Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-30
PUBLISHED DAILY AND TRI-WEEKLY BY
EDGAR SN0WDEN.
ALEXANDRIA:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 80, 1859.

WEDNESDAY MORNING, MARCH 80, 1889
"PopvLAR The weekly pc
radicals, published at the North, which are
furnished at cheap rate, and have such
an extensive circulation, permeatimg, if we
may so speak, through large number of
the dwellings of our land, and furnishing
literary food for so many hundreds Of thou
sands of people. could, we have often thought,
exercise most salutary influence over pub
lie taste, public refinement, and public in
telligence, with no detriment to their own
pecuniary interests, by very simple I'M
provement in, or alteration of, their present
plan. That improvement, according to our
idea, would be, the substitution Of such arti-
cles, for instance, as appeared in "Cham-
bers' Papers for the People" or as now ap-
pear in "Household Words" for the fashy
and in many instances, miserably designed
and written Novels ESQ called which incum-
her their pages, and are continued. ad nou-
seam, or until the authors tire out themselves,
as they certainly, we should think, must
tire out their readers. We believe it is
mistake to suppose that the success
of these weekly popular periodicals de-
ponds upon these "novels" or "tales;'
the fact is, probably. that it is achiev-
ed in spite Of them Had they only
these stories. flor the most part without a
single redeeming trait either of genius or
nature, to recommend them to rely upon.
they would die Of hamilton. Fortunately
their ample columns afford room for 'other
and more attractive metal" and if they es-
cape from sinking. they are tioated along the
current by different means than the modern.
"sensstion" stories. TO be sure. q taste ca"
be created among some. who have no other
reading than these weeklies. for the kind OF
writing which We contend could and should
be discarded from their pages; but, it would
be just az easy to create different and
better taste, which, in a short time, by judi
cious attention, would loathe the wretched
literary food. now served up, and supposed
to be 40 palatable. There is in every man, wo-
man, and child, who has correct principles and
feelings. to say nothing Of education, natu-
raj and instructive feeling in favor Of that
which, is at least senSible, and they soon
learn to love that kind Of literature which
interests and amuses. and to turn from
that which does neither the one nor the other.
There are. it ia admitted. men, women, and
children who have not correct feelings, or
principles; and if it is designed that the
popular literature of the day" should he
prepared only for the use of those last men
toned. we have nothing to say. But they
constitute, in truth. but very small portion
of the ordinary reading public-indeed, they
are seldom readers of books or newspapers,
at ALL The effort should be to give the large
majority, the benefit of instruction. and the
best reading-the small minority will tall IN
and accept it, too, after while. Norwould
the change we propose bear hard even upon
such of the writer's Of these tales as have
abilities. Their talents could easily be trans
ferred to other departments Of literature
and their time be occupied in preparing ar
ticles, giving information in matters OF his
tory, science, and polite literature, instead
of being taken up. in connecting the plots OF
stories, improbable in conception, and ths
characters of heroes and heroines such as
never existed or could exist in nature. fhe
periodicals would sell just as well IS they
now do, under such regime, and authors
and writer's would be just as well, II not
hetter. Maid. Il would work well all round.
DISCUSSION AT OsAScE Court HOUSE,
large number of the citizens Of Orange, ana
from several of the adjoining counties. were
in attendance at Orange Court HOUSE. 0"
s.af&r nj