The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-25
TIE SOUTHERN MAGAZINE.
NsvIITERARY ERA DAWNlNG On
THIS SECTION.
The a,niu. of the south-An Age "t
M.g.s,nss-writers Of Both sexes De
v.Ioped I'm Recent isars-A Non'S'"


Magssines-writers OF Both sexes De
/ y.Isped I'm Recent Ysars-A Non'sso-
tionsI Feature Suggested.
For the past ten years there has been con
slant prophesyings aud untold comment
from critics al through the land as 70 the
new era dawning in the lituature OF the
South. Why there seemed for 80 long III
the past a period OF dormant night in It's
particular realm, has so often and so
engthily been explained away by reason oil
the crippled condition Of the country inn
mediately after the war that we Will not
20 over that well titled portion Of the
ground.
To deplore shall be with Va n thing Of the
past-to anticipate the thing OF the present
and 10 rejoice, the thing of the future.
Verify is the lOng-watched-fOr crisis az
hand, and the idea Of the new magazine Is,
in the parlance Of the day, on tremendous
BOOM" aud what more might be expected
when as yet il is Only an idedi In the lite
rary cliques at the clubs, in the cultured
lotteries Of s0ciet,. and around the hearth
stones Of homes where books As wen as pa
/ bies are factors OF happiness, the theme l.
] ucluH lOuhulf Nlstur1fu WIN tNtit oNh
guine hope Of success.
There seems happy tendency to only
| look on the bright side OF the prospective
enterprise; and ~ yet no wet blankets
have fallen upon il to dampen aud quench
the genuine warmth Of ardcr in its adyo-
/ Gates.
| GENIUS OF THE SOUTH.
Difficulties Of course there are, but the de-
/ termination 10 overcome them Is SO strong
that failure is barely permitted 10 dwell in
the mind a. even gaunt possibility. iuat
oil things cOnspire 90 make our lana tht
home Of people of romance, of IMAGINATION
and keen conception there can be niue
doubt 10 either the attentive observer or the
student II physiology. Did not all Europe
| look 10 little corner Of its south as the
bright particular spot where centred the
greatest disciples Of the arts Of painting.
sculpture music and learning! lcs; IT,
Was the mellow. golden sunshine, the cloud
| less azure skies, the frultiul hills and rose
blooming valleys ct fair Italy that gave 90
the world Dante, Michael Angelo and
| Nasari.
While we do not no our eyes % such
heights Of genius, climatic influences then
and there. rs well a. here and now had un-
doubted power, may $50 not then In moder-
ate reason lJpk for some impress OF our own
southern environment upon the minds OF
her people:
A langu0rous. semi-tropical atmosphere.
ladened with the heavy perfumes waied
from the brides blossom. which herald the
golden fruit in the shadowy range groves.
must stir more tine senses of romance ana
reyerie than biting winds and binding
storms. which would iturally develop no
taste So much a. that for toe most prOsalc
and ordinary ut creature comforts
Then too the SOutherner has "A surprising
Is wide ii ld of nature for the cleaning of a
harvest Of Inspiration. From the moss
clouds among the live oaks of Florida 20 the
rugged clnOns guarding the turbid water,
Of Red River, there are unceasing pictures
worthy the description OF any pen.
I'm character study and legendary lore he
is not less .ich. FOX icw districts are so re-
pleie with vivid local c0loring, the more
irregular the more interesting, the more
untamed and untut0rcd the more artistic SO
u need occasion 30 surprise that the intel
lectual -eusiDlitieS Of both southern women
and men have awakened with contact with
this art i'm nature everywhere around, and
in the skil.ul workmanship OF such material
at hand find that home market is an urgent
need for their waress
AGE OF MAGAZINES.
This, too. is distnctiyely an age Of mag
azines. they are the reccptacles for the
best thoughts Of all the wouId-be great
bOOkmakcrs Of the day. Shall we then lag
in the race. being content 10 forever try our
skill and speed only in courses abroad !
Now is the time, and the accepted time, for
liz 90 establish literary identity OF our
own, and, following the example Of Justice
and courtesy unyaryngly practlced 10y our
Northern periodicals. make welcome and
profitable contributions where'er merit
commends them.
so sECTGONALIsM.
What's i'm nlmeg' may be answered |
i'm anything but the negative, if at the |
christening Of this new magazine such a one |
be bestowed as will carry with il the iaintest
impression OF sectiOnalism or iayOritism.
Though il be born Of "A united south. aud /
matured upon virginia soil Oct Us trusD 30 !
would be worse Z IAN impOite. and beyond |
ingratitude b. hint at any eyclusiyeuess Of |
It's paRcs. sucn would bee like Offering /
hospitality OF "A home % the members of the /
family only. shutting the dor 10 the face OF |
the stranger within thy gates" Yes, let |
our new magazine account % one of the !
choicest pleasures hoped FIR 3D. welcome |
within It's bounds SUCH chal ming company. !
fresh with grace and hum0r and solid with /
fine sense, as the papers OF harlr- Dudley |
Warner. And may 10 have the privilege OF |
holding some space reserved aud decreed /
for the honour Of containing On the original |
some Of the kindly philosophy and simple |
eloquent truths from the pen oi the Yenera- |
bic Oliver Wendell Holmes.
IL would seem like possessing a talisman. |
as Of ODD, To- produce iu the first number of I
our magazine aught from The brain OF the
grand old "Autocrdt.' for b" DO Brown. 10 |
was under his guidance. with his steady /
hand at the helm that the Atlantic Monthly |
.et sail, the hr-t brave bank % ever plough /
fhe s-a ot knowledge that scethel S. % "a
flowing current oi literature. And yet time
has caused no leaks, but as steady and good
a craft as ever the Atlantic Monthly moves
on with lts matcnless captain ot yOre and
clever crew.
All along the line Of journalism from time
20 time danger signals have been hOistpd. A.
warning % the hag'aIt injustice OF pan
dcrins 60 "0ut sld9 iniuenre," aud the
name and reputation % writer. in tn
selection IL contributions.
There comes a recent account OF a lesson
taught In the wrong OF This by AN act that
might well De termed philanthropy in litera-
ture. 10 seems that Dumas the younger
becoming much exercised over the evil JIM
huence on The art 81 printing Of the pub
fishers returning 50 many manuscripts UNI
read, thereby dis -Ouraginy Young worker,
and rsklng perhaps the loss OF some new
genins, accordingly sought % devise some
method OF reform. Ills plays cos each "a
fortune almost so that only the most
moneyed publishers cond bring taem out.
But he wrote one, which he had copied IN
weak and uncharacterlstic hand. signing
some fictitious name thereto. This be sent
10 publisher. At the same time he pub. .
lished throughout his land what be- had
done, with the offer 10 make free giit OF
the play 10 whatever publisher accepted il
az IL was, incOgnitO.
This ruse was douhly valuable, as il not
only made every single publisher indus
trOusly study every manuscript su' mit,ed
TO their notice. and bring out all with any
true merit, but of.'red great prize 10 the
astuie aud successful, and "a WOtul dread OF
modification at The same time. for fear Of
rejecting any work OF the great Dumas. ami
thereby proclaimiug themselves but poor
Judges.
WOMEN CONTRIBUTORS.
However, naturally ana appropriately.
the enterprise will bee inau.urated 6y
; )uiherners solely, and it will he interest !
lng and encouraging as well ID call 10 mind