Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-11

trens. The glittsring. not TO say lurid,
imagery embodied in sogne tyrannic et-
forts at fiction. which manage 20 appear IN
print. This results in mental cyspspsis
The safe regimen 10 that fiction when com
bines the results OF sntrospection ana ek-
tsrnal observation.
who. Ia writing fiction, even after that
mental contact Of the city. could escape
altogether within doors. He should ieaye
indoor matters 10 those city folks IN the
North who never know what IT 10 70 prowI
through picturesque woods, TO note the
coming OF the different seasons herslds,
60 breathe ar FREQ from the smoke, DUST,
and CRIME OF toll, tc' watch sunset over
gentle meadow land or behind the blue
mountains. He cannot help LOVING nature
particularly on the borders OF climates 70
be found in Maryland and Virginia. Many
things unobserved by others be may find
by close communion, and when he pic
lures the human life about him he may
produce effective contrasts or harmonious
tints by intermixing his out,of-door
imT4 essions with the results OF healthy
mental contact.
TIS0E OF NATURE IN SOUTHERN WRITERS
Such characteristics explain the zest
with which purely southern fiction has
been greeted in the North during the past
decade. The tinge Of Nature has had
much to do with creating q demand, for
such writers as Miss McClelland, Sidney
Ianier, Thomas Nelson Page. AmeIe
Hives. Miss Murfree, Joel Chandler Harris,
n, nj. Johnston. Lizette Woodwork Reese,
and others of the modern southern schooi.
That many Of the pieces OF fiction have
been in dialect is another feature TO DC
taken into consideration. But there IL limit
TO studies in dialect. Thomas Nelson Page
in "Marse Chan or "Meb Lady" shows
that be is one of the few writers who, like
Dickens, can bring tho lump into man s
throat. But after awhile you begin TO see q
good deal of numerioious resemblance De-
tween "Drinkwater Tom" and George
Washington" especially when their pro-
p.tlslty to handle the decanter on the side
board Us mentioned. And will not the
N 5kwegian story which Mr.. Page ls now
ws-sng prove that he is able to employ his
(, in more than one field2 Uncle
h.,susn can never DO surpassed as re.
cord in negro dialect of the stories poured
into southern children's ears years ago by
their devoted and beloved mamnies.
but when another uncle begins
to talk everybody but the philologist pc
directing his energies into other depart
ments OF literature. Cable might have
ended his Louisiana stories with The
Grandissimes, for while negro dialect, al
legged Creole patois. or CROKER lingo may
be attractive in themselves, iteration be-
comes tiresome, even though the pictures
may be framed in wild sassafras OF swamp
blossoms. Local coloring Is also pleasant,
provided it is not too local. But While the
Great Smoky will always have Its prophet,
Machunk Creek will never be an Avon.
Perhaps the South previous TO the war
may have been weak in fiction. Such. how
ever. is not the case now. The fact, though,
that there is Q tendency TO turn TO other
fields than the dialect story seems to
indicate that the South is about to under
take more thoroughly other works than
fiction.
pIsTfNcrIyELY But NOT EXCLUSIVELY SOUTH
EBN.
This should be the reason for the found.
ing of southern magazine. Though y
should be disttnctively southern 1t should
NOT be exclusively so. Sentiment, fortunate
ly and unfortunately, is dying III the South
in these DAYS Of money making For some
reasons, this is 10 be commended, for others
regretted. While its contents should ap-
peal principally to those upon whom 1t de-
ponds for its principal patronage success success
will be had only by placing the magazine
upon broad bhsis, IL possible placing the
North in the state of vassalage bemoaned
by Whitess the South was then concerned.
That there is demand for such publ
cation is proved by the fact that nor them
monthlies have wide circulation In the
South. and that one southern weekly's cir
culation Of 100, 900 is rapidly increasing.
That il may be successfully founded de-
ponds upon the enterprise of southern
capitalists. They should be willing to In
~ for two three
wears. and should possess the nerve TO
spend that sum if necessary. For the only
way TO establish the magazine FIRMLY Is TO
meet upon their own ground similar pub:
LEGATIONS. All the sentiment in the world
will not prevent readers from buying. the
most attractive monthly or writers from
selling TO the highest bidder.
Another most important requisite Is that
the directors of the magazine should De
chosen upon no other grounds than that
they are capable and fitted IN every respect
to edit or to manage it. Past failures in more
than one undertaking OF literary cha
racter may be traced TO the fact that ute;
rior considerations overbalanced practical
business ones.
Richmond, aside from the sentimental, is
az good place toissue the magazine as any
other in the South. 1t now has well-equip-
ped publishing houses. 1t has no real lite
rary centre to be sure, but lts otate LII
brary is a mine for the investigator. IL
should be the literary centre OF the South
as it was the political capital and is likely
to be the financial centre. Perhaps the
editor of the new Messenger could DO found
among its citizens. -,
Let all lovers of literature unite in the
movement to give the South Its own me,
dunn for intellectual thought, let men OF
means and leisure lend their aid to the re-
viyal of the Messenger, and, though as you
saw, there may not be found another
Thompson or another Bagby, there may be
found one or many who in reverencing the
memory of the noble names once associated
TO their height, and by taking to heart the
lessons of their experience may send out
the new Messenger through pleasant pas
lures and beside the still waters.
EDWARD INGLR.