Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-06-02
Southern Writers and q Greek Play.

To the EditOr OF the DlSpdtch:
Asa ViIginian interested in all that con-
Germs her glory and welfare felt proud
satisfaction in reading your editorial on
"Southern Writers" in Sundays issue.
II is pleasing to contemplate the reawaken-
ing OF southern genius. The prostration
incident upon the war affected, perhaps,
most Of all the department OF literature,
and for time all literary life III the South
was extingushed. Before the war we
had able magazines under the management
OF able writers, but scarcely one survives
in the whole South to-day. The Southern
Quarterly ReUielr, S0uthern Literary Mes
Sepger. De BO,o'S ReUie,c, &c, were maya
zines Of merit and variety under the old
rfgim6. With the revivication OF interest
in literary subjects these necessary agents
Of refinement will come again. Indeed
people without high literature cannot
sustain national character. How neces-
sary, therefore, it Is to encourage the spirit
10 which you refer-the spirit Of lberality
between all sections OF the country. deny
that the fault lies in southern ability; that
las been too often and too well tried. The re-
cOgntion Of our writers by northern maya
zines is the first step to magazines and pub
li,hing-houses Of our own. We should be
UP and doing. We need the aid and kindly
support OF our northern friends, and let us
win them in every proper way. AS the
first and all-impOrtant means TO this end we
must make them respect us by clearing
away the imputatiOns cast against our mo-
tycS in our past history. And we can do
this without heat or passion. The Ameri-
can Historical Society, reaching as It's name
implies over the whole Union, extends q
cordial invitation TO all SdUdntS and lovers
Of historic literature. The society holds an
annual meeting, and presents splendid op-
portuDities for defensive essays upon the
part played by the South and southern men
in the affairs of this Government. The
northern mind became prepossessed against
lis from ignorance rather than intention.
Representation in the membership OF this
Association will do away with prejudices,
and make northern men and papers still
more liberal in their comments upon
southern progress. And ye,, Mr..
Editor, | am sorry 10 say that but very
few OF our people have accepted the noble
opportunity offered them Of meeting in this
admirable way northern mind and making
a permanent and salutary impression upon
il. am sorry TO say that when the genius
OF Harvard, Yale, Cornell, etc, was ex-
blOited to such noble advantage at the late
meeting OF the Association in Washington,
| over which Mr.. Bancroft presided, not one
| OF our college professors was TO be found
| on the list Of the Associations membership.
| II, indeed, as Colonel CHARLES ). Venable,
| OF the University Of Virginia, declares in
his Interesting letter in your same Sun
| days issue, the difficulties In the way
| OF "Greek play" at the UNIVERSE
| " are 30 great. where is the diff
Guilty that prevents The rpnresentatiOD
| Of the University IN the historic and eco
monte fieldS Yale has its Sumner, whose
able writings upon the currency have at
tracted such wide attention; and yet the
University had no representative in Wash
ingion at the period referred TO, and few Of
our professors seem TO care 20 invade the
field OF practical politics. The day was
not always so, when William and
Mary had It's Tucker and Dew, with
their treatlses upon government aud the
restrictive system. | believe that Greek
play at the University would pay for all
time, expense. and trouble by attracting
the attention OF the whole South 10 our
University and doubling its roll OF stu
dents. Such an exhibition would stir up
our literary stagnsIlon. Our people are
indeed poor, but English literature show,
that literary success may proceed AZ well
from the garrett OF poverty rs from the
abode OF leisure and wealth.
The gods help those who help them.
selves; and feel confident that the well.
TODD Of our city would contribute libe-
rally TO so laudable an object as keeping our
great University In tue foremost rank OF
educational institutions.
LYON q. TYLER.