Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-03-03
For The Ellsw orth American.
American Literature VS.. English.

AutlICdu lIILeTdluIe vs.. Ling ISL.
Notwithstanding the inability of some
of our hypercritical foreign friends Il
recognize the fact, We Americans have
literature. The famous taunt of the Edin
burgh Rerte'r, "who reads an American
book had its sting in those days wher
there was real dearth of authorship In
the United States.
1t is no wonder that during the colonia
period of our country's history a com
parative literary barrenness existed. Oul
forefathers were too busily engaged in
subdGing the wilderness and in laying the
foundation Of states to occupy themselve,
much IN writing books. But no nation
has witnessed more rapid and. at the
same time. more healthy literary growth
tAan has America since the beginning OF
the present century.
From 1880, onward, the development
has not only been rapid, but thoroughly
self reliant and quite abreast of its older
ht - nv . = i-AOf III tEN lsaN Z
increased the newspapers and other pc
riodicals have added largely 10 the dissem.
lnation Of knowledge: healthy literary
sentiment has grown up; literary atmos-
phere has been created which has proved
congenial 10 authorship; and an active de-
mand for more and better reading matter
has developed the talent of American
writers, As result works of great merit
both in prose and in poetry have beeD pro-
duced with great rapdity, aud book-msk
Ing has become one of the recognized in
dustres Of our country, proving tha,
American literature i not only 4 reality
but has attained very creditable impor.
tanee.
Orstory is eminently the literature of re-
publics. Political freedom gives both oc-
caslon and impulse TO thought on pub ic
interests, and us expression is a requisite
accomplishment TO every intelligent aid
patriotic American. A race of orators
seem to have sprung to life, whose chief
traits continue evident in 4 long and H.
lustrious roll Of names, identified with our
statesmen, legislators and divines Ac-
cordingly large and. on the whole. re-
markably creditable body Of discourses
emanating from the best minds of the
country, constitute decided feature of
American literature.
Daniel Webster may well and sppropri-
ately head the line of eloquent orators.
produced In this century, by, as England
terms ii, this howiing wilderness" Dan
iel Webster, the greatest of Americas TO
rensic orators if, indeed, not the creates,
tongue, renowned in both hemisphere.
truly holds high place in the literature OF
our country. For while great lawyer, q
great statesman, great orator whose
speeches have the power to move even af
ter the voice of the speaker is still, he
was also great writer.
Need | speak at length of the polished
speeches of Edward Everett, rivaling in
power and purity of diction those of De
mosthenes aud Cicero. or of Charles Sum.
ner and Wendell Phillips, the representa-.
tive orators of the anti-slavery party
whose voices were never idle in behalf OF
the cause they espoused, and many Others
at least just reason to feel proud of heI
orators and be willing 10 compare them
with those OF English literature!
Perhaps there is no branch Of literature
that can be cultivated in republic, with
more advantage TO the reader and salts
faction to the author, than history. The
facts, too, of our history are comparative
ly recent. Ii is not requisite to conjure
up fabulous traditions or explore the din
regions of antiquity for material. From
her origin the nation was civilized. There
are relations, both to the past and future,
which render American history the most
suggestive ANIMALS of the world and Civ.
1t universal as well as a special dignity
rhe most successful attempt vet made tC
reduce the chaotic, but rich materials OF
American history, to order. beauty ant
moral significance, is the work of George
Bancroft. Bancroft had studied at Got
tiugen and imbibed from the German his
torian. Heeren, the scientific method o!
historical study. His history in thorough
ness Of treatment, leaves nothing to be de
sired and has become the standard author
ity on the subject.
Other truly eminent names might wei
and profitably be dwelt upon, did time al
low, but without doubt, the greatest, ol
the whole of American historians is Johi
Lothrop Motley, one of the most indus
trious of authors. No other writer ha
brought together such a variety of person
ages and such mass OF details into on
collective whole, and yet presented al
these substantial facts of history with th
air of romance. His productions, cal
conscientiously say, are among the great
est historical works ever written.
The essayists of the nineteenth cen
tury are ably represented in these thre
well-known names, William Ellery Chan
ming, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Jane
Russell Lowell. Charming, the popula
and able theolOgian and essayist. was
speaker and writer who endeared himsel
to his countrymen, not only through hi
literary work, but also by his humility an
excellence as christian gentleman. Hi
favorite topics were those which ha
more or less bearing on christian phllau
thropy and reform. DIR. Channing's styl
is admirably suited for the exposition o
moral and spiritual truth. 1t is rich an
perspicuous, and there is q persuasiv
charm over all his writings, flowing fron
his earnestness of purpose, his deep low
of humanity. his glowing hopes and hi
fervid religious faith.
Ralph Waldo Emerson's fame, his ae
ceptance by the public, was of like gen
tie, almost imperceptible growth. At hi
first appearance, forty or more years age
people rubbed their eyes to see what mar
ner of man he could be. As years passed
however, he came to be understood, first
little, then better, then sympathetically
till in all our centers Of culture he had
select following and all 6De-trained an
aspiring young men. whether in collsg