The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-03-05
The "Leisure Moments Critics.


The editor of the New York Weekly Illus
trated Ne,os thus ably and CALAMITY stakes
up the cudgel," ia behalf Of our accomplish
ed authorizes and her production.
While it is generally allowed that good
looking face, agreeable manners and culti-
waited mind, present good and reliable
claim to the favor of society and the good
will of its individual members, instances will
occasionally present themselves where those
endowments, physical, as well as mental, en-
gender in the malicious or envious mind the
motive for uncharitable attack and for bitter
aspersion. Such an instance is now presen-
ted ia the warfare which is being waged
against Miss Martha Haines Butt, whose
"Leisure Moments" we commented upon a
few weeks ago; warfare which from the
nature of the attacks directed against her,
we are justified in saying, is based upon tn ,
simple reason that the said Martha Haines
Butt is good looking, of graceful manners
and of a cultivation of mind that well entitle
her to the favor her literary productions
have met with among the reading world
Were it not for the high and undeniable
merits which her book presents, we really
might fear that this promising young au-
thoress would see her name and youthful
fame forever buried beneath the avalanche
of abuse and personal vituperation, in the
shape of Impartial criticisms which the
Press now teams with. Her style is 'not
alene commonplace, but absolutely fat. p
She 'rushes into print with as much cred
it as 'lame horse would hobble on its three
legs up on race COURSE she has been hawk.
ed about in one of the illustrated papers,
and dares to present herself to the public in
a 'Lo and Behold style OF Dress, and herr
| critics, who in this case we susp ect to be c
| feminine gender, continue, She isn't pretty
at all. though she locks in print first, for the
| lower portion of her face is too broad for the
upper, is heavy almost to coarseness; her
nose is of the retrousse order, and her hair
is not quite as jetty as printers ink presents
it to be- Now, we might pat in good an
swer to all this sort of criticism, but as we
never have advocated Miss Butts claim to
the literary distinction on the ground of a
retroase nose, black hair or tapering chin,
never had seen her in 'Lo and Behold
dress, prior to commenting upon her book,
and never compared her to a swift horse or
mare either, we may, in declaring our adhe-
sion to the belief that she is destined to win
high literary fame, content ourselves with
expressing our firm conviction that criticism
based upon mere personal grounds, and
bearing so strong an evidence of malice and
envy as the extracts present which we give
above, will tend only to enhance the popu-
larity of young and unasusming girl,
whose offence seems to consist in her being
possessed of mental endowments OF supe-
rior order. But we are sorry to see course
of venomous criticism INDUCED and persist.
ed in, which, while it may leave Miss Butt
unscathed and even procure a large and rap
id sale to her literary productions, may in
timidate Others, similarly endowed in body
and mind, from venturing upon field on
which they will meet foes SO unscrupulous
and unrelenting in their malice. The tai
ents Of our American women will never
shine forth brightly if aspersions of this ma
ture are not frowned upon by just and dis
eliminating public.