The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-04

nbkyneOAIo WOUDAEC0.
From the London s1nss Sept 1sl
TIE BIl7HBDALs hoAAsOs-By Nathaniel hav.
thorne, sutbor of a.. The Scarlet Letter" The
HSnse q Seven Cables 10
ibrsakns to outstrip in . direction altogether
vDsxpected Il has taken the energetic people Of
the United States not qoite eighty years TO con
vince the world Of their uDappreaehable skill in the
Ars Of material developcment Another half century
may enable them TO prove their superiority over con-
temporary nations, In labors purely intellectual.
We havS long 0epen dad fer oar cottons On Americas
vea,e nCv beginning TO import our novels. Long
fellow and others prove shst good samples OF poems
may be introduced with thecs into tbs English mar
ket. The fscta are all very serious. We cannot
hope TO check the supply by imposing very heavy
duty on the American commodity. But what mn ar
gument is here for Sir Edward Balwer Lytton when
be next meets his Hertfordshire farmers, and in
forms them that he. rs well as his constituents, is
forced to an unequal contest with the foreigner
that and all are likely TO be crashed under ar
YapgemeDts that bring food for the mind ana foed
for the body across the seas, untazed 70 the British
consumer.
We look back and marvel at the instructive Wis
dom with which America has provided for the intel
tctual exigt OF her people, during her seventy
odd years Of independent rule, and shipped her IN
struction according 20 the circumstances OF her nd
FaTalletd position An intelligent neriean. of the
name Of Bristol, came among rs the cfhar dsy-
entered tie University Of CafihiH3s--tGDE q
Scholarship a. rgH;ts and sErrci Gepy biz 5Cggeo.
For ave yan.s az vae familiar wssn University ite,
uatge Cgurtry, ~ crder - a3fal QUO ~ hR fellow
ceu1trypcr i.eir ettot Eitisbe a1G Chy. II puVS9-
iyC a. 10 .oarl tcnrse y ai re7pte.s DPglel -
THAI Il lht sae3ni tca' tf iesr1rg lfaia NhiSa az
had jcst .uyfglc-, aoc8cloI & Lf4 rs. RSi-sea,
rs we e3Hcsnp, tetg hnt 8 r4ry0a llQ1 81 tAiH
great question. u j. quite true thas, Q . she
pfesent moment. the higher vasses n tbe United
States have cortsDted themselves w4Ls slch edl-
catcn AS that which Mf. Golden actually hois 20 be
spfisieGt for the rising youth OF Englaad-v.S, the
education Of he ness0sper and the piaffOrm; il -
equally undniable that the eNaciRess compelled by
the intellectual discipline 81 our own universities
has been wholly wanting il the academies Of ueri-
ca, which have regarded the severess studes the
mere recreaiiye resdinc Of the Engsh student; but
il is net 20 be admitted Tor an instant THAI America
has failed TO afford 10 al classes the very highest
amount ofmeDtal cultivation possible, regard being
had 10 the age Of tine country, 30 the nature 81 its
Institutions arc 10 the essential character pursuits
md objects OF iss people An infant M ton is not %
be dealt with as YOU would deal with county on
its legs grown up selfconscious, seit.contenpating
Boys who have &c make their own way in the world
are taught TO read and write. TO deal practically
with life, and then they are apprentced Ii they
have been well instructed and are vlruoas, they do
wel pnd eagerly place within reach oftheiT offspring
the scholastic advantages denied to their owe youth
America is such boy. II has had during the last
seventy years &c labor for its existence nation
ever before iaeored. aud il has achieved in conse
quence OF its struggles an amount Of substantial sue
osss. which no arncipatIons could have calculated
twas essential 70 the we'll Icing Of the United states
that the masses should not be left, as they are frs-
ouenty leh in advanced countries, prey 30 ig
ncrance and all the vices of which blind gnoranceis
the parent; and accordingly; the masses Of
the elementary school II was Of vital CON-
sequence that the better CLASSES, to whom
was given the developement O: the resources
OF the nation-material, political. and mOral-and
to whom, moreover, was intrusted the guidance Of
republic that bad yet to learn the ruGimen, OF self
government, should De able to write Huently and
talk gGbly and focibly upon every subject OF public
interest and political bearing; and accordingly, the
middle classes Of America have become great stump
orators ard the readiest of public writer's Wealth,
power, aristocra and the usual results trianph
ant industry, ar. already won The nexs stops
in the rapid march will not be wanting. We shall
bave-doubt it not, Mr.. Bristcd- Americans in
tcrested in Greek particles Person himself, ma
thematciars acute as Peacock, dis,ovefers pa
tient and Jaofoundas Adams. The highes. order of
intellectual .fultvation-tbe requirement Of ecudi
ton for its own sakS-demands leisure and opportu-
nifty such as the possession Of wealth and the subs
dence OF a ierveIith pursuit Of gold, and nothing
else. are cacula ted to afford. The passionate chase
after the almighty dollar Is interesting enough while
IL lasts: cul when the sport is over and the game is
caught, nobler diversions must be found. Oxford
and Cambridge VII d. wel TO keep he fac. in mind.
The people who have been incessarty occupied
since they fought for and gallanly ,beir polti
cal freedom, in extoItis; wealth fiom the soil, in
accommodating riches. u cle,i ing dense forests, aud
planting fourishpg cities thar site, ir narrow
ing their contiDentby gigantic contri, ances. AMI in
extending their so;ioi snl commercial relations by
superbunan activity, have still found time to give
ntterance 70 TIE mpotnns.e spi.it Of sor in yer,e,
which tho land Of Milton of Spenser, and Of Shass-
peare has hnosn how 10 appreciate. AMI 20 seize the
pen Of the novelist with grasp which tbs lovers Of
Fielding, Cold;mih ard Scot. will be the last TO
3csni Q. The sons Of those who sing 50 saaitv
now in the grove will assrre1ly disease philosophy
and science hereafter in the portico.
The most striking impression left upon the mind
after the persal Of the more recent imporatons "
fiction from America is that Of youthful freshness.
fay nj ftr fr,,it
is crisp, .pungent, and ripe to charm With
all its faults OF exaggeEaticn, . Uncle Toms
Cabin " IL masterpiece of composition. The
pathos is o. the simplest and profouniest, tie
huror is exquisite, and the sway of the nara
tive is that Of an eager, unvoln, and fearGuliy
earnest pen. The very idioms recon mend them
selves by their naturalness ard truth. When the
American speaker Gays he cannot sleep nights
or 'he has travelled some in HE time " or uses
similar uncouth talk the ear is gratied rather than
Offended by the unwonted, but still appropriate,
phrase The vigorous freshness Of which We speak
is still s.rkngly characteristic of the novel
present upde consideration, and OF the other works
Of fiction produced by the genius of the author.
It IS, in this case, y feature remark able to
throw every other in the shade and il is certainly
one to which, without offence We msy take leave 70
call the botice of our British novclists Three or
four distinguished names at once occur to our mind
when We ask who are the representatives Of lie
ton" St present among US I That they do so occur
is proof Sufficient Of their lre-eminence but, Il 70
one and all VIC might prefer syllable OF advice. il
would certainly be that they should seriously nese
the qualities in virtue Of which American writer's
are now taking the novel reading world BY storm,
and securing, this side OF the Atlantic,
without preliminary puff advertisement If any
kind purchasers Of their wares that may be reckoned
by thousands snd readers that positively DEFY com
putation altogoJhe
The plot OF the " Blthedale Romance" may be
told in half dozen lines In truth, the romance
has no plot at oil and it is evident from few
words OF preface that precede the slender narrative
that the writer would have been well content had
ne beer able TO relieve himself entirely Of toe en-
do,ned before the reader ey the Images OF strength
and beauty that had posse ssion Of his own poetic
mind. Mr. Hawthorne's difficulty see1ns to have
been TO find in the vast human workshop o; America
frame sufficiently picturesque for the reception Of
bis richly oredpctures. lie had highy-wrought
visions TO communicate, but they must be incorpo-
rated in forms Of flesh and BLOOD and it is not easy