The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-01-28
Light Literature.

Perhaps there is 20 other 90 ,ntfy in tiP
world in which light literature is 90 much en-
couraged as in this. In New York and Bos-
ton alone there are more weekly publications.
devoted TO productions of this class. than in
the whole Of the British Empire. Yet nj Of
these publications live, and euioy wider nat
ronsge and more extensive circulation th,r
the best news-journsls ofoither city can boast
of, and should be realizing "rapd fortunes"
for their proprietors. esp, ciaily as all the
half-ae1ged lierateurs of tho day-loye.siok
young ladies' aud misanthropcal Young gen.
tlemen-supply them gratuitously with their
lucubrations. What woman or child. capa-
BILE of reading is there in this city who Is not
accustomed to purchase or borrow some of
these papers, and devour their contents with
eager interest Yet what are all these pub.
lie atoms made up Of or what Is there In them.
either 10 the way Of matter or of s,yle, that
can entitle them to perusal Little or moth.
ing love-stories love stories as like each
other in incident, style, and denoument as If
they were ali cut of the same cloth, as we'll
as m 'de after th, same fashion tales Of
beautiful blondes, with meek blue eyes, and
naughty brunetts, with flashing black ones.
aud lovers who are oil heroes, and poets, and
IoN1too'uhhy Bouiuse5
Away with all such trash as this, We say.
Publications like this never did, aud never
will, answer any useful purpose whatever.---
On the other hand, they are absolutely inju.
rious in their tendencies they serve to give
those who are addicted to their porusal flfscr
views of lifs-to unse.tle the balance Of their
whole minds, and make them visionary dream.
ers instead of earnest doers in the world.
The same remarks will also apply to most
of the cheap novels of the day, and to thus
"yellow covered literature " which was of
late the rage, though II was the joint pro-
duct of bile and derium we would scarcely
regret it, if all the prose lotions that ev6r
were written were condemned in lump,o'
the same fate to which the favorite authors.
of Don Qiixote were consigned. for very few
OF them teach useful lessons, or contain any
thing which might not rs well go unlsarned
altogether, or be forgotten as speedily as pos
sible. III
Yet there are some books of fiction that we
would except from this sweeping Judgement
We would like TO see the works of Dickens
and Scott, and perhaps few others, pre-
served from the merted fate Of the najprAy
There are beautiful moral lessons contained
t in some OF these, which will sink deeper into
the mind than ever sermon did ; strains OF
Q poetry that come over the heart like the
breathing of sweetest music heavenly voices
= crying out to us, ever and anon, appealing to
:. our best sympathes, moving our h.st impnis-
es, and melting us into gentle moods in which
we walk with angels, as man did before
his fill. Lever, to, has his exemption from
the general doom. A rollicking aud Joyous.
+ but always innocent, wit reeks through his
pages, and his descriptions of battle so enes
are at once vivid as painting and faithful as
4 history. We should b, very sorry indeed to
see poor " Charles O'Maliey " a seo5nd tinee
!, in the flames, which almost destroyed him
once before and we c uld. too. we'll lose
much Of the poetry of the age, before I" Ar
:, thur o Leary" and the Knight Of CIV, nne.
! Bulwer, also, wrote one or Two works which
u might escape destruction for the polished
e beauty of their style-say "Risn1f" aud
c "Night and M rning," for instance: but W.,
y could soc most OF his other works, elaborat.,
If and fascinating as they are. burning with a
brighter fl ,ms than was ever kindlet in thr
=, authors brain, without grosn. We have
q M sympathes witE his eloquent high WAY.
! men or his learned assassins Ibis g Pau
! Cliifords and Eugele Arams and con
- slider that g-nus is never more fruitlessly
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