The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-04-08
LITERARY NOTICES.

LITERARY NOTICES.
AN ADDRESS BEFORE THE SALEM FEMALE ANTI
SLAVERY SOCIETY, at its Annual Meeting, Dee l,
1851. BY Thomas 7. Stone.
We are indebted to kind friend for copy
of this admirable address, which has brought
us all the pleasure which noble thought and
worthy word the full and fearless expression
of high truth in strong. and eloquent dlction,
can mpart We fnd here q clear exposition
of the pure and primal anti-savery doctrines.
The thoughts flow forth with that peculiar
force and volume that exhaustless freshness,
that quick flash answering to the sunlight,
which proves them to have come from that
"well of freedom undefled,' which nowhere
springs so purely as in the breast of genuine
Abolitionist. We find here that tempered and
consecrated zeal, that exaltatiOn of faith, that
resolute thrusting aside of self, with all its
hopes, interests, and fears, that solemn and
sorrowful exercise of the prophet-like preroga-
tive of warning and malediction, which were
essential elements of the ancient martyr spirit
We find here protest against that iniquity
of iniquities that browning shame of our age
and our country, the Fugitive Slave Lava
protest calm and earnest in tone but speaking
the manly scorn, the righteous Indignation, the
bold. irrepressible rebuke of Il patriot. true TO
the highest interests of his country. of man
answering to holy fraternal relations and feel
ing the strong, irrefragable ties of humanity
of a Christian faithful to his God.
We are aware that we are speaking strong
words of praise, that We are laying ourself open
to the charge of extravaganza from such of our
readers as know no more of Mr.. Stone and his
address than we have told them here; but we
confidently rest our defence, as an utterer of
plain words of "truth and soberness," in the
hands of those who have heard or read both
the stern protests and cheering prophecies of
this true preacher of Christ and the Gospel of
His Freedom.
Of the many passages in this address which
we marked at our first reading, for their force
and beauty, we have only space for one, which
we give, not as the finest in point of style but
as revelation and a defence of the speakers
own heroic selfimmoating course:
"The spirit of Freedom # is aggressive,
authoritative, commanding. 1t has right so to
be. 1t is the love, and the truth, and the power,
whence the existences and the harmonies of
the universe proceed. Admitted to human
breast let it never be timid or shy let it neither
falter nor be dumb let it evade no conflict, let
it suppress no truth, let it decline no issue, let
it shrink from no result. Men seem to speak
and think as if this were strictly question,
matter of doubtful inquiry, wherein the Abo-
litionist and his opponent stand on equal
ground; and SO whatever the former says
should be merely expression and defence of
opinions which he holds and the other rejects,
the right or the wrong in the case being still
problematical. The impression is false. The
genuine Abolitionist speaks not a private opip-
ion, but the word of God. His ought to be the
part not of the debater, not of the lOgician not
Of the orator, not even Of the politician, but of
the true preacher the living herald of divine
message to his country and his age Let him
speak as uttering an oracle of the Eternal"
WESTMINSTER REVIEW. January, 1852
The prominent papers in this number are
series of articles, entitled, Contemporary Lit
erature of England" Retrospective Survey of
American Literature" Contemporary Ltera-
ture of America" Contemporary Literature
of Germany" Contemporary Literature of
France" all of which, it is rumored, are writ
ten by one hand and that the laborious right
hand of the greatest book-maker in america
They certainly strongly suggest his style and
give expression to some of his peculiar enthu-
siasms. The article next in length and interest
is a review of Mignets " Historic de Marie
Stuart" Of Prince Labanoff' s " Letters of Mary
Stuart, selected from the Reoueil des Letters
de Marie Stuart" and of Miss Strickand's
Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots" Of this
article we have spoken at length elsewhere
Next we should notice Art. VI, Julia Von
Kradener as Coquefte and Myst,c-a curious
piece of pitiless mental analysis Of cold, moral
dissection.
BLAcKwooD's EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. March, so.
For sale by Taylor & Maury, Pennsylvania avenue,
Washington, ID. C.
A pleasant review of Miss Mitford's Per-
sonal Recollcctions" first met our eye and
claimed our attention in this number 1t con-
tains also some charming chapters of "My
Novel," and Part III of the spirited tale,
Struggles for Fame and Fortune" and
rather remarkable poem, entitled Farewell
to the Rhine;p with other articles OF more or
less interest.
HARPER's New MONTHLY MAGAZINE. April, 1897
Richer than usual is this admirable monthly.
Il contains the whole of the first number OF
Dickens "Bleak House." of Frederick Bremer's
IMPRESSIONS of England in 1851" several ex-
cellent tales and sketches among which We
particularly like The Artists Sacrifice" "My
Travelling Companion" Paradise Lost and
aThe Stolen Bank Notes" MIR, Abbott's Gro
dolphusv and aNapoleon Bonaparte" will as
usual attract the young while the lover of
genuine wit and satire will be treated to a
spicy draught of punch
LtrrELLs LIVING ACE. April 3, 1852.
Among other good things we here find a re-
view of Carlyle's Life of John Stirling, from
the British Quarterly an article on " Nathaniel
Hawthorne from the New Monthly, and an
able review of the Memoirs of Margaret Full
Ter Ossoli from the Atheneum The tone of
this latter paper we do not altogether relish, it
being rather on the supercilious and inflated
order; but this is burly Johns way.
NORTH AMERICAN MISCELLANY AND DOLLAR MAG
AzINE New York Angel, Engel, Jewett
We should pronounce this an interesting and
useful family Magazine.
MEMOIR OF RICHARD DmLNsHAM BY A. l.. Bene-
dict. With an Introductory Poem hy j @ Whit.