The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-09-02
MR.. STEPHENS'S TABLE TALK.

We have just read the first volume
of Mr.. Alexander Fl. Stephens's book
which has been announced aspublished
for some time past. 1t is said that
the London press is disappointed at it.
We are by no means disappointed, foI
our expectations had not been raised
very high. 1t was announced for some
time previous to its publication that
the work was to be a history of the
causes of the late civil war. We were
led to believe that an attempt would
be made to trace the history of the
conflicting interests, and the sectional
legislation, which finally eliminated in
war between the two sections and an
attempt to dissolve the Union of the
American States. Such work, if un
dertaken by Mr.. Stephens, would re-
suit, we knew, in disastrous failure.
MIR. Stephens does not POSSESS single
qualification for such & historical work
Nor, indeed, if we may judge by the
experience of his predecessors, can any
statesman or politician hope to write q
history worthy of the name. IF Lord
Bacon could not write history, il
Charles James Fox could not write
history, smaller politicians should be
careful of essaying to invade province
of literature in which nothing but fail
ure stares them in the face. Col. Ben
ton attempted to write history of an
err. with which he was perfectly famil-
lar. The first volume sold with aston
ishing rapidity, but we have never
seen man outside of a lunatic asylum
who had bought the second.
But it turns out that Mr. Stephens's
book does not pretend to be history
at all. 1t has been Mr.. Stephens's for
tune since the war to he bored to death
by Yankee Quid Names, who come all
the way from the North to hear what
he has to say on the present situa-
ton, the past situation, and all the sit
uati0ns thatare veto come. IfMIr. Ste
phens has done all the talking the press
attributes to him land the book would
seem to prove that he has) he must be
as fond of answering questions as the
universal Yankee nation is of propos-
ing them. Socrates said that he was
anxious to die and go to Hades so as to
have an opportunity to put questions
to the Homeric heroes, having, we
presume, about exhausted the patience
of all the living Athenians who had
come in contact with that prince of
ancient bores. Mr.. Stephens, it should
seem, would be man after his own
heart, and would occupy his time in
answering questions long enough to
afford quite q resting spell to Achilles,
Agamemnon and the rest of the sorely-
belabored individuals who figure in the
1liad and the Odyssey.
These frequent visitations to Mr..
Stephens seem to have suggested the
whole scope and design of his work.
His visitors put questions, he answers
them, and then publishes both ques-
lions and answers. When the proper
question is not put, he probably puts
it himself, after the manner of the man
who gets up "Notes and Queries" and
then long answer follows the ques-
ton of the imaginary individual. He
organizes his visitors around his table
at elderly Hall" into listening
committee, talks abundantly, and gives
the world the benefit of his converse
ton. He calls his work, GA series of
Colloquies at Liberty Hail." As he
appeals to good ancient authority for
this mode of discussion,. we can refer
him to good modern authority for q
moro appropriate title. Let him call
his colIoquies, ':Dies illustrates. Or
Alexander in his talking gown" Mr..
Stephens refers us to Plato and Cicero
to sustain him in his choice of a method
to give publicity to his opinions. Even
the iliustrious names of Plato and
Cicero do not, in our opinion, dignity
tho puerility of the method. We dis
like a book whose vivacity depends on
the quality of its authors wine and
whose profundity is measured by the
condition of his digestive organs. We
should have liked Mr.. Stephens's book
better if, like Col. Benton's "Thirty
Years. View" it had been compiled
from his own speeches, bad as we are
willingto admit this method to be-
We do not see that Mr.. Stephens has
done more in this publication than to
enter the arena with the mushroom
brood of bookwrights who have been
warmed into life by the late civil war
If he writes for fame he has not in
creased a reputation that is already
very high. If he writes for money he
may succeed as well as the "Lost
Causes," american Conflicts" and 9TH
er cphemeral productions which may
serve to fill their authors pockets, but
which will soon be consigned to a mer.
tied oblivion,