The republic., 1851-06-12


ings of our glorious fever within the first
month of their republication. We are fast
nation in reading, as in every thing else.
But how greatly would this hot fever of ours
be increased in glory if it were fed by our own
mute BULwERs, who now cannot afford to
compete with the unpaid literary laborers of
Europe. If our manufacturers find it impos-
sible to compete with the cheap labor of Eu-
rope, even when aided by ''incidental' protcc-
ton, how much less can our literary producers
dispose of their wares in market which is
flooded with goods that cost nothng2 Every
argument that can be adduced in favor Of pro-
tecting material manufactures can be used
with tenfold force in favor of protecting the
Intellectual productions of our country. just
in the degree that mind is superior to mat
ter are its productions entitled TO protection.
1t is matter of very little moment COM
paratively whether the clothes we wear be
produced in one country or another. The body
may be just as comfortably sheltered by a fabric
made in the very hot-bed Of aristocratic and
ant-republican feelings; but not SO with the
mind. The silk-weavers of Lyons and Spital
field may weave dresses for our wives and
daughters, and do them no harm; but when it
comes to weaving stories for their minds, it is
very different matter. Is it not reproach to
us that our glorious fever for reading should be
fed by the De BALZACs, EUGENE SUES GEORGE
SANDS, D'IsRAELIs, and BULwERs of effete
and anti-republican Europe, while our own ac-
~ into 1uip 10 for 1ac of
citation and employment? Yet such is the
melancholy fact. Here we are the most ac-
tive readers in the world, with glorious fever
for books constantly in us, yet producing less
mental food for our own sustenance than the
little, bleak, poor country of Scotland. Our
glorious fever for reading produces no corre-
spondingly glorious fever for writing. 1t is true
that we do, now and then, produce an author,
who, in spite Of the dreary prospect of writing
without pay, and publishing without readers,
by the aid of happy accidents, succeeds in
catching the ear of his countrymen. But such
are very few. IRVING went abroad for repu-
tation, and gained one; but he was like the
man who, in looking for asses, found king
dom. He failed as merchant, but as der
nier resort took to his pen for support; and
nobly it has supported him. He was fortu-
nate, however, in his accidents, and entered
upon his literary career at a time when commu-
nication with England was SO rare that, in
the intervals of an arrival from London
half dozen editions of a native book might
be sold before new one could be had
from abroad to keep the presses of enterprising
publishers in motion. Now the case is very
different, and the works of MAcAuLAY, Bull
WEIR, &c., are issued here before they are pub
lished in London, very small sum being sufli-
cient to secure early sheets from the English
publishers. MAcAULAY, while writing his his
tory, could maintain himself, as SoUTHEY did !,
under similar circumstances, by selling an oc
casonal essay to quarterly review. But no
author in this country, though he were a
SoUTHEY and a MAcAULAY united, could do so.
PREscoTT, being gentleman of fortune, could
afford to devote himself to the composition Of
his brilliant histories, as TIcKNoR devoted his
life and fortune to the production of his own
great book. But neither of these gentlemen,
with all their learning, talents, and reputation,
could obtain more than the merest pittance for
the articles they contributed to the North
.4nlerican Reuie,c. Our glorious fever not be-
ing fed by our glorious writers, has demoraiz-
ing effect upon our manners, and debasing in
fluence upon our national tastes. Our publish
ers, in their greediness to reap the profits of our
reading habits, publish an infntude of wretched
stuff that could never be put in circulation il
they had to pay any thing for its production.
Dickens, THAcKERAY, BULwER, MAcAULAY,
and JAMES, although marvellously prolific, can
not furnish matter rapidly enough to satisfy our
glorious fever; and, as the cry is still for more
our publishers issue oceans of printed matter,
republished from such pens as LEVER, SUE,
G. w. M. REYNOLDS, Henry CocKToN, Mrs
GORE, and host Of unknown authors, without
| principle, genius, learning, or reputation, who
have the blessed privilege of feeding our glori-
Gus fever with their morbid, meretricious, and
melancholy trash.
Some Of our political philosophers have ex
pressed their assonshment at the rank hold
which certain strange doctrines, wholly at wal
with the spirit Of our Institutions, seem to have
upon the public mind But if they would
take the trouble to investigate the origin o
many of the mischievous errors that reiard oul
progress, and often lead to the overthrow of par
ties, they would discover them in the vile pub
locations which the lack Of an internationa
copyright law causes to be scattered over thu
land, from the Sacarap to the Sabine, and from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. We make grea
outcry, and very justly too, when GEORGE
THoNPsoN comes over here to lecture us or
what he chooses to call our national sins. Bu
let this same THOMSON publish book. il
which he may repeat all that he has said il
his lectures, and fifty times more, much worse
seized by our publishers, and thousands and tens
of thousands will be scattered broadcast al