The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17

prestige and since the death OF 1aDer, IL mas
become formidable competitor with the
Courier for somniferous superiority. Now and
then, its readers are enivened by a scintiIla-
ton that sparkles with the light Of other days
but it is only fash from what De Quincy
would call the funded fire and vigor which yet
remains of the genius of Clapp, Stuart, and
Carew. Last and least, the Standard feebly
hutters before US vibratory echo of the dreary
platItudes of Its seniors. One day, il dolefully
harps upon the string of opening the African
slave trade, until the horrors of the middle pas
sage would be a comparative relief from Its
diatribes; and the next it dismally diverts its
dullness TO a mOmentary discussion of less con-
genial topics, following in its maudlin tautolo-
gles the wake of the senior sleeper. The Dan
ty Ecening Nelcs is sprightly, and free from
fogyism-- IAN interesting sheet. The four great
branches Of the Protestant church well and
ably represented three of them by widely cir
cnlating Weeklies, and the other by monthly
publication.
Before leaving the press, it is proper that
due respect should be paid to RnssetFs Maya
zine, which, from the opinion of these provin-
Gals would seem to be the most extraordinary
literary phenomenon the world has ever seen.
The real genius and ability Of the State had,
as you will remember, fitting organ in the
.SOutheTn Quarterly RerieiC, TO which the names
and others, had given glory and eclat But
this periodical expired, from the disgraeeful
want of paying patrons-Inore than four hun
dred of its subscribers in South Carolina alone,
ms appeared from the publishers card, being IN
debt on the Beth of November, 1857, for the
amount of their subscriptions. The men OF
mark having been thus uneeremoniously laid
upon the literary shelf, young South Carolina
comes forth TO display the platitudes OF puerlle
PalmettOdom, by monthly instead OF quar-
terly exhibition, known As R1tssetts Magazine
From what i learn, the title Is the best nay,
the only tolerable part Of the publication, and
that for which alone Russell" ought to be
held responsible. He is represented to me as
a man Of considerable cultivation, of a vigor-
ous and active mind, and possessing the requi
site tact and energy TO conduct such a work
Unfortunately. however, he was not the origin
ator: and the editorial department has fallen
4 mean no pun-under the control of the shall
low intelligence of nameless literary adventur-
FER. and the mediocre capacity of an obscure
but prolific sonnetteer. The conductors Illus
trate the advantages of Mutual Admiration
Society on a much more expansive and effect
I'VE plan than that pursued in the . College
To which | have Gdverted One Of the supposed
editors is a sort of supemumerary to daily
paper In the city; his functions in the latter
CAPACITY being apparently confined TO a dill
gent perusal Of exchanges, IN order 70 discover,
and extract therefrom, Mandatory notices OF
a. RusselTs Magazine" OF such an arrange
ment, as Sam Weller sentenuOusly observes,
1.-The hadyantage is hobvious. The "puf
collusive" Of Sheridan Is resorted to here, with
an adroit appreciation of It's capabilities never
dreamed of bv that versatile genius, and which
would have elected from him the most Paptur-
Gus admiration. We have thus the linked
sweetness of each number of the magazine
"loAg drawn out through the rural echoes,
reproduced during the thirty days intervals
Of publication by the industrious and faithful
Courier plodding unweariedly along under the
accun. uated burdens Of half a century Of bal
derdash. The entire press Of the State Ia thus
converted TO the support of this prodigious pc
nodical, TO the Joyous refrain OF
"Tck!e M. cousin do. do DO;
And in my I'll nekle yOu-t
The ability of the Scissors Of the Courier,
who NAV also be regarded the monthly
nurse" of the magazine, ''to cut and come
again . when the interests Of his favorite bant-
sing are involved and the sleepless industry
which he brings to this task am happily pre-
pared TO illustrate from pile of papers now
before me, from which select at random such
"eleeant extracts" as these which follow, per
tanning to the number for a single month.
This magazine numbers among its c0ntTlbu-
tors. some of the best known and most gifted
men Of the South" "The present number is
an admirable one. There are several capital
articles, written with spirit Call at our office
and get a number Price twenty-five cents"
A nice specimen, this, of the puff preliminary
10 the puff profitable. The table OF contents
of the present number is good-it is inviting
At gives promise of interest Z" Russells Maya
zine is unquesiionably the best monthly now
published in America The puff presuInptive,
as APPLY illustrated in the next echo: -" The
number on our table has inst reached US, and
we sre confident will be found repieie with in
ferestf' 1t maintains the same finished APP
rpearance. and has been steadily increasing in
The excellence Of its articles And so on I'D
aGuSednl, in stereotyped phrases, of which these
may be regarded as feeble limitations - The
magnificent ability with which Russell is con-
Quoted :" " the sterling merits of this superb
publication = "the glowing and genial article
ON the Juice of the Palmetto by the unrival-
led SYNONYM. and the admirable essay Of Pro
fessor Parry box on the natural history of
shriInps and iiddlers, viii be recognised readily
rs from pens that have previously given valua-
bile and approved contributions &c, DC, &c.
The country editors-proud TO have their O-ac-
ular nonsense transferred TO a city Journal
have become so enthusiastic. that the individual
who embalms their deliverances, and who re-
aLZes-mlnuS one-Nrs. Malaprops idea OF
Cerberus, three gentlemen editors at once
seen9s TO have concluded thai Russell is so i'm
measurably above BlackwOOd and Harper. that
the human intellect has exhausted It's aspira-
tons and achievements.
Thus you may perceive how the readers of
the leading ChdrLestlgs Daily" are greeted
throughout the wear with the innumerable varia
lions of the puff direct, oblique, inferential, an
iieipatory, profound, dogmatic. and financial
The magazine which is the recipient of SO saanv
honors claims TO be the literary exponent and
organ of the South and, with the staggering
boldness of youth just escaped from boiled
rice and sweet potato, indirectly snubs the ven
cradle Richmond Messenger with true chiyalvic
coxcombry, or patroniziBgly pats it on the head,
with an air of insutlerabe Superiority. 1t was
supposed that age entitled to some respect,
and would be ready TO assert its preFogai;ye
but the Messengers wears seem 10 betoken in
firmity rather than strength, and from an arti-
Gle recently published, | am sorry to add, ap-
pears 10 receive the slightest recognition from
its Juvenile hut imperious rival, in terms how
ever hippant or imperiDent, rs marks of gra-
cious aud unexpected condescension.
Surprised al these illustrations OF the South
Carolina press, you ask, perhaps, why people
of Moderate Intelligence, not merely patronize,
bBt actually pride themselves ~ in possessing.
such satires On journalism and literature?
muSt again refer son 10 the Chinese hypothesis
of NviZhern journal. Why do Keying and
New KEN coIina>e 10 sport their incom parable
pig-tails? Why does Sze-Hing build bis navy
Of hunks, modelled accurately after those Of h:s
far-off ancestor, Sema-tsien !? " nv are the field
guns of the same illustrious ruler 5oFRs ppon
The shoulders of his dRftSdpecks and the ears oi