Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-01-21
DEBAUCHERY- CORN, OR LIFE
SCENES IN NEW York;

1t is simply absurd in authors to come be-
fore the public disclaiming all selfish consid-
erations, all aspirations after fame, all expec-
tations of profit. They may pirate as much as
they will of their desire to advance the cause
of morality and religion-they always feel
another and stronger desire, and that is to
advance the cause of SELF The author who
presents himself before the public as an ex-
IRENE purist without one thought Of ambition
or profit, is simply hypocrite. Societies of
pious men and women are sometimes formed,
which, being sustained by the mites and con-
tributions of the million, publish books and
tracts intended to promote religion and mo-
rality. But single unaided man seldom or
never does it. He has, no matter what the
character of his book, "respect unto the
recompense of the reward"
All books that give pictures of real life, that
catch the manners living, as they rise,' are,
if they possess any merit sought after with
avidity. Such books are moral portrait gale
ries of society. Some of them are good, some
bad. Some tend to encourage virtue, some to
promote vice. Those that give pictures of pure
and refined life, are calculated to subserve the
FIRST purpose, those that deal in the voluptuous
details Of debanchery, subserve the latter. The
worst books, like the worst men, attempt to
insinuate themselves into favor by the fairest
promises.
A nodestly clad figure, whether Of human
being, or in picture, can be looked at without
exciting wrong emotion; but no human being,
possessed Of all the faculties and powers of
human beings, can coldly look at nude human
being of fair appearance, or picture of one
such. Bad thoughts and strong passions spring
unanimously up. Nor can any one, however
modest, however innocent however pure, wit
ness, or read Of scenes of vouptuous plea
sure, without being made less innocent, less
modest, less pure. Such books may be gotten up
by mercenary men with the ostensible object of
beneftting the world-indeed they are some
times gotten up by foolish fanatics with that
view; but where one person is benefited,
thousand are corrupted by them. These re-
marks proceed from no fastidiousness on our
part-from no pretensions to extreme purity.
We take the world as we find it. Like all
other people we read the books that come in
our way and fear that, like the rest of mankind,
the most dangerous books, possess the strongest
attractions for US. But if these books we're not
written, they could not be read.
Such book as we have described, we are
inclined, from hasty glance, to regard Hot
Corn, or Life Scenes in New York." a new
book just issued from the press Of De Witt and
Davenport, New York. The author is Scion
Robinson, name not unknown. The stories
contained in it have from time to time been
published in the New York Tribune, and the
book is dedicated to Horace Greedy and the
other editors of that journal. 1t has been kindly
sent to us by Mr.. Franck Taylor, of this city,
who has il for sale
This book presents us with pictures of yolup-
tuousness, debauchery, misery and squalid pow
erty. Its descriptions so far as we can Judge
from hasty glance through it, are so minute
and circumstantial, as to make the book sort
Of guide and sign post TO those who would never
think of going TO ruin if they were not so con.
veniently directed. 1t puts the young and the
innocent Of both sexes in possession of details
that they can never be benefited, and may be
injured, by knowing. With these remarks we
dismiss it--feeling pretty certain that it will be
all the more sought after on account of the
objections to which It is open.