The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1875-12-01
Foa TIE CENTRAL PEEssrrER1As.
LITERATURE OF THE SOUTHERN PRES
BYTERIAN CHURCH.
CONCLUDED J

CONCLUDED
But there are other branches Of literature
besides the Theological. And here the
writer is afraid of making omissions, for he
must again draw on his memory, having to
study a good deal of theology. Has the
South any general issrsture3 This is our
present question. Let US peck at it awhile
like some good humOred sparrow. We can
produce FIVE or six histories of Virginia, one
certainly of North Carolina, one of South
Carolina, and Georgia, Kentucky and Lou
isiana to be annexed to the list. We are far
from claiming for all these records Bellies
Letters style of execution. But they are
correct as to the historical facts. Burke,
from Ireland, is one of these historians, and
he writes with measure at least of Irish
eloquence. And the style Of Ramsay and
Howison is certainly to be commended. The
historians of Virginia had certainly one ad-
vantage over the rest, and that is the bril-
liant legend of PocshOntas, the child of but
twelve summers who endangered her olive
colored neck to conserve the one belonging
to Captain Smith. In the colonial histories
of the world, there is nothing worthy of COM
parison with this incident, and no wonder
that ehronielers should have dwelt on it with
fondness, and poets sung of it with admira-
tion. Bancroft has published History OF
the United States, but DR.. Ramsay history
of the world, and his pen never grew weary
until he had nearly completed the gigantic
work be had undertaken. To these We may
add General Harry Lees History of the
Revolutionary War in the Southern Depart
mens, in which the story is told with good
deal of spirit. We have seen Marshall 8
Life of General Washington in FIVE bulky
volumes. Much Of the performance is docu-
mentary; but all historians are somewhat
snamoured of dusty papers. An historian
will dance Scotch reel if he can get hold
of a paper that has been in the smoke Of
Pittsburgh ever since the time of Braddock
defeat. A few days since, the writer saw
some extracts from the Minutes of Lsggau
Presbytery which referred to Francis Make
mie as far back as 1872. We felt little
like getting a violin, though be never played
on one in his life. So it is with historians
We have dipped triAe into Wilkinson
Memoirs. A plausible writer. A native Oi
Calvert, in Maryland, but the latter part Of
his life spent in Louisiana. But my dip waI
like that of birds wing into the sea, nOt
liking burial in very profound waters. VIZ
may add the Decades Of Ex Governor Wise
POllard's history Of the war, and Alfriend'
Life of Jefferson Davis; but we cannot say
whether the last belong to history or biogrs
ply. The question may be asked have w
any political literature in the South !! Ny
answer Is decidedly in the affirmative. Ii
fact this commodity is so abundant that
has rather smothered the genius of softe
Iteratteurs. Stanton said there was but on
way to put down what he called the rebellion
ave must get all sorts of men from all sort
of people and smother them" Therefore W
don't like the process. The heads of nearly 81
the Southern people are like those of Math
ematicians when bent down to their dia
grams. A professor at Charlottesville wa
once in brown study trying to square tn
circle, when a youth came to him and sal
-" Professor, such one called me liar.
"Well, if he spoke the truth you are onC
and if he didn't he is one. That's not pre-
babihty but demonstration" So the inter
view ended. The political diagrams whic
trouble Southern heads are of this sort
"Does all government result from the col
sent of the governed?" Certainly. "Sha
the press be free? Yea; We might as We
make laws against talking, as publishing
"Shall the military be subordinate to th
civil authority?" By all means, for Mr.
Surrstt and poor Wurz we're hanged, in d
fanee of all law. "Did the States, {