Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-03-21

most potent Influence upon the minds and morals
of ths youngf Its teachings belong to that iAdi-
rect mode, which is always to be preferred for
children, it quickens the attention, gives play to
the imagination, mpresscs itself upon the feelings,
and is consequently more lastingly retained. It's
lessons are bestowed pleasantly, it makes itself at
tractive in the same way Of which a Young child
spoke when she said of her teacher, ''0hl love
to study for Miss c.. she smiles 50, and don't
mean to make ts learn" To our eountry's honor
be it said, the influence Of the American Press,
with but few exceptions is favorable 10 the advance
ment of knowledge lberality of opinion, justice,
and morality and it is well for rs that it is So for
there is no home either so high so humble that
those mute messengers may not enter, aud deliver
their good tidings. Our newspapers evers-
where read, and fortunately they for the most
part, worth reading; there may something be
found in every sheet, be it ever SO unpretending,
/ to cheer, to amuse, TO instruct Let the crisis
be what it may, the Press usually has an abiding
! faith in the "goOd time coming" and its deep
voice goes down into our hearts fraught with en-
couragement and hope. Let tie children haze ''tLs
Papers"
1t is most probably vain for US to look for lite
nature, established by Southern minds, and sus>
tanned by Southern means, until we have more
generally educated the Southern people. Not
until the cultivated and intelligent can combine in
the majority, can we hope for that protection and
fostering care of letters, which will develope the
resources Of literature among us. A writer may
exert himself to the utmost be may set forth the
nobest sentiments, using the richest and purest
di"tiOn, he may labor too with the highest aims,
but what avas it If he preach to a deaf auditory
or worse to an audience who hear but can neither
understand nor appreciate him? What are the
finest touches Of Shakespeare, to the individual
who reads nothing but his grandlather's slmanacs
There must be created bond Of sympathy between
the intellect and the humanity OF section that
is, between those who make the intellectual effort,
and those for whose benefit it is made. We are
suffering literary despotism, the great cause Of
which is that the masses at the South are not so
generslly educated as at the North, and in cOnse-
quence the taste for reading is generally diff
fused. And never until this emancipation from
ignorance is effected will these letters Of supposed
superiority be broken, and our people stand forth
as free, and uutrammeled in literary as in political
existence. When we have thus armed the defen-
ders Of our rights, educated men and women Of
MUD and heart, shall have a literature, we
shall be no longer the 'outside barbarisns," and
our section branded as the Nazareth out Of which
nothing Of literary merit can come. The South
will then awake to a consciousness Of her own
powers, and be encouraged to struggle for the
mastery in letters, which her records zhow her to
possess in craftsmanship, and military proves
Then it is to be hoped happy revolution will take
place in our literary prospects, then on his native
soil the writer will not be considered an innOvator,
among his own people he will not be !, Oked upon
as beggar, and stranger,-native talent instead
of being endured at present, will be cherished
a thing to be proud Of and we shall wonder at,
and blush for the ofungenerous and suicidal
| policy which now characterikcs US. Oh apostle
Of Progress, tell us from thy watch-tower on the
beights-,ohs, shall We triumph and rejoice in that
good time coming?
/ FoRtsr HoNE, SO.