The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-05-13
Ia roa1;ntr The lives of celebrated writers we

the career of almost every one ofthem, and tina
is. the unaccountabe apathy with which thei
! earlier efforts have had 10 contend. 80 decided
has this insensibiIity been in The case OF many
that productions, which in the authors 'noo
of fame" have been pronounced capable II
themselves of comforting Immortality, have Ian
for years neglected or unread, and unthoush
Of; being even by the bookseller deemed scarce
" worthy 10 meet the public eye. The vol
umes lay on the shslf unnoticed by and un
known to, the reading world to the chagnn Q
H.. mind which created them, until the scale
which appear previously to have vellcd 'he eye
of the world suddenly fell away, and men, a
with one voice, hailed that as worthy OF unlver
sal homage, which, till a certain period, they
had deemed scarcely worthy Of simple respect
Such has been the case in the career OF almos
every writer of celebrity, while on the contra
ny, those aspirants who have had nothing o
the stamina OF distinction about them--fol
whom neither fate nor fame had provided a
single niche to bear their name to future gene
rations-scem in all cases not to have had a
single difficulty to contend with but to have
found themselves at once placed on the stage
for which true genius had to sigh and toll
through years of suffering, The truth of this
observation will be best tested by observing the
facility with which the rabble of noyests start
into existence, but to futter fdsr fleeing mo-
ment and be forgotten forever. No impede
ment appears to check their ambltlon-the path
smiles fowery and open before them--they
find themselves at once presented to the world;
but it would appear for no other purpose is the
opportunity afforded, than that they may the
sooner run their race, and be swallowed up IN
the bosom of eternal silence. But to genius
none Of these facilities are awarded. It's pro-
stationary career is like that of the worn trav-
eler toing up some rocky height, where the
torrent the crag aid the precipice necessarily,
but vainly, oppose his progress. AteVery step
III the ascent to public favor some new Difficult
ty is sure to arise to bar it from the summit of
ambition-some horrld spectre to scare 1t from
further in the pursuit. But the i'm
pediment arsesin vain--tlS phantom fits away
unrecked; nor does it turn from its undertaking
till it reaches the portals of the gilded temple,
and, as it were, like the knight Of old, winds its
silver bugle, and demands admittahce. Per-
haps there is @some wise desigp' in all this
It does appear probable that the excitement
which such difficulties naturally beget in high
oned imagination, must produce a sort Of men
al fermentation in which new powers are ere
eted, new resources developed so that the mind
becomes by the process to which it is subjected
more capable of achieving its destiny, and of
eizing upon the crown of Immortality which
ncessantly alures it. Be this as it may, the
act is as we have stated. If we recollect Alright
We have seen it said somewhere by classic
writer that nothing less than genius itself, is
apable of distinguishing genius while strug
ling through its probation, and before it has
7ceyed the stamp of public opinion" and the
mark has often struck rs as being in some
leasure correct. Nevertheless, there is a sim
lie criterion for measuring writer's abilities,
hich will be seldom found 10 fail, and by
-hich the humbest in intellect can form
is, simply to weigh the produc-
on by the impression it makes. 1T will be
,und in all eases, at least we have found it so,
lille the observations Of the ungifed pass
way from the mind like the breath from a
ighIy polished mirror, that on the other hand
le inspirations of genius burn a trace in the
emory which is not to be effaced by the hand
time--which equally defes the effects Of
lace and circumstances, and appears as fresh
fter the lapse Of years as at the moment ofre
living the impression. Had some such critic
on as this been generally made use Of
Full many gem Of purest ray serene
III many bright and gifted spirtthat at pre-
mt shines through the vista of years, associ-
ted but with toll and suffering, would have
cen spared the keenest Of its pangs; while,
owever, we cannot but feel that the redeem
e test might also have deprived the world Of
lany Of those corruscating emanations which
ave stamped the names that gave them birth,
S worthy to be written in letters of gold on
le rock Of ages.
The Richmond Wing thus closes a powerful
ppeal to the people of Virginia in favor of the
eneral government giving that noble old mar
n to democratic misrule her share of the pub
c lands, and hints at the probability of repu-
iation by the overtaxed people:
"ln tie meantime, we again invoke the friends
the land distribution to announce their can
idates, and then apply themselves vigorously
nd enthusiastically to the great and essential
FORK Of securing their election. Let despatch
nd zeal be their watchwords now--for double |
axes are preying upon the vitals Of the people,
be horrid front Of reputation is beginning to
earits head, and the public lands are disap-
earring with melancholy rapidity. Now's the
lay and now's the hour for the triumphant re-
emption of our noble old commonwealth!''
It will take but few more years of demo
ratio rule to reduce Louisiana to the now al
most helpless and bankrupt condition of Vir-
,inia. Our citizens are already weighed down
With taxes, which go to fatten hordes of unne-
essary Office and superhuous officials: