The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-16

Review Literat1re-Its Piuce and Its I'm.
nuonec.
| Since the discovery Of the printing press
how many and how various have been the
vehicles through which intellectual activity
has sought and found expression! From the
| numbering quarto to the Light penny news
paper how large the leap! The history Of
modern literature, often attempted, has yet to
be written. It was task often pressed upon
the attention OF the late Lord Macaulay--a
man above all others in recent times qualified
for the work but other and more congenial
labors occupied his leisure and exhausted his
strength. Tho man who successfully accom-
plishss this task, appear when and where he
may, will at once build for himself noble
monument and largely benefit mankind.
When this history is written not the least
important section Of it will be that which
viii treat of the place and power Of
those heavier periodicals which have
acquired the denomination of quarter
lies. In that category will be included
all the more solid periodical literature
which has appeared In modern times, and 1t
win not be possible for the historian to refuse
to admit that to this class Of publications the
rapid and marvellous development Of modern
times Is largely attributable. They were never
written for the masses. They are not written
for the masses now But as they convey the
thoughts Of the higher GLASS Of minds, SO do
they influence high class of minds on the
platform immediately below, and through that
second class do they tell upon the whole body
of the people The daily newspaper which
every morning like the sun bursts forth upon
the people with its light and its strength makes
the quarterly seem somewhat slow and old
fashioned. Now that we live years in months,
months in days, days in hours and hours in
minutes, the quarterly review, in the estima-
ton of some people, sustains to the daily news
paper very much the same relation that the
antiquated stage coach sustains to the steam
car or the ancient postman to the lightning
winged telegraph. For this reason it is, we
are told, that the daily paper is supplemented
by the weekly, the weekly by the more sober
and thoughtful fortnightly and the fort
nightly by the monthly. This reasoning
is not strictly correct. The antiquated
stage coach where it exists is justly consid-
cred necessary evil. So, too, is it with the
postman of the olden times. The steam car
and the telegraph make them both unne-
cessary. 1t is altogether different in the world
Of letters. 1t is necessary for the well being
Of society that the dash, the daring, the in
caution Of the daily press be held in check,
and that great movements, great events, great
literary and scientific works be more calmly
and dispassionately examined than has yet
been found compatible with daily journalism.
There is room, therefore, we admit, for the
weekly, the fortnightly and the monthly
journals, but there is also place, most
important place, for the dgnifed, solid and
scholarly quarterly. If the light is most use
full at the base of the pyramid 1t is at least
first caught at the summit. Daily journalism,
invaluable as it u.s. win never make unneces-
sary the special Iabors of the historian, the
philosopher or the poet; neither will it ever
udhc uuucCC5odIy lu0 uOI0 6Oiu Cth5o vi
literary and scientific periodicals.
1t would be an easy task to show how much
good this kind of literature has effected in
the past. 1t has been intimately asso-
ciated with the progress of science. and
the development of political and religious
liberty. Journalism In France dates as far
back as 1865, and Frenchmen refer with
pride to the Journal DIES Sauaas as the parent
of periodical literature. The French encyclo-
pmdists, guided and controlled by the master
mind of Diderot, were, perhaps, the chief
agents in bringing about the great revolution
of 1889. The Encyclopedia was practically
a periodical. 1t opened the eyes Of France !;
it inspired the youth of the country with
lofty thoughts and noble impulses, and
under Its teaching France arose like a
giant refreshed and shook off from her
the dust and incrustations Of centuries. The
impulses begotten Of the French revolution
gave birth in 1902 to the famous Edin6urgA
Reuieao-a publication which, appearing in
1909, shook British society to its very founda-
ton, paved the way for that magnificent series
of reforms which ended with the Reform bill
of 1882, and marked new era in literary
criticism. What host Of bright names arise
in our memory as we think OF the
early days Of the Edinburgh! Jeffrey,
Sydney Smith, Brougham, Horner, Cock
burn, and later Thomas Darlington Macaulay,
Thomas Carlyle and others. And how
mighty was Its influence on literature!
1t begot the Eclectic, which shone with the
rare genius of John Foster and Robert Hall ;
the Quarterly, which revealed the literary
finish Of Southey, the vigor Of . Clifford and
the polished, manly style Of Lockhart, and
Bsackwoods Magazine, in which the immortal
Christopher North poured forth in exhaustless