Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-02-20

,;r;re But still the false sentiment ana
,,rbsrous tasto of Puritan literature msa0 q
certain way. Without that, would we n0'
III have been aoriginal secessionlsts long
ago? Yes, many child in these o'a'ss nss
boon weaned from it's natural sussenance u
fresh and manly Southern thought and iea
nnon the sicklv diet Of foreign sentimental
ty. Wo can picture to ourselves many o
gentle Southern woman during these latter
vears, far of in the solitude Of some roll'o''
nl,ntation, with pretty Boston volumes ent-
tsrine like snakes upon her table, cast INV
painful doubt and dependency maa0 gu"
ious and unhappy, by the haunting 'housn'
that perhaps, after all, tho molilhu0as p1'
,ona Who made those pretty books might Do
ricbt-apd if right, thOn ''s' how wrong
Is. n,;uor,ble and bright tears have fallen
mon tho cre,m-laid paper. Therefore, We
feel yindictivo luminosity against tho whole
t,;bo If mauufacturcrtF Of that literature" 20
pretty, yet SO vile--so cheap, yot all 100
dear at any price. 1t is we'll that lho'0 Is AZ
last chance of breaking off that Careless
and oasy habit of looking to our enoEniss iof
intellectual recreation as we'll as other NOR
cba,d;ze. tho time had fully como to en'ran-
ch;ss our minds as we'll as our trade and Stale
Governments.
II 10 true the Same blockade which de-
n-;ves us Of the Fanny Ferns also shuts us
ont from tho whole movement of intellectual
Eurone. To most of us Theirs last volume
;s unknown, and the current British Quarter
lies and never-failing Reuue dss Dsn1 Aonass'
though flowing still, are as fountain sealea'
We arc in arrear; aud when peace comos'
ah.ll be like 8 youth who hiss lost session
in College; there will DO hard work to feao
am. Il ia said that at Charleston they got
some books; but, fer the most part shlppefs
who freight the steamers destined ior oon,
Tolerate ports, load Thorn with powder anu
bs,,-not with libraries. This dearth Of Eu-
roneap works can.also BIO borne for the sake
of the other great advantage. Neither "oulo
it have boon desirable to depend upon the
English and French for Our intellectual pa
Lu2um any moro than upon the fankeos.-
Massachusetts literature ia but n !sorVlla copy
Of that of England; for, when tho colonies
established their political independence 'ha'
did not carry with it enfrsnchsement OF lhe
mind. Boston learned hor cant morality
brr SLANG sentiment and her atrocious phi
lanthropy from England; and it was British
literature, with isa effects upon tho Northern
mind, which really at last mHde ASSOCIATION
with the Puritsns m offence, te;lium and
mischief to u.s. We need not draw from the
game fountain-hcad.
In truth, every independent people onGht
to have an independent literature, a"tochtho'
nous and Indigenous: and oven so shall We
uore at tho South wo have open to us oil, for
our Interpretation, tho grand mystic volume
OF Nature in this enchanting lsnd-to us aSo
como down tho Immortal "wipgod words
Ct sages aud sovereign poets OF Old drecco'
from whose rich store all modern civilization
has drawn at second or at third hand, as
from the Sun tho planets in their several
urns draw light. Hero also there ID red
blood and over working thought, and al
alphabet of twenty four lottera and lLaveI
above US all. Fear nothing-sfer the wal
We shall have n literature, md no second
hand one either. Tho sore travail Of wal
itself is e glorious birth for young people
Oar truo birth dates from tho secession
Tho land begins only now to lice, TO live with
a rich, full, intense and iiory life. After this
tempestuous action and passion, then ro vii
PHILOSOPHERS, compose describo-nay, sing
From the glowing vitality that new makes
the pulse of this land beat and bound so
wildly will be born healthy national lite
nature, which IT, indeed, tho inforescenco
and bright consumma;e flower Of strong
national life. This raging war has been Us a
burning plough-share driven through the
deepest soil Of the country's soul; from that
stirred soil doubt not that thoughts and
words of power and beauty are destined to
spring, and to yield shade and fruit. The
war itself is more sublime than any epic or
tragedy, all alive and FACILITATING with "Tor-
TOT and Pity" What 10 a Manassas battle
but mighty poem, set to thunderous music
that will roll and rosound through all South
err hearts forever: Our country is now and
henceforth enriched by treasure Of heroic
memories-sad but proud. Our'braye dead
arc not lost-their blood will fructify to all
time-the tears shed for them are net of the
sort which crush the spirit and break tho
heart: for this proud grief docs not blight and
blast it onnobles and exalts, gives higher
tone to feeling and holder wing to thought.
So VIC shall have literature enough and to
spare. 1t will lend instead of borrowing,
and be generous as our soil, genial as our
sun. Where tho red huof Of war has slammed
fetlock-deep in blood, there will blow roses.
We'll, we do not SEQ that all this carries us
much forward in our task Of reviewing these
now publications of Messrs. West & john
ston, and tho other books on our table. An
other day for that.
CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS.
TUESDAY, February 18th, 1869.
SENATE