New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-19
,sri.wola,. semnle Poer. Of america.

| THIS WORK maxim sp.rliIi volume u che
/ 90, .e of tne authors Prose Writers and Po
OBJ. and p1et-, oI Auelca. vii BIZ pub shed 1y
/ Carey s. Hart usxt Tuesday. AID ~ see % stated
t.ai % Will contain tom o1r O. SIX times as much
matter as either o. the other volumes that have
recently appeared under similar titles Among
.ts contents sre nearly one huEired Original com-
positions. furnished Cor its PAGES by CUP best p'-
etes.es Tie Memoirs of which there are more
man ninety are in many cases elaborate b.o-rapb-
Icl. ali c-iticl. essays Irou the subjects ot Che
/ ID -v,ac,. - W1sralae ani F,m.r.ae Gr.....
aff Me- frfs0rs ri ttt unb ~ Women ar.a
.ar C.rHi-f1ol 1Hi Character Mr. Grsvoi has
t.e following observations which W. t-aasc-be
from some specimen sheets which We have re-
ce,sed from the publishers
"t less 4s.y % bs assured of the senu.nencss Of
t-r-ry ability .n women than m men The mora ma
tire 40 women Boz rs rnest and richest development
parases of sHne of the qualities 0f genius u assumes
80 east the .iu tufe 1 that which in men y The Char
frtersrc or accompaniment ~ the highest grade of
menfs. Inspiration. We are in danger therefore of
mstakin- Tor the s1rfsceni energy 90 creative Tot M
-ence ths which B. only the eNubersuce 90 personal
feelings unemployed We may c0ui0unt the vivid
ir-arngs of unsatsred heart with the aspirations
1f mind impatient oi The letters oi time. ant matter
and mortality That may seem to 20 the s1stract
mag nir- 90 SOU ranf fEtO sympathy Win puffr
auiy and higher truth than earth and space exhibit
which in fact shall he only the natural craving of afec
Sons. underlined snd wandering The most exquisite
susceptibility Of the spirit and the capacity % mirror
n dazzling variety the effects which circumstances COZ
surrounding minds work upon t may Dol accompanied
hy no. power % originate, nor even. .n any proper
sense O. To-. reduce
10 doe. not follow bccause the most essential
genius 10 men is marked ~ qualities which may
cell feminine thaf such qua ties when found bon female
writers have any crrtein iust relation o. mental "a
pHueritY The conditions ui fsthc nc ability ia the
Two sexes are probably distinct or even opposite -
Among men we recognize bis nature as the most tho
roughly artist Ike whose most abstract thoughts st
retain "a sersuuus cast whose mind IS the most com
p.rt,.y trsnsiused and incorporated into his ceilings
Perm s the reverse should hr considered t1e ttst o
tr4r srt woman. and should deem her the trucst
pet whose emotions most refined hy whose
urro oi passion = most expanded and controlled into
luffy and impersonal forms OF ina ginstion
Coming 10 the duty Of criticism however with
connecting of tins snt-cedeut sSepuc,sm. have re
vowed the collection ot works which my task brought
before me- with frequent admiration and surprise. and
.-a1ing o. others the .ess welcome task of rejecting
rrctensons which must inspire interest o. they can
n1t command scquescence. content myself with *
pressing. sitrmativeiy. my own conviction, tina, che
writings 10 Mrs Nara Brooks Mrs cakes smith. Mrs
osgood, Mrs Whitman and some others here quoted,
-trate hi-h and sustained range OF poetic art ~
tHe female genius of sny sge country can display
The most striking quality OF that civilization which
o. evolving itself In America the Difference eit Tor
women A. point 30 social manners 70 Is 80 prrvadn.
and so peculiar. a. 90 amount 90 national character
I-ic ADD ought 20 be- valued and Wanted ss tne
pride 90 our freedom and the brightest hope 600 our
history indicates more exalted appreciation Of 900
influence that be felt too deeply for Il never
Is rNertrd but tor good. In the absence from a. 90
rhuse great visible and formal Institutions by which
Europe has been educated 70 seems ~ 20 Mature had
its gued that OF her own providing should
guide us onward o. the maturity of civil refinement
The increased degree IN which women among us are
taking eading part IN literature Is one Of the cucum
stances Of fh.s augmented distinction aud control on
tler part. The proportion of female writers AZ this
moment 10 America far exceeds that vnch The present
any other iu England exhibits ltis In the West
TOO where look tor what il most thoroughly native
and essential IN American character that W are priu
cps'Iy struck with the number Ot youthful female
voices that soften and enrich the tumut O enterpusr
and action by the npsrblended music Of calmer ami
I,ltier sphere
Those who cherish belief that the progress Of
society ia TIN. country IL destined to develop school
Hi Art or .ina aud especial Will perhaps hnd more de
cidad indications Of the infusion oi domestic spirit
and temper into literature in the poetry OF our female
authors than n that of our men IL has been suggested
by foreign critics that cuzens are too much de-
voted 10 business and politics TO feel interest 10 pur
suits which adofn but do not pront and which beauty
existence but DO not consolidate power irminine
genius Is perhaps destined % retrieve our public char
1cter his respect and shores may yet be- tar
speudent with temple Of art whlch,while Il Il glory
90 our and. may be- monument % the honor of the
Sex
3D. The American people have been thought deficient
no thst warmth and dsicacy of taste without which
there can be 10 genuine poetic sens0uity Were .
true il much 90 De- regretted that We should he
wanting In that noble capacity 81 receive pleasure from
what beautiful 10 nature or exquisite IN art-in that
generating ssnse-that prophetic recOgnton-that
quick intense Perception which sees the divine re'a
of an things that delight the eye or Snde the
Imagination. one endowed with apprehension Ike
this becomes purer and more elevated IN sentiment
and aspiration after viewing an embodiment Of any
such conception that specimen OF genius material
Iad the Beirifere ip0i0 at the aspect o which say-
inc rlIu rrDs all nn I
ry assume the noble attribute of my being 10 or
der o. be- worthy OF its presence shall not Inquire
into the OF the denial thatths nne instinct exists
among The earlier specuatlons upon the SUBJECT
Iy Drpaw and others we're deemed Of sufficient i'm
portsnce O. be- answered by the Two oi our Presidents
Who have been most distinguished in literature aud
philosophy but they have been repeated IN substance
1y De- 1ocqueyile who bad seen. or might have been
the works of Dana, Bryant, iiaeck, LOngieilow, ami
Whittier. of Irving Cooper Kennedy, Hawthorne.
and Wills of Webster. Claiming Prescott Bancroft
and Legafc Of Aiston. Leslie, Leutze, Huntington,
and Cole. uf Powers GreeuOugh Crawford eleven. |
grr and Brown. such preudices, which could not 9e
spelled by the creations u these men vii De little
Affected by anything that could b. offered here yet tO
an understanding guided by cand1r the additional dis
pay of body Of literature Ike the present exhibiting
pervadlng asprdit0R alter the Dcautiiu-under
circumstances, in many csses so te propiuous 70 iis
act0n-snd IN which In earlier ages mas cOntr /
buied 90 .psringy 10 high art-wiA come with the |
weight Of cumulative testimony
several persons are mentioned In this volume whose
lives have been holydays Of leisure those indeed
who have not In way been active In practical du |
lies are exceptions q the common rule. one was |
save-one 4 domestic serVant-one factory girl and
there many In the list who had 40 other time - |
the pursuits ~ literature but such As was stolen
from frugal and Industrious housewiiery, from the |
exhaustng cares Of TEACHING or tue ntful rrpOse ~
sickness. These Illustrations ot the truth mat tnr |
Muse is no respecter Of conditions especially inter
esting n d country where though equality Is an axiom
IL l. not reality and where prejudice reverses IN the
application HI that theory has affirmed IN the WORD