The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1886-04-15

D.. Baskerville in his mastery
essay read at Martin q ,llege last
Friday evening, shows wonderful
familiarity with the status OF south
ern literature OF every epoch from
the time when the southern iitera-
teur was not, and when Sir William
Berkely thanked God there were
no tree schools In Virginia At
The same time he evInces quick
and po Eerful dlscernment OF the
contrast between northern and
southern literature. Gonfesse eddy
the south shows at disadvantage
IN every era, bat the learned Goc
tor further points out tbe significant
fact that the south in the very re
NTH of her prosperity, iE tie ut
most enjoyment Of great wealth,
when thousands OF Intelligent men
and women were Ia position 10
easily crafty any taste for literary
pursuits; then OF ali Times did the
southern literature compare NEST
unfavorably with that OF the north.
That the doctor does mob attribute
this TO ignorance nor to lntellec Lual
lnferiority is shown by his acknowl-
edgement of our intellectual giants
who during the same era DONNA
ted congress and ruled the coun-
try" During the period Of slave
holding the tastes of our people
were lordly, and the ambition Of
the southerner was not Of the
kind to find qualification in the
praise of the literary microcosm.
Nothing short OF the sounding plau-
dts of the multitude could appease
the soaring ambition Of our young
southern lordlIng, and not a f6w'
have theil page in history.
The Doctor describes the old
time southern planter as fine old
gentleman in many of his attri-
butes, but criticises with candid Sc.
verify his neglect of literature, and
his absurd contempt for literary
men. AS illustrating the effect Of
this prejudice on the literature of
that period he s:-''Poe, Sims,
and perhaps Tlmrod, with few hu-
morists, for the most part rough
and coarse, though robust and
manly withal. make but a poor
showing by the side of Bancroft,
Bryant, Cooper, Emerson, Halleck,
Holmes, Irving, Longfellow, Lowell,
Motley, Parkins, Prescott, and
w hitter.
Thus far DR.. Baskerville had on
Nv evinced the boldness TO critieise
southern institutions before a south
ern audience, but when be reached
the period In our photography Of
fering some tangible attainment
worthy of commentator, his praise
was generous as it fairly could be. |
His recognition of the strong feat
ures of the literature of the new
south was not the stereotyped col !
lection of 1attering phrases, not u
bouquet of blandilOquence. 1t was
a scholarly review OF the works OF !
the best southern writers. The one
author who lempts the Doctor dan
Cerously near TO iuls"me praise is
Joel Chandler Harris III his unique
ssIJncle Remus, and "Mingo." OIL
Cable, Craddock. Cooke, Harris, |
Harrison, Hayne, Lanier and z, es-
ton he says theirs are "wOiIhy
nau.es on any literary muster roll.
While DR. Baskerville SHOWS no !
disposition 10 trnckle 10 any opin-
donated clique of critics, and seems
absolutely unhampered by any
wish to endorse what is ALREADY !
standard, he shows both his indie
pendence and his good judgment to
best advantage IN his unqualified
endorsement Of the Webb school at
Culleoka. For whiic this school has
established an envia hle reputation
which is rapidly being extended,
their eXclusivcnCss, voluntary re-
,irement and great simpheuty,
make it a thankless task to try TO
place them on the high plane of
public esteem which other institu-
ions of lesser merit easily attain.
DR.. Baskerviile'S style, as dis
played in this essay, is not of
character to attract cursory atten-
ion. II has nothing of humor,
,athos or soaring eloquence. He .
ses the plainest words and the
1ost simHie and direct phrases.
he merit of ibis stJ lie is that it {
X presses the id, a sc clearly that it :
lstructs the listeH.F sbO woald :
,arn, and battles the critiS yho +
ases misrepresentation on the am z
guilty always present in the bre, w {
hrasrOlogy so generally adopted. d
he doctors words are perfectly .
iiapted to the PRONUNCIATION and
reservation o. iieas. and his
longhts are of Il character to de-
erve preservation, intact.