New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-01

that have appeared in THE TRIBUNE for the last
wear only, and we find them to amount 10 aoous
two hundred and twenty-five greater part oil
tbem saw two hundred at least, Of home make.
Indeed. making very moderate estimate OF ths
crop Of the last year and the year before, (of when
the baryests were vet more abundant, we shall be
far within bounds in saying that not less than n'e
hundred novels, published by respectable bookseil-
ers. have issued fromthe American press since MIS-
Stowe and Mr.. Jcwett brought poor Uncle Tom 10
,be hammer Five hundred novels at the very least
Babbare invented a calculating machine why
not q reading machine discovered too High VIII
he the place Of the discOyerer IN the list OF tho
benefactcrs of mankind. We know one or TWO
such. 10 be sure. TO whom the world will never
know its obligations: but they read chiefly in ad-
vance of publication, and their Spartan Office II IS
10 straree the puny crooked infants that are ed
10 their own knockers before they can be trouble
some TO the yicinage, and to expose the llcon-
ditioned brats which their Differentiated neighbors
are trying to nurse into sckly vitality. bul'
like many other public benefactOrs, their reward is
not Of this world.
Low much is destined to live ; How many have
won even moderate and beseemng success
Some lucky sdgenturers there have been in this lot
tery. but they have been chiefly among those who
bought their tickets early. Perhaps the trade has
been little Overdone. The competitors for plbllc
favor have ostled one another in the race, and some
have been thrown down and trampled out Of sight
and the chance il always greatly in favor of those
that have the first start. But they may all be sure
of fair play in the long run. The public may be
induced by nauniing advertisements to buy book,
but il cannot be bullied cajOed into permanent
ly liking it. Novels are, in their proper nature
meant to be entertaining: and if they not found
so BY the buying public, they die of necessity. The
prosperity of tale, as well as of jest, lies in
"the ear Of him that hears it, never in the
mouth Of him that speaks" No book of real
merit ever fails of its final reward, though it MAJ
have to wait long for it. And the story teers have
this consolation and encouragement, that it is
stories, after all, that do finally inherit
immortal life, sooner than many more weighty and
serious contributions to human edifcatiOn. There
WAS time when sermons used to be read. Who
reads them now -unless it be those of such scape-
graces as Theodore Parker and Ward Beecher
And in this very array of novels which defiled be-
fore Us Just now is to be seen many old doctrine
or new crotchet, masquerading there in motley
which once would have worn the plate-armor OF
theology, or the buff jerkin of ethics or metaphys-
les Catholicism, Professionalism, High Church,
Low Church, Slavery, Anti-Slayery, Temperance,
WoInan's Rights, Moral Reform, aud what not else,
-bane and antidOte-they all before you. For
ourselves, we prefer having our flies Oh separate
plate. But that earnest people lay hold OF
such vehicles for the drugs they have to exhibit for
the health Of the body polite, shows the general
appetite for them.
No one can consider these things, ever so care
fully, and fail to be struck with the immense
amount Of mental activity that they indicate. For
it must be remembered that not one in fifty, prob
ably. of the novels offered to the trade, reach
the press We were credbly told that proni-
ncnt publisher once said that the number OF manu-
scripts sent to him. chiefly novels, averaged Ten
ddy-of which he did not use one in fifty. Aud We
were assured by other publishers that from their
own experience they believed he spoke within rea-
son. 1t is easy or rather it is not easy, to COM
pute the amount of time and pains thus bestowed
on an ungrateful public. How many disappointed
hopes ard broken dreams hive those Rhadaman-
thine readers for publishers to answer for!
Better themes for rOmances than those they
tried to shape into being would the hearts
and histories of many OF those bghted au-
a.
out of all this fermentation some good things have
arisen, and We may hope for more. A good novel
is one of the best of things and one of the rarest.
He that supplies one bestows a permanent bene-
faction on mankind. We have not yet added many
to the worlds stock. But some we have. As long
as there are boys left, Cooper will have public.
And Hawthorne has already taken his place among
the gods; the only one of his rOmances he cannot
away with, is his Life of Pierce. And We owe /!
double grudge, as it was the occasion OF his
Consulshp at Liverpool, on the profits OF which
We fear he will wax fat and kick at the public
But there is no monopoly in that world where the
romance-writer lives Its fair lands are open t.
all that can to enter in and possess them. This is
6iHbpserism beyond the jurisdiction OF President
or Attorney. Go forward then, ye to whom 1t Il
given and conquer Kingdoms and build castles moi
for yourselves alone but for all of us to rejoice In
There will be no reclamation against these Annex
ations. There must needs be thousand failures
for single success; but that one is worth them all
.--
A GERMAN PROFEssOR SET RIGHT
The Journal Of ComSeree borrows from German
newspaper an account of recent publication OF