Smyrna times., 1856-04-30
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American Literature.

ii"ps rVSii thSfles ralner OF seinsn and con-
tracted prejudice than a deduction from a. fair
and impartial CRITICISM Though they must
have seen, and still do see much to condemn in
American literature, yet the productions of our
Irving, Prescott, the author of Hiawatha, and
hosts of otheriAmerican authors of the present
day, would have done no discredit to England in
her classic days. AS Americans, we are proud of
them, and rejoice that they have won fame
for themselves and their country; but at the
same time we cannot close our eyes to the Ia
mentable fact that we have another class of lite
rary aspirants, whose name is legion, who stand
IN glaring contrast with those great names we
have Just mentioned. The criticism of the
English press however merciless, when applied
to them, is not whit too severe. And what
aggravates the evil The, more, is that these
book manufacturers are so prolific that they
scatter their volumes every year over our land
like autumn leaves We allude to what are
known as American novels. Now we do not
wish to, be considered as condemning all Ame-
can works of iction-far from it. There are
quite a number, which. like " Alone" by ma
tive of our own State, are ornaments to our
literature but where we find single grain Of
pure gold, we find mountain of dross.
1t would seem, that when man, in our day,
finds himself incapable of doing anything else,
he straightway concludes to bore the world with
novel, and there is ever publisher ready to
second, his resolve, Thus it is we are cursed
with all manner of namby, pamby, trashy rO-
mances, each apparently, a re-hash of some
successful forernnner. a's @at
They are heralded forth in flaming capitals,
accompanied by complimentary notices of the
press, although, perchance, up to that time, the
manuscript may not have been submitted TO the
inspection ofany eye, save that Of its illnslrous
aus'iol.s pBis.aasla yea uasa a. as..s4s7pati Yea
The people ares Systematically humbugged,
and they know it, bit cannot resist theburning
desire TO deyour the thrilling contents Of the
companion to Obediah Stickinthemud's great
novelrisThe Chimney Sweep So with other
late and popular romanoes. The result is, that
after porting for lifetime over these solomi-
nous works, they hage had about two characters
modified and iransnodifed INTO as many shades
as the rainbow has cOlors. - l.1..af7.sgs;l a.z.
The one is a lovely girl, born poor, or reduced
to poverty the purity of an angel, the pa
thence Of job, aud with a power of endurance
hardly equalled by that which Hercules is said to
have possessed; she makes ihreadbare escapes.
enduring hunger, danger and distress her face
becomes worn and pale, her eye sunken and her
voise faint; suddenly, amagc freak of fortune; the
1 scene changes; some noble specimen ofthe genus
homo sees her forlorn condition, appreciates her
lofty bearing, and, in the course of about four
chapters, leads her to the, altar, a blushing
4 lives all'the elegance that wealth can procure,
Is the patroness Of every charitable institution
in her bailiwick, &C., &c. ....,.-.a =.
4 The other is boy--ai lone ,wanderer in an
uncharitable city-==like Jacob Faithful, knows
not his father; some benevolent individual takes
4 bin home and keep him out of the house o.
q, refuge; during his boyhoOd he gives unmistak-
1 able evidence of greatness; when about sixteen
4 he happens at a fire, a splendid building il
wrapped in flames: shrek Of despair is heard
i and the form of a lovely girl is seen at the
fourth story window--all give her up for lost
II the father is frantfc-the stalwart fremen arc
afraid TO yenture--our, hero, with naught but
liaen coat on, darts through the crowd, ascend
the ladder and disappears in the fames---all i
q still as death--soo he is seen with the form o
the swoOning girl in his arms--she is saved
her father is overjoyed--the crowd send up a
= exultant ahout---our hero modestly retires. a..
!, .Acr srcosD.- This lady and her rescue
meet again in a few years; they are in love
he is but a poor clerk; the aristocratic mothe
: objects; the old man, an ungratefal wretch
: does the same I; our hero curses his fate an
I retires he soon leaves for Europe in the SCI
| vice Of his employer. While he is away tn
aristocratic father fails; our hero returns a
; seems propitioas, but the course Of true Low
: never did run smooth a misunderstanding
3 arises between them a reconciliation take
place; after'trials and eisappointments withol
+ plumber, the happy twain become one tsIsto
a The curtain. drops It may be urged th'
soch stuff, at least, contains nothing immera
We admit it, but IL enervates the mind and u
Il FITS II for appreciating or even desiring liter
ture of a substantial and healthful character
ID We have yet another class Of cheap public
D. tions far more injurious, which emulate the Il
II morality of the French school. They wear
= q sembIance Of vir,ue with which TO conce
= the deformities OF vice, They pander n, Z
T. lowest passions which debase ,huInan nslfnl
ed and win demoralize any one who IL weak eIlou
b 10 pernse their sensual pages. 1t is fact
4 no less true than melancholy, thatwitb tlIe {
Us ceplieas we hasealluded to, lhe Americas ~
J els Of the present day are wanting IN est
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