The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-11-01

To give Il mere list OF the contents OF ScrlD-
ncr's for November would be duh reading
vet from such mass that is good, how can
we make a half column Of selections? The
present number begins new volume. The
first striking article we meet is "Old and
New Louisiana" by Edward King. Twenty
years ago Louisiana was our sunny, joyous
France and New Orleans our Paris. lis
people were not oycr-wcalthy or thrifty, but
they were gay and jolly-both whites and
blacks How are they now, under the thral-
dom of carpet Dagger ruiiians?
"Whereyer people," says Mr.. King, find
their burdens utterly unbearablc, they throw
them aside with giant effort, and the world
is conyulscd by the shock Of the fall. People
there should not be crowded SO closely TO the
wall; they should not be placed at the mercy
of irresponsible governing officials, whose
main purpose is the acquisition OF wealth.
There is no rcbcllious spirit in Louisiana
against the United Statcs-no desire to undo
the wars legitimate results; but there is a
gradual accumulation Of Indignation against
the plundercrs, who have been numcros IN
the state, which BODIES something very like
the ugly form of revolution. Capital and
immigration must be allowed to come in,
and the legislators who stand much longer in
way of an influx Of those two prime nccessi-
ties will do so at their EXTREMIST peril.
The contrast between this people and the
former estate of Louisiana is vigorously
drawn, and the proper cure OF their Ills Inui-
Gated with manly boldness and candor.
Mr. Stedman begins a series on the Vic
torian Poets" in which we have an admira
bic paper on :" the most inspired Of women
Elizabeth Barrett Browning The following
certainly borders on enthusiastic admiration:
The Victorian era with its wider range OF
opportunities for women has been llIumn-
ated by the career Of the greatest female poet
that England has produced, nor only Eng
land but the whole territory of the English
language; more than this, the most inspired
woman, so far us known, of all who have
composed in ancient or modern tongues, or
flourished in any land or time.
What have we of Sappho, beyond few
exquisite fragments, a disputed story, the
broken strings OF remote and traditional
island-lyre? Yet, from Sappho down, in
Guiding the poetry OF Southern and Northern
Europe and the whole melodious green
sward Of English song, the remains of what
woman are left to us, which in quantity and
inspiration compete with those of Mrs. Brown
ing? What poet OF her own sex, except Sap
pho, did she herself find worthy place
among the former lmmortals grouped in the
hcmicyCle OF her own "NislOn of Poets! !"
Take the volume Of her collected Writings
with SO much that We might omit, with SO
many weaknesses and taults,-and what
riches ii contains How different, too, from
other recent work, thoroughly her own, emf
ncntly that of u WOman--a christian sybil,
priesjcss of the melody, heroism and gcIig-
ION, OF the modern world!
Two new serials are begun: Katherine
Earle, by Adelinc Traitor (author of The
American Girl Abroad" to run through the
year, and the other, Earthen Pitchers" by
Rebecca Harding Davis, which will be con-
cuded within three or four numbers. Mr..
Froudc's historical sketch Of an English
Abbey" is also here begun and we have an
illustrated story by Edward King, with other
articles, stories, verses, the Old Cabinet, Home
and Society, &c, &c.