Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-17
"TREATIsE ON SOCIOLOGY, THEO.
RETICAL AND PRACTICALLY

A few days since, we noticed work on the
subject of the Sociology of the South" 1t
was written by gentleman of Virginia, and
was issued from Virginia press Since that
time another work on Sociology, Theoretical
and Practical, y has been placed on our table.
1t is well-bound volume Of two hundred and
ninety-two pages. That two volumes, written
on the same subject, with the same view-the
defense of slavery--and with the same title, is
quite a coincidence, and shows that the south
ern mind is not idle in the vindication Of South
ern institutions.
OF the first book on this subject, we said it
was able and learned, though eccentric. OF
the second, from the pen of Henry Hughes,
esq, with every disposition to praise it, we
must say that it is q curiosity. That the au-
thor is a man Of talents--a scholar, and that
his intentions are good, we do not doubt, but
| really he ought to have an interpreter. His
book sadly needs translation. If he had writ
ten in French, Dutch, or Spanish, he would be
quite as ineligible as he is in the language he
has adopted. He has gone back to those dark
periods when writer's, instead of expressing
truth plainly, hid it in obscure scholastic tech
nicalities. Like the great Frenchman, he
evidently thinks that language was made to
conceal thoughts. This writer has great power
of language, and he sports with it most wan
tonly. The most unusual technical and artistic
terms are ever at his tongues end, and such is
his proud consciousness of this power that
when writing on a home subject for the people
of the South, he gives such definitions as none
but pedagogue can understand. That Mr..
Hughes is man of reflection and Of mind, no
one who glances through his book, can doubt,
but he seems to have devoted his reflections
and his mind rather to words, than things, and
to have made it his aim rather to make Ian
guage obscure, than perspicuous.
In few words-We defy any plain man to
understand his book and not because his
thoughts and ideas are higher than those OF
other men, but because his style is obscure.
There is another objection to him. He is al.
together too pompous and formal and elaborate
in his proofs of arioms. He labors and strains
to demonstrate what nobody denies, and clothes
his demonstrations in such a jargon that the
reader is put to the utmost trouble to find out
that he is stating, what every body knew before.
We repeat that the intentions of the author
are no doubt good, but he needs an interpreter.
We Gull at random the following specimens OF
his style. At page 200 he says: "La the free
labor hygienic system, hygienic necessaries are
not an element Of laborers ,cages. Capital is
not supplied. for the production Of his health.
The capitalist is not hygienicaly syntagonistic."
Again at page 29l, he says The econo-
mic system in the United States South, is not
slapery. II as warvanteeism pih the clinical
qualification" Again: IN does not progress
by antagonisms. progresses By syntago.
nisms. IL is IN no ,cay slape,y. Religiously
is Ebedism; economically, uaranteeism."
We have room only for one more extract.
1t is from page 40, and is as follows:
"These are the SECRETARY ends, and the socie.
tary organs. Of an organ, the essence is real.
ization. An organ is not an antecedent, but
an immediate, invariable antecedent. 1t is the
means winch necessarily reaiize an end. LII
there is no realization, there is no organiza-
ton. If the realization is perfect, the organ is
perfect: if imperfect, imperfect.
"A society therefore is not its ideality, but
its reality not its intention, but its obtention
not its verbally, but its actually not its legis.
laton, but its execution not its adaptation,
but its regulation; not its desire, but its deed !;
not its conception, but its effect; not its aim,
but its accomplishment; not its plan, but its
performance; not its theory, but its practice |;
not its potentially, but its fact. An organization
is therefore its realization. Every system is its
actuality."
The reader, after gancing at these extracts,
viii be somewhat surprised to learn that our
author takes as his motto paragraphin which
the following sentence occurs For showing
the truth, perspicuity is the only ornament of
style"