The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-14
SOUTHERN WRITERS.
Their Literary Productions
Are Among the Best.
And Southern Character Equa
With the Most Famous.
For the Constitution.

ter of THE CONSTITUTION found Hon. w. l..
Scruggs seated in comfortable rocker in his
well furnished library, enjoying one of the lat
est biographical works on the Life of Patrick
Henry"
A conversation being started up, it soon
drifted into a discussion of southern writer's in
which the reporter sought for information,
which was readily given by Mr.. scruggs
"TEe present age" said he, sis an age of
fiction, and the works of the novelists are read
more extensively than those of any other kind
of writer's.
"There are some very fine works of fiction
by southern writers, exhibiting an elegance of
style and vividness of expression, that places
them in the front rank of literary productions.
"The most popular southern writer in this
line is. perhaps, Miss Murfree, better known
as Charles Egbert Craddock. The pictures of
life in the mountains OF Tennessee, North
Corolina, and Virginia, presented to the
reader in her works, are tho truest of all pre-
sensations of that life. She was the first per-
son to work up this special subject, and GER
tainy made a great success of her work.
"Of all her works, l like Tho Prophet Of
tho Mountains best, because it presents in
tho cearest and most comprehensive form the
mountain character before referred to.
'"rhe value of her works, as conceive them,
is the life-lil1o picture of the social system and
habits of thought among the lower strata of
society in the mountains.
Gas q counterpart to the writings of Miss
Murfree may be mentioned these of George w.
Gable. His pictures of Creole life in Louisiana
must be regarded as among tho finest of mod
ern literary works. lie delineates the charac-
ter of the creole and his manner of living in a
mastery way.
81 regard him as writer of great power and
chastenesS of style.
"Joel Chandler Harris" said Mr.. Scruggs,
"has no equal as delineator OF the negro char
acter as represented in te-belum times.
''IIe seems to have gotten an insight into the
spirit of tho negro character, as that character
was presented under the old slavery regime.
ellis Uncle Remus' is q most valuable con-
tribution to literature, and is rendered valu-
able because it preserves that phase of southern
society now slowly fading rway.
"'Uncle Remus' will be read one hundred
years from now as the picture OF the times in
which slavery existed
"Like most home productions, the real mer-
its of the book are often overlooked by home
people. We are so familiar with it ourselves
that it does not strike us as being anything
extraordinary, or as merting place among
the best of literary productions, but when we
stop to think about it, its immense Importance
as contribution to the literature of the south
appears at once to us.
"In the historical lne it may be well to say
that the south boasts of no very great histo-
as n very clear and forcible writer.
"In the biographical line, Moses Colt Tyler
may be regarded as the best OF southern
writers. One of his works, 'The Life OF Pat
rick Henry has just been published in the
American Statesman series" and Mr.. Scruggs
picked up the book he had laid aside few
moments before "'This book is very valuable
as literary production, because the style is
excellent, but its real value is that it Is an
authentic correction of q great many popular
r,,iot lfeer N n Henry ND
character of Jefferson. The Life of Patrick
| HENRY by William Writ contained great
many gross inaccuracies which were accepted
as the truth for a long time. Mr.. Tyler, in
his work, shows that many OF these were totally
unauthorized, and, in doing this, necessarily
reflects more or less upon the character of Mr..
Jefferson.
"In my opinion, this is the only standard
biography OF Patrick Henry, and far excels
that of Writ.
"The style Of writing is very remarkable
one.
"In regard to southern poetry I cannot ven
ture much of an opinion, but OF all tho works |
have read those of Edgar Allan Poe afforded
me the most pleasure.
Sin certain line of poetry, the weird wild
untamablc, he had no equal in the United
States.
"His Raven stands out prominently by
itself rs one of tho most remarkable produc-
tions in tho English language.
"Uhere is a great deal of humor among
southern writers, but there is no southern
writer who makes humorous writing a spec
iaty. The humor OF the southern writer is
very good, however.
"irhe south has produced her share of edi-
torial writer's as well as other kinds of writer's
John M. Daniel, whoswas killed just at the
close Of the war, was one OF tho best. II not the
best, in this line the south over produced. He
was editor of tho Richmond Examiner, OF
Richmond Virginia.
civilian G.. Itives, n relative OF Amelie
Riyes was another Richmond man. who was
at the front Us political writer IN the time OF
Andrew jackson.
"John Forsyth, editor of the Mobile Register,
at Mobile, Ala. was q very vigorous and forci-
BILE editorial writer.
"There is one other class of writer's that
might be mentioned, and that is the class of
political writer's.
"The south has certainly had fine political
writers. AS such, Mr.. Calhoun never had an
equal in the southern states, being the most
scholarly and logical of southern political wri-
ters.
MI Scruggs, "that donot believe in the theo-
ries advanced by bIr. Calhoun. His theory was
but the elaboration Of Mr. Jefferson's theory,
and Mr.. Jeferson's theory was after all all
elaboration of that Of Rousseau.
"What is needed in the south is q review, in
which could DO published articles on phloso-
| ply, politics, history, criticism, fine art and
other things, 80 as to develop and stimulate the
| habit Of independent thought. WIN the AID
| Of such review, there could be developed in
| the south i'm very short while high order OF
| political writer's
"Just at the beginning Of the war, there was
| published IN the south magazine called "Dc-
| BOWS Review" Among the many able arti-
clcs it contained were several on the pro-3layery
| side OF the heated controversy then going on.
| They were written by George Fitzhugh, Vir'
| ginian. The publication Of this Review was
| suspended after the war, and has never been
| revived.
"'The most accomplished literary man Of the
south, in my opinion, was John II. Thompson
| Of Richmond, Va. IIo was editor Of the
| Southern Literary Messenger, succeeding Ed
| gar Allan Poe in this position. The publica
| ton Of this paper was suspended during tbs
| war.
"Mr. Thompson never had an equal for gen
| eral information, breadth Of view, and ac-
| curacy as q scholar. This magazine, during
the years 1885, 80 and go, contained very
many able articleslupon critical, miscellaneous
| and historical matters, and were equal TO any
thing ever seen In English magazines.
I'm comparing the northern and southern
writers, IL may DO said; that the northern
| writer deals more in statistics, and is more
matter-of-fact while the southern writer has
more imagination, feeling, yiyidness Of style,
| but at the .same time less accuratenesS as To
facts.