The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-19
SOUTHERN LITERATURE.
REACTION COMING IN FAyOR or
DINE LAND.
Preserve the Relics of the "Cause Tha
Lost All but Honor "A southern
Art Gallery and Library.

The first question that arises is, has
the South the genius TO produce htera-
ture comparable with that of the North
and with England? No Southerner VINO
has any Of that unconquerable pride
which flowed unalloyed through the
views OF ilustrious fathers can say that
the South has not the necessary genius
No alien who is acquainted with history
can say after thinking OF our statesmen
and our unconquerable soldiers, that the
South has not contributed from her gen
ms and greatness more than her share
10 be crowned with civic fame and mar
tial glory.
Though Southern literature has had
only contempt, yet the South has pro-
duced thousands who were naturally as
gifted as the boosted masters notwith-
standing many have not figured as the
idols OF the nations. You ask why Is IL
that Southern literature is so deficient?
IL is because the gifted ones have perish
ed. mentally. for want OF encouraging
support.
After the war the South was so i'm
poverished that the masses could not be
educated and ccnteqtently the South
was not a reading public TO demand a
home literature. The war did not i'm
poverish the North and as a result did
not deter her Institutions and the literary
standard of the Northern colleges be
came far superior 20 that Of the South.
As a result the few educated people Of
The South got in the habit of regarding
nothing as good unless it came from the
superior Northern institutions and more
scholarly Northern minds So they have
for years considered 1t a condescension
OF their mental dignity to read any pro-
duction from the Southern pen. Conse-
ouently there has been no opportunity
for our gifted Southern poets and authors
10 get into the literary world save
through the North. TO do that, they had
90 hamper their real feelings and write
only such things as would suit the con
trary tastes OF the North. That compell-
ed them 20 write at a disadvantage.
other gifted writer's who did not know
how 20 obtain an introduction 10 the
Northern press. had 10 waste their songs
on the desert air
VICTORIOUS millions.
Yes. many an inglorious Milton. many
an unnamed Spencer many an unknown
Bulwcr, many an unlearned Browning,
many an unloVed Longfellow, has been
given 10 the South only 10 walk the pitt
less round of care and be found in the
prison of poverty and ignorance. Many
ouch boys nave Ndu 10 i"tAt4 Iia't IMAM
between the plow handles. many such
gifted girls have known no higher sphere
than that found I'm the kitchen and the
cottonpatch
Henry Timrod would have been the
equal Of any American poet II he had
been doservedly encouraged. But as he
was Southern poet and wrote only for
the South he came 10 the verge OF starva-
ton during and after the war. Abram j.
Ryan was a greater poet than Whittier
and as gifted as the melodramatic Poe,
hut as he wrote for the cause that lost
all but honor he is not mentioned In
books on English literature. A. b. Meek s
poetry IL as sweet as the aroma OF the
magnolia and the fragrance Of the tropi-
cal flowers that prompted Il. but because
he wrote only TO praise the land that
we live in" his Songs and Poems OF the
South are out OF print. And only few
treasured volumes rcnzain In the old
Southern homes.
The causes that produced this shameful
neglect OF our own literature are being
gradually removed Education is becom-
ing general: therefore. there are more