The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-04-17
For he Primitive Republican.
Monday Morning GIsip about Books. huihos &c.
BY FaIL. P. NELLY.
No. III.

'TuE LIFE AND CoRREsPoNDENcE OF JOHN Fos--
TER: EDITED BY J. E. RYLAaD &c"
This book has wonderfully interested us,
during the past week: not so much on its
own account, apart from its relation to other
books, as IN consequences of-its Gelnoations
of man, whose works, have contributed no
little to the pleasure, and proftableness Of
our hours Of study. Mr.. Foster is known
to the reading public, asan Essayist, because
of the title by which, his literary labors,
have been introduced into the world; yet we
are not sure that the name applied by him to
the children of his brain, is correct one.
st all events, they do not come to us, with
any features in common, with the mass of
including the sportivc writer's of
the reign of Queen Ann, and the multitude
who, since them have attempted to initiate
them. 1t will not do to call them treatise,
nor sermons, although they possess some of
the clements Of both. If we turn over the
leaves of The Tdtler, The Spectator, The
Guardian, &C., we find ourselves threading
apath Of easy thought, and quiet meditative-
ness, altogether unlike that, along which,
John Foster hurrics as with a vehemence,
and earnestness, and an oracularity too,
which imtensifies, and almost bewildcrs the
reader. There is nothing of that "slip-shod
case" that quaint humor, that sly and start
ling wit, and that home-like, and inimitable
grace, We meet in Elia--nor do we find the
becoming dishable of Steele, the practical
and adaptive philosophy of Franklin, the
graceful aegligec of Addison, nor even the
elegant raillery and conversational ease" of
Leigh Hunt, There is much of point in
his Essays, and they sparkle zoo, and some
times they even verge on the humorous; but
their brilliance resembles the lurid glare of
volcano, and their humor, the savage
jests of an executioncr. While his produc-
tons have the name of Essays, they also
pnrport--a part Of thcm-to be CORES
pondencc with a friend; but they are as I'M
hike letters, in point epistolary negligence, as
they are wanting in some of the character
lstle elements of the Essay. A contempt
rary has, designated them, as being ssof the
composiet order Of intellectual architecture. =
Tbs IS, perhaps, the most expressive, and the
truest, desi gnation of his extraordinary pro-
ductions, that could be given.
Mr.. Foster, was for some time a minister
| of the Baptist Church, and for many years,
| the intimate friend and associate of that man
fof pulpit power, Robert Hall. His miniiste-
rial success, however, was limited, owing no
doubt to the disparity between his sermons
and hearers, and to a manner, which was
said to.have been 'sstiff and cold. 1t was
| Hall that remarked Of him, chs words may
/ be fre within, but the moment they. leave his
/ ssthey freeze, and fall. down at his feet. z
| This Wantof success, combined with physi-
cal.inirlnity induced him to give III preach
! ing and to devote himself to literary pursuits
ii first attempt at authorship was the
/ publication Of . volume Of ESSAYS IS 8
series Of Lettersto ) i riend 2 whereby there
hangs q BIT Of rornance 4 S said that he
haI eiven bis affections to one, Who hasl
sense enough tod iaeozer within him, the Gle
As sof great genus, et linked sit much
self iHtFuAi and perhaps some indolenoe:
sic conAa ii ID IS marry him, provided lie
9 sNE M # @ III 8 s 49, 80 a ca Il +