New-York tribune., 1870-09-30
prRW,NENT JOURNALISM.


l. OFT OF THE PAST: CRITICAL AND LITERARY
PArERs). BY PARKE GOODWIN. l2mo. Pr. 46l' o.
Q sANCTUM sANCTORUM; or, Proof-sheets from
Editor's Table. BY THEODORE TIIToS Eyitor Oh Ihe
g. IEABISG ifSa' ARTTcLEs d 6S VARIOUS sUBJEcTs BY
HUGH MILLER, Author of The Old Red Sandstone
&c. l2mo. pp 45S. Virtue YorstOn.
II is still an undecided question how far the in
creased importance of journalism as profession in
our day will modify the character of literary work
1t is a field which tempts talent with twofold bait
with the prospect of sure and immediate Temuner-
alton and of a direct and visible influence. More
over il requires the exercise of those faculties which
are most readily developed and brought into play
uency quicbness of perception rhetorical skill, and
the habit of dealing at least specifically wihevery
question of the day. as it arises. On the other hand,
by restricting the writer mainly to the consideration
of immediate effect, it diverts his habit of thought
from those deeper channels in which the intellect
moves more slowly, it is true, but with more en-
during force The editor or the essayist of the peri
odical press, has usually been measured by the
aggregate result of his labors and their general in
fuence upon the character of his time rather than
by his individual place in literature. His natural
ambition of course is to fill both characters. The
author to whom journalism is a necessity, will not
easily consent that the amount of mental warmth
and vigor which, embodied in single well-elabo-
rated paper, may give him claim to permanent
fame shall be forgotten with the other ephemcra of
newspaper literature.
But this is a forgetful world; and the number of
those readers who demand their fresh bread simply
for the need of the day, and find il stale if served
up to them the morrow, seems TO increase rather
than diminish. There is as good reading i'll the
newspapers as in many-nay, most-bOoks; yet the
former are considered too much as a sea, whereOn
what is thrown floats for little while, and then
settles into the depths We are always glad to see
the sunken treasures fshcd mp agan-honest work
of competent brains, scattered sometimes, through
long series of years and therefore impressing the
public with only fragmentary sense of power.
The journalist, who collects and reproduces his best
papers, at least places himself before the smaller cir
Gle and challenges the more important verdict. IT,
in some cases. smile at the ndestructible quality
Of his aspiration in others feel that the service
done is to ourselves rather than to him.
Mr.. Godwin's volume, with its uupretending title
and modest preface consists mainly of critical arti-
cles of a literary or historical character which ap-
peared originally in The Democratic Reriep some Of
them thirty years ago., in Tie Erenag Post, and the
old issue of Patnam's MoaHlg Neither in the sub
ects nor in their treatment is there anything of
ephemeral stamp. Their tone is calm, thoughtful,
and impartial; the language is at once simple and
vigorous and possesses the clearness which comes of
matured well-defned ideas The reader will find no
reflection of any transient fashion of thought, such
as the most independent editor can hardly escape
from, now and then; but the deliberate expression
which seeks TO plant itself upon permanent bases of
judgment. Mr.. Godwin's mind, in fact has much of
that judicial quality which we expect from the
literary critic. His papers Alison and Ruskin for
example, were at variance with the popular est-
mate OF those authors at the time when he wrote
but they closely harmonic with the corTecter judg
ment of the present day.
In regard to style, these papers differ from much
Of our journalistic literature, which is marked not
more by the intention 10 say the thing than by the
effort to say it brilliantly and effectively. 1t is the
between walking directly to an object
with the ordinary gait Of men, and reaching it
through succession of acrobatc feats Yet our
gain after ALL consists in the nature Of the object
presented to u.s. aud we confess TO preference for
values in thought over the ornaments of the diction
in which they are wrapped. We have read Mr. God
wins volume with hearty sense Of relief and re-
freshment. His style is simple, almost TO baroness
but he bcwilders MS with no whimsical digressOns
satIates ms with no unnecessary sentiment and vexes
us Wth no exhibition of prejudice. lie treats the
questions oi to-day with the same impartial spirit as
u they belonged 90 the last century. He shows in
the earliest a. in the latest articles included in the
volume, the same broad earnest liberal view Of his
subject lis utterances may not always be new, but
they are never presented final and infallible and
they attract the reader by the reer grasp of mind
which Is not content to lnger on the surface os
things. The papers on Jeremy Bentham. shelley
Comte, and Goethe, especially. are excellent oy,
amples Of intelligent, thoughtful criticism. Ind.ed
there is little in The volume which has not cI,i,o
10 be saved out Of the Past"
Mr Tilton makes his appearance in different
character His volume, as H. informs ms in the Dre
face. contains some articles which he had entirely
forgotten others which he mi2ht never have read