shape, color
and flavor. enclosing kernels of permanent value.
Those who demand this will be content only with
the lliads and Odysseys of the minds endcavor.-
They can feed no where but at rich mems tables; in
the widest recess of nature roots and berries will
not content them. They say, eff you can thus sa
tate your appetite it is degrading; we the highly
cultivated in taste and the tissue of the mind can
nowhere be appeascd, unless by golden apples
served mp silver dishes
But ON the other hand, literature may lie regarded
as the great mutual system of Interpretation be-
tween all kinds and classes of men Ii is ain cplsto-
larry correspondence between brethren OF one FAM
ly subject 10 many and wide separations and anN
ous to remain in spiritual presence one OF another
These letters may be written by the prisoner in
SCOT and water illustrated by rude sketches in char
coal by natures nobleman. free to use his inher'
i,ancc in letters of gold with the fair margin filled
with exouisile miniatures to the true man each
will have value first in proportion TO the degree OF
its revelation as to the life of the human soul second
in proportion to the perfection of form IN which thai
revelation is expressed
mike manner are there two modes of criticism
One which tries by the highest standard OF literary
perfection the critic is capable OF conceiving each
work which comes in his way rejecting all that 1t Is
possible to reject and reserving for federation only
what is capable of standing the sevcrest test II
crushes TO the earth without mercy all the humble
buds OF Phanasy, all the plants that though green
and fruitful also prey TO insects, or have sui
kred BY drouih. 1t weeds well the garden, and
canno, believe that the weed in its native soil may
be pretty graceful plant
There is another way which enters into the na,u
raj history of every thing that breathcs and lives,
which believes no impulse to be entirely in vain,
which scrutinizcs circumstances. motive and object
before il condemns and believes there is beauty IN
each natural FORM il its law and purpose be under
stood i, does not consider literature merely as
the garden of the nation, but as the growth OF the
entire region with all It's variety OF mountain, forest
fss.urc- GIid tillage lands Those who observe In
ihs spirit will often experience, from some humble
Offering to the Muses. the delight felt by the natural
Isl in the grasses and chens of some otherwise bar
rn spot These are the earlics, aud humblest efforts
Of nature. but TO discerning eye they indicate the
entire range of her energies.
These two schools have each their dangers. The
ars' tends 10 hypercriiicism and pedaniry TO cold
restriction ON the unstuded action of large and flow
ing life In demanding that the stream should al
ways flow transparent over golden sands !, tends TO
ePress its careless majesty its visor' and ITS terz
me power.
The other shares the usual pcris Of the genial and
mectionaie; i, tends to indiscriminaic indulgence
lad levelng OF the beautiful with what is merely
oerable For indeed the vines need judicious
Pruning il they are to bring us the ruby wine.
In the golden age TO which we are ever looking
forward. these two tendencies will be harmonized-
The highest sense OF fulfilled excellence Will be found
10 consist with the largest appreciation Of every
ngn Of lie. The eye OF man is fitted to range all
around no less than to be lifted on high.
Meanwhile the spin, of the time which is certainly
seeking though by many and strange ways, the
Creates, happiness for the greatest number by dis
'o'eres which facilitate mental no less than bodily
'ominanica,ion. ill soon il Will be almost easy 10
gel your thought printed or engraved on thousand
ea'esas' to drop il from the pen one. and by the
simultaneous bubbling up Of rills Of thought In
uoasand hitherto obscure and silent places. declares
"" tn genial and generous tendency shall have
"e lead' at least for the present,
we are not ourselves at all concerned, lest ex-
0eaen' expression should cease because the power
speech TO some extent becomes more general.
Inc larger the wave and the more fish it sweeps
.""s the hkeler that some fine ones should enrich
"en net IL has always been so. The great efforts
" an belong to artistic regions where the boys in
VIC street draw sketches on the wall and iormcn,
''eod'es on rude flutes; shoals of sonnetecrs fol.
-" IN the wake Of the great poet The electricity
''ch flashes with the thundcrbol,s of Jove must
"~ pervade the whole atmosphere
now glad then 10 aa. .,ck 49, =. ~.