The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-05-15
For the National Era.
OBLIGATIONS or THE SECULAR PERIODICAL
PRESS OF OUR COUNTRY TO AMERICAN
LITERATURE,

OBLIGATIONS or THE SECULAR PERIODICAL
PRESS or OUR COUNTRY TO AMERICAN
LITERATURE.
No.
The Periodical Press The CensOr of The Book Press
A Just devotion of the secular press to National
Literature would not tend to obliterate the dis
tinctions now obtaining Of political, commercial,
agricultural, and family newspapers would not
divert them from their appropriate Objects nor
convert them all into iterary journals. 1t would
doubly qualify them for their respective secular
spheres; it would redeem them from coarseness
and scurrility it would elevate indefinitely the
entire secular press II would dignity the details
Of trade 1t would soften the asperties Of politi-
cal conflicts il would ennoble the processes of
agriculture, by associating these multifariOus in
terests with American Literature.
The first topic Of discussion is the relations of
the secular periodical press Of our country to its
Literature.
The Press, in its widest Specification, is the
still cling to the canvass and marble; bat Litera-
ture has discarded the bark, the skin, and the
tablets Of stone and wax, to embrace tho press ;
and now "the main haunt and region Of her
songp Of her historic narrative, of her philo-
sophie disquistion and even Of her eloqucnce, are
the book, the magazine, and the periodic sheet.
Libraries and reading rooms are the repositories
of Literature bookstores and publishing estab-
lshments are the exponents Of its progress and
its profits. The thinker is in league with the
printer. The productions Of learning and genius
are contracted for in advance by the tradesmen
Of the steam press and not unfrequenty the
first instruments are paid before the literary Mi
nervas have eaped from the fertile brain Of au-
thorship. The mass Grafton the senatorial speech,
the legal argument, the Judicial decision, the pull
pit discourse, is telegraphed printed, and read
almost before 1t has ceased to be pronounced
The facility Of printing, the cheapness Of books,
the multiplicity Of readers Of divers tastes and
demands, have stimulated every species and grade
Of talent and turned all intellectual activity into
the channel that flows with ink. He that ina
gines or feels, or reasons, or dreams, must invoke
the modern genii, the pen and the press. He
that muses. POLITICALLY or retrospects historically,
or investigates scientifically or ponders ethically,
or studies philosophically, you may depend upon
it, is getting ready to appear in black and white
Who may not write and who that writes may
not find publishers and pufersl
The press, by It's prodigious enterprise, and by
the powerful incentives II has furnished has done
no inconsiderable evil TO Literature. IL has
crowded the literary professional that may be
called profession which shape or form, system or
rule, has none in our country-with numberless
eager to see themselves In print, and
intent upon attracting notice, or upon getting
gain, but as regardless of the interests of Litera
ture as they are ignorant Of its principles. II
has tempted some to venture upon authorship
prematurely others to write with fatal haste, and
others to write too much. Ii has fostered a spe-
cies Of light literature, discsimed alike by good
morals and good taste, yet adapted to the de-
PRAYED appetites of multitudes Of readers. IL
has degraded the standards Of criticism II has
swept away the landmarks Of taste as by flood |
Il has slenced the .demand for excellence, by |
raising q clsmor for abundance. IL has cheap |
ened literature about In the ratio that II has |
cheapened books. But these are temporary evils.
They are the chaos GU. of which new world Of
letters is to emerge. The press has encountered
literature by its virgin luxurance, and its un-
regulated issues The press must itself be regu-
lated. But what shall regulate the press an
swer, the periodical press must regulate the book
press Here Is the first relation to be noticed, Of
the secular periodical press to our National Lite
nature IL Is the relation Of critic Of books. This
Is the province Of the periodical press In the ma
ture Of the case, and by common consent. The
book press cannot be its own ceDsor-it could not
be trusted with that task. Authors and publish |
ers recognise this function as belonging to the Pc
riodical press, and accordingly employ various |
expedients to propitiate editors. This RESPONSE |
bity of the periodical press with regard TO books,
respects its province Of advertiser as we'll as that
of critic. In both these capacities 1t Is bound TO
be faithful TO literature. IA advertisement Of a
new publication Is itself virtual endorsement Of
IL and as the sworn sentinels OF our infant lite
rrature the periodicals Of this day ought TO have
a standing rule, (which no journsl ought TO dis
regard with impunity) not TO advertise book Of
a bad literary character. Let such books die,
without benefit Of the news press !. they can be
easily spared. III their authors haze any literary
merit In them, such Sound letting alone will
be likely TO bring II out The critical depart
ment Is more influential, and demands more at
tention Ia these observations The destiny Of a
new poor book lies mainly with the periodicals.
A condemnatory notice from single leading pa
per Is almost certain death 10 book, unless II |
have vital merit sufficient to pass the ordeal Of
FIRE, In which case It will receive no detriment
eventually from severe handling. Let the period
ical press become extensively homogeneous In
taste and congenial In devotion 10 literature, and
Indifferent books would fall from the publishers'
shelves like blasted figs. What An omnipotent
influence the secular journals weld by means Of
their critical notices Of new works No earthly
should induce editors TO prostitute
this influence by writing commendstions Of books
badly conceived, crudsly reasoned, and poorly
would indignantly repudiats. Neither sdvsrtis-
log patronage, nor donations Of gilt Turkey
bound volumes, nor any other attentions Of pub |