Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-06-12


greater number have had their day and been
superseded, and still others have their regular
friends who cleaye to them in spite of all COM
petition. This one has attractions and excel
lencies that are not common with the rest,
and from the examination we have been able
to make OF it. we would cheerfully recommend
it to the attention of teachers.
LILY WHITE. A Romance. By EDWARD
GOODWIN Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott
d Co. 1853.
Mr.. EDWARD GOODWIN is a new candidate
for literary honors. If in looking into his
first essays, we should discover some of the
essentials to finished composition wanting,
we should nevertheless feel disposed to speak
none but words of encouragement. While
we scorn the practice. which is but too COM
mon with a partial press, of putting literary
characters, whether or no, we regard it just
and proper on many occasions and under
many circumstances, to speak kind word
and extend the hand of congratulation. But,
we may speak flatteringly in this case, with
out such influences. Lily White would not
discredit name already prominent-sustain
a character already achieved 1t rises greatly
above the trashy novelties of the day, and
augurs for its author an enviable future. We
cannot, of course, speak of it as faultless.
There may be a slight touch of the Sophom-
oric, little that is inflated, and perhaps
something of the sensation" school in it; but
it is by no means, of the gusty, fiashy. tr.fing
kind of brain-spawn that come annually from
the shoals of literary pretenders, to the great
detriment of the rising generation. A man
of sobriety, steady habits, smoOtnIy shaven
face and common sense could read it through.
And that is saying great deal for novel of
these latter days. Mr.. GOODWIN is southern
born. and was brought up and educated in
the South, region of country in which, there
is a vulgar superstition elsewhere, literary
men cannot flourish. In orators and states
men we have been prolific, but in the devotion
of southern intellect to pursuits purely lite
rary, we have not so much to boast. And
here we may guard our young author against
sectional controversy and spleen, especially
in such productions as Lily White. We have
been disguised with the out-of-the-way re-
production of stereotyped arguments on the
slavery question. They blur the page, and
disfigure the picture. They convince nobody,
and their only effect is to prejudice the au-
thor. There is no congeniality, propriety or
appositeness in Juggling in such foreign mat
ter. These are subjects that belong to diff
ferent class of men. Or if our Merdteurs are
bound to have a hand in the business, let
them. by all means, do it singly and thor
oughly. Let themEimitate Uncle Tom at once.
If they must needs have tilt at fanaticism,
with fanatics, let them first descend to level
with fanatics, lay aside all respect for good
sense, honesty and decency, and then go the
entire figure. But we trespass on our
space, and must close this notice, by congrat
ulating the author of Lily White on the sue
cess of his first essay at book-making- and
commencing it to the attention and favor of
the public.
We are indebted to the publishers for the
above works, all of which may be had of W.
T. BERRY & Co., Booksellers in this city.