Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-01-10

lIittrarll.5s


s. I 4 = 81 L.,
+ If any shrewed Futurist had tod our
| gislndmothersi that two or three genera
] tons from their girlhood, women would
become a Literary power in America, he
would have been let downfas a bftune-
| teller Our grandmothers could not but
smile at such vain prophesy, For in
their day, it was fashionable for female
talent to employ itself otherwise. A great
deal of work now done by machinery,
was tlien done by their skillful hands; and
whenever they hal leisure, it was devoted
| to the education of their children. Wo-
men have managed these private matters
to, suit themselves, and without any aid
| from conventions or platform speeches,
have secured themselves greater Of liberty
land leisure. E. T.
Whatever difference Of opinion may
1cxst rs 10 the merit of our recent female
| writers, there Gun beno doubt as 10 their
popularity and Influence. Neither Irving
! nor Cooper, has been read in anything like
the same numerical ratio, as Fanny Fern,
! Miss Wetherill, and others Of the same
class. The fact is significant. No doubt
their Talents have had Share in this un7
precedent popularity: But it were folly
10 attribute the result 10 thiSeauSc mainly
| There is no sort of proportion between
! the genius shown in the volumes and the
immense sales they have lad. I'll true
reason is I'M combination circumstances,
among which are to be enumerated the
present prcposSesi9n Of the public mind
in Elvoreof anything good that ladies I'M
dertake b do, and consequently the ease
with which they secure the public ar
Women Of any intellectual force find the
American world more ready TO do them
justice They are really anxious to ad-
Ismire them. If an American womtn of
rprrtension and position writes an inferior
book, she cannot be half SO sorry for it as
the tender hearted public.
There is something in this TO be remcm-
sbcred by our aspiring women. To ma e
men, YOU must treat them as airrcondcnscrs
treat the water in fire engmc-put six or
eight additional atmoSpheres in pressure
on their brains, and by resistance call
forth their strength They must have OBJ
sticlcs TO surmount-suflcrinSs TO test their
fortitude-dangeis TO arouse their cour-
age Facility in the sense Of easlnesSs Is
thc worst enemy of manly -eeRisfrs Ut
tsnthfce the misfortune in Sir Walter
SCOTS circumstances-the poverty of
Burns, and the deformity o., Byron-their
genius would never have impressed the
world so potently. But womanly mind
loves sympathy, admiration, praise. The
fragrant atmosphere which these create,
must float around the plant Of her genius
ere it can flower in summer fulness.
What then are the tokens? They are
very favorable to the ladies' altogether,
indeed, on their side. For here, and no
where else, are they just in the social po-
sition to give scope to all their genius.
Whatever a woman is or has, She is very
sure Of full reciprocation' in those States.
She always has the open ear, the awaiting
heart, of the best public; and thereby
sensibilities are put exactly il. such a.
relation to her intellect as TO- supply alIthe|
inspiration she can use. "a good time is
coming" for her in this country; and
strangely enough, republicanism is desc
Gned to effect more. the other sex. Our
prophesy is-that the most popular forms
of our future literature will Be written by
American women. They see to-day fur
.thcr into the meaning of American life,
character, and prospects, than men do.
They are nearer the hearts of humanity
deeper into the spirit of the age-happier
in the revcalings of faith, Than rivals
men. "