The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-10-07
Newspaper. and rs.ok..

4 Huf Do Newspapers and Books
Ii is remarkable hat in a population o.
many millions. and as intelligent popula
ton as that Of our own county, the mum
Der OF readers should be comparatively SC
small. Probably if the sum total even Of
newspaper readers in the State of New
York could be ascsrtained, we should all b.
astonished al the small proportion in com
parison with the whole population. Blu
the remark is more true Of books. and
especially Of such as are really valuable.
While there isa reading class, who buy and
read every valuable and many valueles.
works, the number OF persons composing il
is comparatively small. ID is TO these men
alone that authors look for their reward
when they publish works intrinsically good,
but not calculated TO catch the public eye
and upon them an author may safely depend
Tor handsome Tecompense for his labor, il
It has been to good effect. But the mum.
Der of readers should be greatly increased.
The man who writes good book. has con.
ierrsd a lasting benefit on the world, and
should be as ell-paid as he who invents
an engine. or a Telegraph.
There is very prevalent idea that money
expended for books is thrown away, as
much as money expended for lnxaIies oil
the table or pleasure excursions. The
error need not be dwell on. II is sufficient
ly obvious that il is incorrect. A good,
well selected Library, should as surely form
part OF the furniture OF farm house as a
palace.
IL IS somewhat interesting to look at the
popular taste in this country, as indicated
by the comparative sale Of various works.
This OF course indicates only the taste Of a
certain portion Of the people, but these are
the only ones who give any indication oil
taste at all, by purchasing books. We pass
over the novel readers. who are found every.
where, and who devour indiscriminalely
every brown covered book. The circula-
ton Of these books does not depend on their
merit, so much as on the season Of the year
in which they are published. Jane Eyre in
the winter and spring probably commanded
sale equal TO twice that of the Tenant oil
Wild(ell Hall published in midsummer, al.
though the latter has ten-fold the merit Of
the former. So probably GowTie, perhaps
James best novel. IS now meeting a slow
sale, while Laurel Water, a much poorer
affair. sold well three months or so ago.
No class Of works meet with reader sale
than Religious novels. 1t would appear
that no book Of any kind has had so rapid
a circulation in this country as Hawkstone, q
Puseyite novel Of the worst sort. Does no
this indicate something peculiar in the pub
lie taste Ii is at least remarkable thai
such work, published in an expensive
style. should have a larger circulation thar
novels Of lighter character which are go
up in cheaper form. 1t is questionable
whether the indications OF taste thus given
are to be regarded as favorable. We feal
that the tendency OF religious people to read
such works in place OF the really valuabl,
theological works published, is TO be re
greued.
Again. we have class Of books which NEE
with a certain sale in this country, bu
which should be valued Ear more extensive
ly. We allude now to republications O
works Of refined literature. The Belle
Lettres Of England have been unSurpasser
in the world. The Essays of Ella. tn
works Of Hazlitt, The Indicator Of Leig
Hunt, the Sketches Of Blanchard, the witt
works Of Kinglake and Thackeray. anon
prose writings. take lofty position anon
works Of elegant literature. The poems Q
Coleridge, Keats, Tennyson, Mines, and
host Of others, the semi poetic. semi theologi
cal tales and proverbs Of Upper, the bril-
liant reviews OF Stephens and Mscanley. al
these should find place in the hands Q
every intelligent man in America. Blu
they meet with slow sale, to one unvaryin
class Of readers. There are some thousand
Of persons who have made acquaintanc
with modern English literature. and VIII
: keep it up. Exceptions exist in favor {
+ such works as Eothen. and some Of TuI
e pers, and a few others. Public attentio
$ was called to them, and they sold largely
: Why have we not an American literatul
TO correspond with this class in Eng land
. We have the men and the ability. 1t ca
!, not be doubted moment that the di
u tinguished author Of Thanatopsis cou
Z produce poem fully equal to the mo
y popular OF European productions. v
a see no reason TO doubt that the author Of
+ Aaraaf has all the prose and poetical abb
: ty necessary to make a tragedian OF
y first order. Assuredly the pen that wrC
the last touching "Letter from under
= Bridge" or the popular scripture POEM
!, could edit a new Monthly Magazine W
y some OF the ability Of Coleridge. Wor
- worth, or Lamb. But the reply is. ''od
3 works sell better in this market, and
u can make more at them."-JOarnal