The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-19

demands for a home literature. Our col
leges are gaining that high standard Of
the Northern colleges, ana our scholarly
finds are gaining confidence in our litera-
ture.
Now is the time for revolution in the
literary status Of the South Now is
dawning a period which will bring to the
South the grandest prosperity known TO
its history. The reaction is coming 10 the
financial world and with IL the South
Is going to enter an era of permanent de-
velopment. The cotton mills are coming
where the cotton is produced, manufac-
tories Of all kinds are coming, people of
wealth are coming to live in our sweet
sunny cline the tide Of wealth is going
TO turn gradually from New England
10 the South.
Then why not home institutions and
home literature build up, too?
OUR LEGACY.
We have the resources for the sweetest
and noblest literature in the world. Think
OF the legacy authors and musicians have
in the bravery of the soldier that fought
till he died CT hunger and exposure.
Think of the devotion Of the Southern
woman who babe her husband 20 serve
his country though he fell on battle
plain; though no one was left to feed
and a devotion which will be consigned
TO song and story, TO be sung and told
to the ages yet unborn.
Besides there is an inspiration in our
sunny cline with its poetical environ
ments, which is enough 10 WOO sweet
and noble thoughts from the minds OF
the most sordid.
Is this not more than enough 10 in
spire the poets pen, the artists brush,
and the musicians harp? Is il not aston
fishing that the South has never been the
home of poetry music and art?
Every Southern man and woman will
agree with thu sentiment. and talk en-
Enthusiastically in favor Of any movement
TO advance Southern literature; but when
a definite movement that requires some
labor which does not promise speedy pay
is mentioned, three-fourths OF them Will
fail 10 exert themselves in any way.
Until we all begin the labor from a mis-
slonary spirit, not expecting much pay
or thanks, will all movements for South
ern literary emancipation remain unsuc-
cessful \ little sentiment viii never do
anything by itself: it takes persistent ef-
fort definitely planned.
What will the literary. home-loving
people Of the South say about
A LIBRARY OF LITERATURE.
1t is the duty Of the literary people TO
preserve the writings OF our authors.
Thousands of excellent books have only
had "A local circulation. and If they are
not collected soon no copies can be found.
Even the poems OF Henry Timrod, A. b.
Meeks and W. Gilmore Sims are out of
print. Such books cannot be lost 10 tile
South The most miraculous record in
the history Of literature was made by
Celia r. Boswell, an eight-year-old girl OF
Talladega, Ala, by writing a novel, MY
Book" consisting Of two hundred pages
II she lived in the North we would be
ravng about IT, but as II is in our coun-
try we say she did not write 1t, no matter
how much evidence Is produced. II we
cannot encourage such a prodigy. let US
be jr>t enough to prepare library 10 pre-
serve such unparalleled works until our
people learn 10 love home productions as
well as others What do Southern people
say of collecting museum OF Confede-
rate relics? Since planning this. / have
heard there is already a movement on foot
TO establish one in Richmond. The two
movements can be combined, or another
can be established further South. 1t is
the duty of the sons and daughters OF the
Confederacy TO preserve. for memory's
sake and for historical value all relics
OF the cause that lost all but honor"
and everything that would represent TO
the rising generation the peculiarities OF
the old South. Such relics, etc, would
not be so valuable at present, as we are
familiar with the war times and the
day before: but in a few decades they will
be Of priceless interest TO the coming gen.
erations TO remind them OF their fathers
The historical wealth Of such a collection
would be inestimable. TO make the col