The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-07-15
For the South w estern

without some distinguishing trait The subject mat
ter the of treating the subject the style OF the
author and the modes Of thinking peculiar to eaeh
author together with the different degrees OF quanea-
ton for conn work which exist among writers,
are circumstances of authorship, which can scarcely
fail to impress upon each work some prominent chaIac-
terstic that will distinguish 1t from all others the
work under consideration, hG,fver, comes nearer TO
being an exception to the above general rule than
any other book which we remember to have read. II
4 the authorship had been left anonymous, we should
have had hesitaney suppesng that the work en-
anated from thoroughly practiced rake without edu-
cation and without culture Every page OF the work
Is pria aca evidence in support of this hypothesis,
and that afforded by Of them is strong clear
and conclusive Jas to amount to full proof Of this po-
siton notwithstanding the fact that the author has
announced himself the title page as minister he
authorship thus disposed Ct the WORK would present
ing. The bad logic, the coarse slmiles that every
where abound, the undignifed ordinations, slang
phrases neoherences irrelevaneies. vulgar language
and still more vulgar illusions, bad English and worse
taste would all be looked upon matter OF course
and the volume discarded unfit for private or
public library.
But singularly enough and unfortunately too, we
think, the author complexion we scarcely know
which to denominate hIn-has cheated us OF the only
hypothesis upon which the existence OF such book
could be accounted for BY announcing his readers
that he is minister! and not minister merely but
"a minister of many travelsl!, We can hardly say
what effect this may have had upon US
if had first read the book and learned the author
ship afterwards But having read the title page first
the revelations of the future pages disclosing them
selves In small doses, and carefully keeping IN mind
that the author of these as administer, we
managed to get through the volume with no other In
jury than such the reading of avulgar badly writ
ten book generally leaves upon an impossible mind
glance at the embellishments at once discloses the
fact that the book vulgar one, and reference to
any page of it will corroborate the testimony Of the
cuts.
The title page tells us that minister wrote it, and
but for this should have thrown the volume aside
in disgust the end Of few chapters. But curiosi
tv to know whats minister of many travels could
write and what he would write if he dared and what
he had really dared to write and present to moth
ers and sisters and the youths Of our country gene
rally to read ,ured us through its pages and in
asmuch the volume is in some respects calculated
to mislead shall take occasion to say few words
about it. that the public may be apprised of its char
= acter without the expense of reading it.
THE author has well observed that books ought not
to be Judged by their covers Nothing truer ever
said. Put this book in yellow and leave the
authorship anonymous, and it will soon find its APP
proprate sphere of circulation and will have ne
further occasion to caution respectable people against
reading it. Wv
The ostensible purpose of the author would seem
to be- oinveigh against certain social practices which
he regards as vices We will leave it for those who
have read the book to judge from intrinsic evidence
whether this be the real motive not To correct
public morals is object worthy Of our best exer
tons 70 guard the innocent and reclaim the fallen
are without doubt laudable motives for human action
The subject is well chosen. The In the mode
of treating it. He has discovered the disease, but
missed the antidote. The remedy applied is clearly
worse than the disease. The book is indecent
thing than the practice it seeks to correct Its uni
form rule in the treatment of physical disease to use
such medicines will produce counteractlng effect
upon the SYSTEM or effect opposed to that under
which the system is suffering For instance, we dc
not fever by the OF stlmuants or exciting
applications of any sort. To overcome wakefulness
or restlessness we give sedative to sleep
or lethargy, we give a stimuant. Hence the use O.
such words allopathy, antblious antltebrlle, dc
We would pronounce man deranged, who would at
temptto fever by increasing the excitement o.
the system, Just as would man who would at
tempt to put out fire in full blast, by throwing or
more fuel This rule is not less applicable the cure
of moral and social diseases than of physical. Ou
moral structure is in some respects like our politca
system. Each is IN system of checks ant
balances To counteract immoral practice, We
must present'a counter motive. If We wish to divert
the public mind from an improper channel, we mus
present object of diversion, III other words
must use a means adapted to the end. Mankind are
much more easily led than driven, There is in
feeling of antagonism to every thing like compulsion
suspect that many more souls have been saved by
presenting to them the advantages of well ordered
life and the prospectof the bliss of heaven hereafter
than by portfayng to their minds the enornlties q
their and by elling them of the horrors of he'll
to be endured in the world to Are the offend
ers whose vices are pointed out in this work any
cognizant of their offences after having read the book
than before Surely they do not need to be told of
their sins They know already that their practices
are immoral and indicate, and merit the condem-
nation Of all good people The object Of the book
them utterly fails in regard to them. To cure immo-
desty, we would recommend lecture modestv.
To resist the immoral tendencies of the stage, we
would place the beauties of virtue in the strongest
possible contrast with their communicating customs.
lecture modestv virtue or morals may be read
or listened to with profit by all But this volume al
though it purpors to be written by minister is too
grossly indecent to be read by any person of toerable
morals. If the author anxious to write a book
and to discuss the mpropeties of certain circles he
should have taken the precaution necessary to limit
its circulation to the class for whom he writes We
regard 1t as social offence, and very serious at
that, for any to thrust the bosom of society
book like this to find its way indiscrimnately into
the family circle. Why tOrsooth. should those who
are not guilty be insulted by having the disgusting
recitals of others vices forced upon their attention
Thework then, is either an error of judgment or OF
intention. Charity would plead for the former, but
from hebundant and clearly unnecessary use of yul
gar language and illusions, which common proprietv
and common decency, and the respect due to one an
other forbid almost irresistby driven to the
conclusion that it error of intenton-that the
author set out to write vulgar book We wish it tc
Dt
solely upon the intrinsic evidence Of the volume We
might readily cite many passages in support of
opinions, but we forbear. '*-f4
) As literary performance the work is entitled tono
tce, for analogous to that for which we have
noticed it in moral ponto of view. We told that
the author is not only "man of many tsaves,'' bu
he is IMAM of vast erudition, ssof profound learn
ing, "of great versatility of genius" Well we are
emphaticallyto modest to have opinion Of
our own, especially if it does not tally in all respects
with the above avernents, and shall therefore, not
presume to controvert any one of them. Thework is
to be taken as unquestonable standard of literary
taste, and such shall cite few passages for tht
study and imitation of future generations Literat
attend
'Brayo!'' Frequently used. ssHurrah for young
America' "Three cheers for fashionable ladiesand
fancy bal Hlrra, for fashion and fashion w,avs. ?
''Do you see anything green?n Liquor & Co." 9Th,
grlmace that brought the coon down, "a stall-fet
devil a - XXI
We cite the following as specimens of the authors
taste IN the way of SMILES: When she sees what sh
denominates one horse buggy man, she turns up he
nose if unpleasant thing and her nose were il
contact"
Miss Kate makes face exactly like monkey af
ter his mouth has come in contact with sour cider
page ID y
'Sshe only looks like a walking parasol with two
handles y # @ zE'z- - 81
80, IL,