Washington sentinel., 1854-01-08
AMERICAN NOyELS-THE NORTH
BRITISH REVIEW.

4
idead. 1t should be as varied in its character,
as is compatible with its main aims and OBJ
iects. Of those aims and objects it should
never lose sight. II designed as political
paper, it should be chiefly political in its char
acter. 1t should, at the same time, however,
present pictures of the times. 1t should keep
up with all movements and developments,
whether scientific, literary, religious, social or
industrial. We endeavor to stamp this char
acter on our paper, in order to adapt it to the
varied tastes of our readers. American litera-
ture, no one, We presume, can doubt, falls pc
cuHarly within the scope and province of every
American journal, whatever may be its leading
design.
American literature, like American power,
seems of late years, to be attracting its due
share Of notice abroad. Those who looked
upon us a few years ago, as a nation half Eng
lish and half Hottentot-who regarded us at
least as semi barbarous-begin now to find
that their ridiculous estimates of American
character, were the result entirely of their own
| ignorance. Their travellers came among us
with deep-rooted prejudiees, and they went
back home to publish books of abuse, sarcasm,
and falsehood. But truth will, sooner or later,
triumph over all opposition; and the truth is
now rapidly spreading abroad in regard to our
national character, capabilities and resources.
We are pleased to see, for all men and all
nations desire to be properly appreciated, that
American literature is beginning to attract the
attention and excite the admiration of the ma
tons of the Old World. Many of their re-
views and journals have made the productions
of our authors the subjects of favorable criti
cism. Some have not hesitated to express a
preference for the American authors over the
English authors of the present age
In history, we have an Irving and Prescott
In poetry, we have names SO numerous and
familiar that it is needless to mention them.
In science, we have proud triumphs to boast of
In fiction, our authors have achieved wonders.
Although sort of literary colony of England,
we have made contributions to art, literature,
and science, of which even she is growing
proud.
In the November number Of the North Bri-
tsh Review we find chapter dedicated to
American novels. This chapter does not en-
brace notices of all of our authors in that de-
partment of literature. 1t is limited to few.
There is in it manifest desire to do us Justice.
The authors noticed are Nathaniel Haw-
thorne, the everlasting Mrs. Harriet Beecher
Stowe, Elizabeth Wetherell and Professor
Longfellow. " -....
1t is only our purpose to give a general idea
of the review of the productions of these au
thors, and with that view we present few ex
tracts from it. The first extract we give, is
general in its character.
ave had occasion, in a recent number o
this Journal to speak our opinion concerning
American poetry, and we did it with candol
which, as it seems, was not pleasing to the
self-love of our transatlantic brothers. We haG
to point out and prove the fact that America
has not yet produced one poet whose name has
chance of surviving the trial of hundred
years. We did this with no unfriendly feeling
America is new thing upon the face of the
earth. Great nations, in their youth, have
commonly produced great poets; but America
has had no youth. The youth Of America was
that of Britain and the great poets who lived
before, and even after, the national schism, be
long as much to her literature as they do to
ours. In fact, the very notion of two litera
lures in one language is an absurdity. i
English literature, since the political indepen
dence of America, has fourished best at head
quarters, it is no more to be wondered at thar
that the press of London should have beer
more prolific of good books than that of Liv
erpool.
The spirit of romance, however, has not
been so strictly metropolitan in its choice ofar
abiding place as that of poetry. II Coleridge
Wordsworth, Burns and Tennyson, have hac
no rivals in America, it is not SO with Dick
ems, Marryatt, Bulwer and Currer Bell. Against
these names America may boldly set he,
Stoves, Coopers, Longfellows, and Hawthornes
in whom there is no mistaking an independ
ence and originality which hold out high
hopes of the share which the writer's of Ameri
! ca are destined to take in the English litera
ture of the future.
|" In proceeding to notice a few of the lead
ing works of recent American fiction, we beg
that our readers, particularly our American
readers, will not attribute to us q fondness fol
fault-fnding if, in some cases, we dwell with
greater emphasis upon the errors than upon
the excellencies of the works noticed. All the
books at the head of this article have received
in Britain welcome ofunmstakable heartiness
The critics chief duty is to point out faults and
virtues which do not manifest themselves to the
hasty reader If the writer's herein to be no.
ticed had missed their need of popular APP
plause, they should have bad little else than
praise from u.s. as it is, they can well afford to
be called, for once, to somewhat strict ac-
count for their shortcomings"
This is in the main, liberal, for an English
Review.
On the fortunate Mr.. Nathaniel Hawthorne
the highest compliments are lavisbed To him
the highest place in fiction is conceded. His
conceptions, his style his artistical skill are
all praised. Some faults, and what man or au.
thor is without them, are found with him. but
they are slight compared to the merits con.
ceded to him. The Review says:
Nathaniel Hawthorne, a name that must