The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-05-13

The following extracts from the American recolections
of Mons Ampere in the Revue des dsu1 Monds are not
without good sense The Frenchman though he tribes
al lines, occasionally talks like rational, and awsys
like clever plquant character, lie has found OF
our authors worthy OF notee-sirange fact So has
England Of lae-strange fact M Ampere remarks
!" We sometimes say in France, with that sashing
hippaney which Is too common with US, The United
States Is country IN which people only think OF making
money. There is no such thing as a literature and there
cannot be one Al The make an exception for
Coopers novels, because have them in reading
rooms But, IN the first place and speak most disn-
teiesedy do not see anything shocking IN making
fortune when sacrifices 10 il neither dignity
dependence Ii is 10 all countries the object in lie OF
those who do not lind ready made supporl. Napoleon
says well ia his memoirs speaking OF himself and the
other generals IN Italy, We had fortunes TO make
do not perceive that money is particularly despised in
England or IN France now "a days | have seen The
chimney oil maohiDeshop rearing lbs head beside The
eddal towers OF Bedford and mobiles at the
head OF railway enterprises and very wisely. As tony
comrades The anho,s they have no honor to gam aud
The example OF La Bfuyeu giving the MS OF his Carac.
eIes TO the grand daughter OF his publisher, lille girl
who amused HIM by her prae, has no, had, that have
heard, many imtalors.
Z" Then, too we must understand what we mean by
literature. Do odes, tragedies, and epic poems
As to that kind OF literature will not say that lis day
has gone by. Great talents exist doubt. and will APP
pear again but evidently The world does not incline
that way To-day Literature something vast and
comprehensive There are crowd OF works not TO be
incl ided any OF the classes OF literature,
which, nevertheless may be immortal masterpieces, and
which, even without that glory attest the cultivation oil
nation the merit OF its authors. Studies epoch,
on country on q man, on question oil philosophy oil
art, OF history, and OF politics. summary of the results
OF scientific investigation Of travels, and the like these
what would call the literature OF the present day,
which creating moulds and frames for books and
which above all presents The intellectual lille oil the times
England possesses great number OF these books, IN
which information and talent combined America is
by without them, and there is nothing to pre-
vent her from giving birth TO grea, number of them.
believe tina, America will never have Milton or a
Shakespeare but do not anticipate many such Tor Eu-
rope. IND what is TO prevent The United States from
producing another masterpiece OF political philosophy
like the Federast What prevent another Frank
lin from giving his practical truths to the world in his
shrewd, humorous slylei
have not spoken Of romances. There are excellent
paintings OF in Pauldng, Miss Sedgwick and
Hawthorne who is much superior to Cooper "a novel
ist We have heard OF the iantas tales of Edgar Poe
From Patrick Henry, The Vhginan Tribune Clay and
Webster the United States have had orators and their
political habits guaranty them succession OF them Tor
wherever liberty exists there is chance for eloqnence
Hence should say that America is already in very sim
liar Literary condition to Europe, and the resemblance
will daily increase.
But ii is said commercial democratic country, is not
without speaking OF Athens, the mos, aefcial and
manufacturing city OF Greece mus, not forget Flor
whose existence and prosperity owing TO com
meIce, The wool merchants built The great cathedral,
letters and science onfshed under the OF traders,
and the vessels Of the Medci brought back with silks
and spices, the manuscripts and the marble Of Greece
The commercial towns OF the low countries erected
those HOts. DE- ViHs and churches which models of
architecture.