The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-05-01
ALctter from
GRACE GREENWOOD.

The following letter from Grace
Greenwood to the editor of the Nation
al Era will be to our readers all inter-
esting item Of Literary Gossip.
A friend has lately sent me portion
of a letter from the pen of Miss Alice
Carey, published in the Cincinnati Gu
zene o! March Goth, from which lex
tract the following:
"In some of the popular poetry Of the
day the poison of infdelity is widely
difused, the author 'for a pretence,'
making nature his source Of inspiration;
for in reality he has no inspiration
above the love of the sensuous, and no
ability save what is mechanical.
Amongst our women writers, especi-
ally regret to see any of this spirit.
Miss Chesebro', young aspirant for
literary honors, has in press new book
in which;I am told by one uho has seen
1t, she does battle, according to her pow-
ers, for the dark am also sorry for
this, as she has honored me with part
of the dedication, and | would not will
lingly be thought to share the sentiment.
There is, | think, in the trick of man
ner, the familiar and commonplace
way of speaking of sacred things, the
chasing our Saviour with great and
good men, philanthropiSts, and the like,
n miserable su1terJuge for downright
sheTticasm. In this boht, bad style, often
wr1tes Grace Greenwood, f. Cakes
Smith, and some other noMble womcn."
AT an ordinary time, should not
think Of replying to an attack like this,
come from whatever source it might,
trusting soon TO live it down, and indi-
rectly to write it down. But now, | am
peculiarly circumstanced, and must
speak. Being on the eve of going
abroad for many months, regarding my
impaired health and the dangers of ocean
voyages, it behooves me to look to the
possibility of my never returning-and
SO, before 60, would set this matter
right as far as lies in my power.
Think that you cannot fail to be sur
prised by the contemptuous and severe
manner i'll which Miss Carey speaks of
Miss Chesebro', an authoress whose
writings have ever been distinguished
by high moral, and religious tone.
Miss Carey has certainly gracious
way of her own of acknowledging the
compliment of dedication; she has al.
so her own ideas ofjustice, in thus con-
demning book UNREAD-of the kindly
courtesy, the generous sympathy, the
"aid and comfort" proper to be extend
ed by a famous woman like herself, to a
sister authoress-a patient, conscien-
tious, toiler in the all too unproductive
fields of American literature, like Miss
Chesebro'. But is it quite magnani-
nous in her, just at this time, when her
just fresh foreign bays are clustering SO
thick about her brows, to reach out her
hand 10 rob us of our simple little
wreaths of homegrown laurels? Is it
fair in her TO come crushing down upon
US with all the weight of the prestige
and authority conferred by the Journal
des De6ats and The WESTMINSTER Re.
WE'VE
Miss Chesebro' and Mrs. E. Cakes
Smith are well qualified to defend
themselves, if they see fit, but, as for
the charges brought against me, of hold :
ing lnfdel sentiments, and of often wri-
ting in "bold bad style,"I do not hest
tate to pronounce them false. No
thought poisoned with skepticism could
ever have crept into my writings, for
have never harbored one in my heart.
There, l have kept "pure through all
these years" the Christian faith my
mother taught me in my childhood. 1t
is true that Eave never set myself up as
religious teacher, it is true that have
SO intense detestation of cant and hy-
pocrisy as to make me liable to err on
the other side-and that | would rather
at any time seem worse, than better
than | am. 1t is true that where | feel
strongly, | often make use of extrava-
giant expressions, which | afterwards re-
greet. 1t is especially true, that where
the question of freedom is concerned,
have small reverence for men, however
great and gifted, whom believe false
10 liberty and to the oppressed,
Rnd sometimes speak of them bitter
and burning words out Of an indig.