Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-12-05
From, The South,
A Hint TO Southern Magazines.

A Ililt TO Southern MagaZiDes.
! The December number of "Harper's Mug
oziae" comes to us containing the initial
chapters Of two stories: the one by Thackc-
ray the other by Charles Rcade With the
latter we have, at present, nothing to do
We regard these two serials with mclan-
choly iritcrest-an interest entirely diSsev-
cred from their literary merit, or abundant
: promise alausementan6 instruction. They
convey to us the assGrance-ss,u enough i
is.--that our Southern Magazines are pursu-
ing course which must tell very heavily
against them in the race for public patronage
in which they are engaged with their
Northern rivals With Thackerav and Dick
ems, and Bulwer 1.ytton, and Charles Readc,
as contributors to the two Harper enterpri-
scs, how cua our Magazines, depending up
on unpaid writer's for their monthly sup
plies of FRAMEWORK, expect to compete with
them? Seeing, as every body must see, tie
sources as the Harpers command, may we
not enquire if tie ''Firginians" could .not
have been secured for a Southern Magazine?
Could not some Of our periodical owners
have plucked up courage enough to pay
few thousands for what woilld have proved
SO abundantly remuaerative2 Is there
manAwho reads at all who will not follow
the great novelist into his new field? VIII
not this universal curiosity increase-most
enormously increase Harper's" circulation?
Wilenet Jones, and Brown, and-every-
body else buy the journal which contains it?
Assuredy they Will It is true Jones, will
! c,,iy Gpo
Southern literature-etAat Brown talks ma
jesticaily about helping home enterprises
that they both pat the Messenger or
Russell upon the back but they forthwith
sit down to follow THAeKEnAY in his new
book or BgLwER in his This is very Eat
ural. JOKES and BaowN want the best things
to be had fer their laoaey. and they viii
have them. Patriotism, and all that, will
do to make up into fine speeches, but human
selfishness settles the business after all.
People will buy HAEER. And why? For
very simple reasons it studies popular taste
1t is conducted with great business tact
and energy, and never let's anybody else
build the tower while it is counting the cost.
These are the causes which render it pros
porous, and we earnestly commend them to
the consideration of all persons engaged in
the management of cur periodicals. More
especially should they receive attention from
the magazine proprietors-who are the re-
sponsible parties-to them we commend
these views in addition to those already set
forth in our review of stRUssEIL." We re-
,peat-and It cannot be too frequently urged
We repeat, thai If an Southern magazine
expects to keep the field, it mast summon
to its EDITORS aid the best talent which it
can possibly command. If Sir EDWARD
LNrroS, or Dickens, or Thackeray, or any
body whose name will help their Journal
has a book to sell, let them raise money and
buy the work. If a.namoless man III a seedy
coat has good thing, purchase it end by
this means they may presently establish a
great engine wherowith to promote South
ern interests-and make money to beet. 1t
is now or never with our magazine proprie-
tors; neck or nothing. 1T will cost money"
1t will require capital - The blessed
owners,rell up their eyes at such CALCULATIONS
and assume detected aspect. Cost money
of conrse it viii. Do you, gentlemon pro-
priesors, get your marketing, for example,
free of cost? 30 Very well, then, are
iob tiotrHtS WORTH more tnan eapbageS
Surely, one ides il mere precious than
many turnips. Isi to be expected, then,
that men will coin their brains into poems
essays, esories and ike commodities, s:nlply
for fun? Do people generally labor for the
amlable and muniiicent purpose of giving
away the fruits Of that labor As rule
you think not How, then, oh most delud-
ed proprietors, do you expect to find your
selves the happy exception Bat ii you
cannot appreciate these truths If you can
not afford to make bold throw for noble
stake. then YOU had better pitch yeur dice
boxes out of the window, quit the table Of
enterprise, and try your hands at something
else. 1t is very certain you viii never throw
SKIES under your present system. What we
have written is good plain common sense,
and we tell it to you, gentlemen proprietors,
in good strai ght forward English, because
we are too ardently enlisted in advancing
your enterprises to tell you anything but
the simple truth When you place before
the public dish for Lent, they will not
swear it is fit for Carnival times.