New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-14
The Literature of the South.

The Literature of the South.
The following able, analytical and critical
review of Southern literature, as shown By
it's able exponent, Mrs. S. A. Dorsey, is
clipped from the London Parochial Critic
and Metropolitan Press. 1t will be noted
that the writer classes our literature as a
type of separate nationality, and deduces
from the pages Of Southern fiction and
poesy the idea that Southerners are ''a race
singularly endowed with statesmanly char.
acteristics so eminently fecund in legisla-
tive bodies and great orators, and, withal,
so remarkable in the exclusive pride which
kept its numbers from any fusion with the
commercial population of the North"
Now, we submit that this is bosh. We like
to see our literature appreciated, but we
protest, in the name OF the Southern people
and of common sense, against such fulsome
absurdity. Teh whole country is a unit in
attesting the merit Of statesmen, orators
and leaders, whether from the North or
South. And as to withholding from atfilia-
ton with the commercial population of the
North, the less said about that the better,
The profit and loss account of many North
ern merchants presents too bad an exhibit
for any praise to the South for withhold
ing" However, we give the extract entire,
although its commendation, which should
have been given on the merits Of the case
pure and simple, is thus sought to be given
at the expense of the North:
A while since, noticing book which
came fresh from the higher order Of South
ern society in the United States, we spoke
of the paucity of kno Wedge possessed by
intelligent English people relative to the
literature of one-half of the American
Union. Now and again we had sketches of
negro life and manners which excited dis
fashion in which they ignored every vital
interest OF the planter class. The lords OF
the soil were inheritors from English or
French ancestors, often far removed by
lapse of time, of aristOcratic lineage, char
acter and traditions: they were still allied
by innate sympathetic feeling more closely
to the English people than to their own
neighbors of the North for long period
in the history of the Federal Union they
had held sway as only those could have
done who were capable in the highest
sense of governing: and it was not
possible that a race SO singularly endowed
with statesmanly characteristics, so emf
nently fecund in legislative leaders and
great orators, and withal 80 remarkable in
the exclusive pride which kept its members
from any fusion with the commercial popu-
lation Of the North, should exist without
literature peculiarly its own. Mrs. Dorsey's
sketch of ''Athalie' gives us first glimpse
of that literature; the same gifted lady's
stories of agnes Graham and Lucia
Dare" and her 'Recoilectons of Henry
w. Allen" Governor of Louisiana) have
since extended our knowledge, and Miss
RaymOnds collection of Southland
Writer'S introduces series, arranged under
the several States to which they respective
ly belong, of brief biographical memoirs of
Southern literary women, with selections
from the works by winch they are best
known in the Southern literary and social
circles.
Mrs. s. A. Dorsey bears with her the spe.
cial advantage of being member of a
literary family. Her aunt, Mrs. Catherine
a. Wartield. is distinguished both by her
prose and by her poetic compositions. and
pre- eminently as the author of the stirring
stanzas which were adopted, instantly on
their publication, as the national anthem of
the Confederacy. Her father and mother.
Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas G. Ellis, were promi.
father was one of the Dahlgrens, name
famous in scientific as we'll as in naval and
military circles, and her education was
chiefly intrusted to the care of Miss Eliza
Ann Dupuy, whose romance of THE Lost
Deeds, reproduced in more than one popn-
lar English repository of light reading,
fastens upon the memory of every reader
with associations and an interest as power
tul as the late Lord Lytton's Strange
story" Mrs. Dorsey began her contribu.
tions to literature by the fortunate acct
dent OF letter to the New York Church
man. Her untiring activity among the
negro population of the South, for
whose social and moral Improvement she
ways willingly gave such Of her time and
abilities-while she held feudal soyereiontv
as duty to those depending upon her; and
since the triumph of the Northern arms
freed them, from motives. of HUMANITY
brought IN its train rich store of expert
ence, and led her to believe firmly in the
great value of full ritual in anv effo-ts ~
extend or deepen the influence Of RELIGIONS
instruction. Her initial essay upon this
subject was well received. Sna wrote win
That consciousness of power which thosa
alone possess whose minds securely orasn
every phase and development of the themes
they handle. The signature then adonted
ma Eccieslse,' is employed BY her still.
~ 70 as 'ue daughter of the Church abe
would tain be remembered, and the nom Je
plume has passed into household word in
q, with her authorship.
Inc paramount charm OF Mrs. Dorsev,.
writing consists in the insight which thav
give into the circle to which she immaS;.
ately belongs. No one of them ia d;st;nctlv
but in each of them ons
learns much of the domestic and social
relations which obtain in Southern njan,ar
me. In Agnes Graham" is described the
origin and the noble work of the Protestsne
slsterhood IN. New Orleans. and on nssrlw
every page may be traced the shaSonyy
outlines of family "reminiscences. and Nv;
lured memories of scenes she has nap ao'
u any traversed. Lucia Dare" Furnishes ~
y. -ae same sense, many clues. The Mo- ne
Ine story centres in the disappearancpo. ot W
Englsh heir, and the search Of his s;sts a.. an an
am during the prevalence of the c iSi1r n .or
Wnich drew so many Englisbmen ~, "a war sS
service of South and North resre sue
vely. Among the most perfectIv t; o;pect,
beautiful southern heiress Gof Fren ~Ii0,
,raCsioa) stands out in clear relief. il ave TX
,par. oI lel conversational brillianoro 'oay
n every deed she does, from her Ivy, ana
~ n. her Tragic death, when ayeng;no "I hS.
death upon the battle.Sa1 ng ner
MIXTURE OF Frenca chivalry and Sn",,. the
olo1mlnaClOn comes into -cvoeuorn