Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-11-24
Literature and
Elevated Litorature.

We are highly gratiied that our PROPOSE
ion to elevate the literary character of the c
of the Age, has attracted the notice and Y
las received the commentator of one so well Il
calculated to appreciate and encourage this
as the writer Of the following remarks :
IN the subject. 1t has ever been our pride r
and pleasure to encourage and stimulate the !
genius of the sons and daughters of the South,
in building up a native literature that would
place us above the namby -pambyism that !,
flooded the northern magazines and so-called
literary weeklies. And in our efforts to eff
feet this, our partialities have frequently
caused US to insert articles that fall below the
standard of excellence we desired to see pro-
NOTED. We are still disposed to encourage
and aid the writer's of the south, but we must
erect a more elevated standard for contribu-
tors, so as to make our journal what we in
tend to try and make 1.-THE medium for
communicating pure literature and pure mo-
rails among our Southern people. To the
young writer, we shall try to be, at all times
ITO their merits ever kind
And to their faults a little blind :"
and aid and encourage them all we can, con-
sistent with our duty to our readers-but we
must insist upon more studied care in their
compositions, and a determination on their
part to labor to make them stand the test of
friendly criticism, at least.
But we have said more than we intended.
: We submit the article of our fair friend, and
return her our sincere thanks for the interest
manifested in our enterprise:
4 Mr.. EDITOR As YOU are on the eve of
commencing a new Editorial year, and are
. hoping to do so under better auspices, with
e increased e~xcrtionS for the advancement of
n your readers IL Morality, Religion and Liter
~ ature-if you will not consider me presump-
tuous, ] should like to give you my views on
this subject.
d. As public journals exert a vast influence
re on the minds of the community, either for
!, good or evil, and Politics, Religion, Marality
\ and Literature receive their tone from this
e- source more than from any other, it appears
Ie- to me that an Editor should be exceedingly
w cautious, in admitting articles, whose tone or
style, are at all calculated to lower the i'm
!" p~ortance of any one Of these great objects OF
We his enterprise. | think you have done wise
0S ly III GACluUlIlS 4IOIu your lulilt liz dLo-
cussion of party politics, and the other three
important responsibilities are amply suffici-
eo ent for your utmost care and attention and
- may the Great Father Of light and wisdom
ia support and counsel you in your future ca
:, reer.
= should not admit into my columns the
us Juvenile illusions of novices or pretenders,
to however smoothly their nonsense may flow,
in the absence Of better material for the wea
wing Of my editorial wool. In this case ]
- should much prefer extracts from writers OF
en- the highest reputation. Why, indeed, should
ost your readers keep inferior company, wher
+bo they may be introduced to the best.
Your previous career, Mr.. Editor, l an
happy to say, has given US the assurance that
by we have nothing to fear on the subject of Re
per- ligion and morals as you have never suffer
ed your journal to be polluted, so far as | hav
!" observed, with any thing offensive to the ey'
YIN Of the good but on the contrary, have al
as ways been the decided advocate, Of the fea
sv- and love of God and the practice and obedi
ence of His laws, as we'll as the laws of you
country. My purpose, however, is not to er
S. ter upon the discussion of matters of sue
.noo high moment my task is an humber one
to call your attention to the influence yoI
ho journal may exercise on our literary goo
ar taste.
You are doubtless aware, Nj. Editor, no
VI much of our literature, at the present day,
we extremely faulty in this respect. In the sc
| the eral diffusion of education, almost every OF
their thinks that he OF she must orlte as well
adels read ana IN co1Sequence we are lllunaa.'
their WI IN g L;nd' nd I'D p~f the @roater nart
other them, and especially the periodicals, vitiat
war or Juvenile, both in thought and expressio
II al The iuvenilities do less harm, for they SO
die out, from their own feebleness, and on
duty, iniure the inane minds of those who can
pleased with them. But very different is t
effect of provincial phrases, still worse W
VIZ" the slang and cant terms, of thieves and tn
sgreS- associates, of horse jockies and DULLES,
shall stump orators, who seem to think they CT
and not be popular, unless they are coarse. Il
tly Ct T 1Iei p '%atSota tbeir Etern;s, ems are m
permanent in the evil they produce-in POI
plan ting the well of our English undeiled," &
sion of Oh lntruolng ol1en "ie.e We n sn U9tI le1s :
shail sometimes heard them, not only from the
God Young man or woman, but from the delic
| over lips of the truly we'll educated and refined
Such as 'keep dark"-'go it'-and the i
l hope, Mr.. Editor, that your period
will never be liable to any such censure
propose to yourself a higher station, a pit
career; your extended and increasing pat
aye Will CtldDIC fOu " SdSChlII SuCh a NOu
AS in this age of fictitious narrative, it
to a be thought necessary to crafty your reat
nstoad with tales Of this decription, let them be S
- only as either contain some great moral tn
q anu justly and clearly exhibited or some COZ
chair of action, conducted constantly and '
in probability to an end or some portrai
= and of character, well and judiciously delinea
~ And in your extracts from earlier and dis
lbs the guished authors, let there be an admix
7eteran of the agreeable with the useful, of Scie
h. cold Poetry, the fine Arts, History, Anecdot
Pursuing this course, Mr.. Editor, | sh
dnpiete proceed with perfect confidence in the
81 80 cess of my enterprise, and in securing a
yer 81. come for my journal at every fireside in
:. good old State.
ue' 'o "In the brief motto of Dundas' Essa
ng the there is a persuasiveness which seems TO
nd Di- out success whilst urging endeavor, and
parts both confidence and energy, whis
ing hope to the timid, and encouragemel
Is pres perseyere in good purposes Miss Nigh
admin gale and her glorious band of sisters, c
-, not have worked without this countersigr
. oiush led on the lamented General Havelock X tt
IS oh - - L., I1oa H. oo--I.o4 - -