Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-01-29
MiscrlIauruus.
For the journal
PERIODICAL LITERATURE.
( Couclu3rd !

erud'uon appeared,
The literary history Of the United States,
may be olassed under three distinct periods
the first from 1920 to 1875 being colonial and
assimilatng with that Of England the sec
ond from l775 to 1920, when it became more
national and American, as consequences Of
the revolutionary struggle; and the ihird
from 1920 to the present time. when the
characteristics OF the country became indeli-
bly, stamped upon its literature. The first
period produced nothing of marked interest.
Even periodical literature did not flourish, for
the first journal Of note, of which we have
any account, was the Gazette" established
in Boston, in April l775. 1t was the main
organ Of the patriots, during the revolution
airy struggle, and " no press in the country"
says Buckingham, "exerted more powerful
influence over the feelings, opinions and con-
duct Of the people" Its office of publication
became the habitual resort Of the most dis-
tinguished political writer's on the American
side, among whom were Otis, Hancock, War
rem, Cushing, ]. Quincy Jr. and John and
Samuel A dams.
But Of all the periodicals, none have exert
ed more wide spread and beneficial influence
than the North American Review" estab.
lished in Boston, in 1878. 1t has been sue
! CceHlNcly eQiteu by iudors tlhnnlnRt Dhnas
| Edward and A. II. Everett, Sparks, Palfrey,
Bowen, and DR.. Peabody, and has constantly
maintained high character, both for style
and critical ability. The North American
Review" followed by the " American Quart
erly" and " Southern Reviews" the Chris.
tian Examiner" and " Knickerbocker Maya
zine, and more latterly by the Atlantic
Monthly" and others, gave the first consid-
cradle impulse to literary criticism and essay
writing, on a comprehensive and philosOphic
scale, and may be said to have formed an era
in the literary history Of the country. The
North American" has always Taintaned a
strictly conservative tone on politics, and ts
! influence upon the mass of the reading pub
/ lie has been most beneficial. In looking
back over the history of the past, one cannot
but note the marked and lasting impression
made upon the mind of the people, by period
ical literature, melting and stimulating The
mind of the scholar with more earnest love
for study, and warmer enthusiasm to inves
tigate the fields of politics, philosophy and
science. And in no country has that influence
been greater or more dffused than in our own.
America, ever the fist to stride boldly on
ward in the march Of improvement, has MOI
| failed to avail herself of the immense benefits
of periodicals, and the fear, that theweoplt
will become mere superficial thinkers, i:om
tho fact of their merely catching the efferves
ence. the spa kle of the literary progress OF
the age, in the journals of the day, is to our
minds altogether groundless. In 10 country
will you find intelligence refinement and ed
ucation more universal than in the United
States, and who will doubt, that such facts
are due, in a great measure to the influence OF
! : no. 81,
systematic periodicals sprang into existenc,
at the close of the last century. Every civil
lized country now has its journals of theology
prudence, mdecine, the natural and phys
ica sciences, agriculture and other speciah-
ties. Few, however, except the French,
English and German, are of general interest
/ beyond the confines of the nguage in which
they are written. Knowing the vast influence
of periodical literature, we must condemn At
unjust and vindictive, the tone adopted by
some of the English Journals and Reviews, in
relation to our present affairs Instead of adj
vocating coneiliatory measures, they excited
the people, created dissensions and sowec
the seeds of distrust among ourselves, exas-
peratng orr Journals to such an extent, that
responding to the voice OF the people, they
have camored boldly for retaliation upon Eng
lhnu. Our own ptIloulChie nave ulootlO hNliN'
en- to stem the current. but the tide of public
opinion has been against them, anil wal
with England at one time would have beer
most popular. Our journals, reviews &c. havt
been more or less interested in the present re
belion. Many indeed could be accused o
having aided in its development. by pander
ing to the political errors of the different fac
tons, and even now, some are openly hostil
! 49, linz
cising its views and MEETING distrust in tn
public mind.
We pay the tribute OF patriotic hearts t.
our periodicals, which have so fearessly ant
uns wervingly defended the cause of natona
unity and free institutions. The force an
= cearness of their statements, and the boil
and aggressive power with which they hurl tn
thunosrbolts OF their wrath at the Inaugural
tors Of this unnatural strife, has confirmed tn
d judgment of the doubling and welded tn
j hearts of this great people.
The unfortunate, but far reaching contes
which at this hour is being maintained in on
= land cannot out give new impulse to liter
ature, and from it, we may look for maste
Z works Her operations must necessarily f.
: the moment, be suspended, but like giar
escaping from his repose, she viii aoon dal
shall smile and settle in her path.
D How strange to the reader of to-day, is II
e Magazine writer as he existed in the last Ger
e fury. he has left few if any representative
he is fading silently away into forgotte
u past his works are not on the publisher
counter: they linger only among the du'
J. and cobwebs of old libraries. listlesly thuml
ed by an exploring reader, CT OCCASIONAL
re consulted by the curious antiquary. His plaC
} is now occupied by those, who, in the multi
'S plication of books, and the general alteratio
e. of public tastes, manners and habits, thoug
is revolving in a similar orbit move in quite al
N other plane--who have found IA the pages
IN The periodical theatre of special actiUity, 700
ne 10 the Entertainment and instruction Of The man
is and though much OF what lie thus produce
IN may bear character, more or less ephemer'
l! we are sometimes presented also with the ca
10 lier blossoms and the (resher odors of n
= and perennial gro,oih of genius, every whe
''t kaoIon and acknowledged, IN The realms OF b.
OIL les letters philosophy and science, crooded he
ng as IA a nursery, to be soon transptanted to 9th
and more permanent dbodes. NEWTON
is ~