The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-11-08
sect,on.issm I'm Literature.

Mr. Charles A. Dana, of the New York iF'oe"e'
editor Of the new American Encye'o,"
lust Published . volume called "ino
Book OF Poetry" In the preface 70 N"'e" N.
.srhe purpose of this book 10 10 eei"P'''0 -,
the bounds Of a single volume ~oa'e,e' -"
h..r,,f,, and admirable among the minor P''"''
-. 80, ,.nouare. To executing this design
a. - e. ~. constant endeavor Of the editor 10
.x.,,,.. catholic as well as severe taste, anu 10
,,aoe every piece by Ito practica' merit s''o','
x,,hnut regard to the name, nationality OF epo'"
Of ~. autbor" How the editor mas reuee"eu "'''
-. NAV ha seen from the tact, stated by the
yn,k Utroh. that in his long list OF hvips
..~,,., nos,s there 10 not 20 be found the name
.,,gls Southern man or woman. He utterly
t,,oras spch men AZ Gilmore SWms. Of South Car
a1;,s Alh,r, Pike, Of Arkansas, James Barron
Hope, Of Virginia, Curry, Jackson, Cntter' ana
o,h.r. "wbv should he leave out Of his book, ,
say. the Herald. such beautiful poems as "The song
of Slearu.- by Cutter; 1.-The Lost Pieiad' ny
Si,nms aud "The Armies OF the Eve py o'"ay
Curry while he finds room for a large nunoer VI
Northern nobodies who have been heard OF as
noets and. what ia worse, have scarcely written
n line of respectable poetrys Are we askea 70
believe that these omissions are not deslgneaF No
MAJ, who knows Mr. Dana's partialities and pre-
,pdices will for a moment hesitate 10 say that ne
has wiltully Inflicted q wrong upon the pnpho'
aud has made the insult even greater by proles-
sious of entire impartiality. We might poss'p''
forgive him q want of judgment in bis seiec'ions-
We might even 90 30 far as to pardon bis deiudeo
preferences for his abolition and Fourierte assocr
ates bat We cannot pardon his bodness III ue'
cIaring that he has Judged every piece oy i''
poeticai merit sorely," when there IS clear eFi
dance that he has not done so. II may not De
sin for man to be wanting ia taste and Judgment
I'm. i, ia both sin aud a shame for him 10 endea
y. s.. pass Of base for sterling metal
IL seems, however, that Mr.. Dana has not only
made this odious distinction between Northern
and Southern authors, but, IN his selections from
the Northern poets themselves, has avoided every
opa Of them who does not sympathize with bis ab
clifton fsuaticisms. The Herald says thst ne mas
wen shut out George p Morris, and Others 'ne
most distinctly American Of any 81 our poets, aun
who haze written better things than any that sp-
roar in Dana's volume. He finds room, however,
tor "An Egyptian Serenade," by George NJ Curtis
AN Indifferent poet and the coarsest and most un'
principled Of the defamers of the South.
Yet. it will not be surprising if this "Iiousehoid
Book of Poetry" shall find its way to Southern
households TO the exclusion of works Of native
genius We would not have the South initiate this
sectional spirit in literature and exclude from it,
favor meritorious productions from Northern au'
thors should at least encourage Its own talent
and give it as solid tokens of its confidence and ad
mirston as those it bestows upon the literary pro
ducts Of other climes.