Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-26
ESSAYS ON SOUTHERN WRITERS.

The growth and development of the literary spirit in the south, says the Att lanta Constitution, has been accompanied by another movement that is quite as notable, and that may prove to be most powerful factor in our literary develop ment
 With the appearance of new methods in the literary art of those who gather their materials from southern life and chara cter, there has sprung up Saner methods of comment and criticism. Many of our readers will remember the fulsome chara cter of the great bulk of southern comment on southern literature. All that this literature had to do to excite the futile enthusiasm of the home critics was to be clothed in the dignity of type and to cater to the political ideas that happened at the moment to be rampant. This was the height of greatness and was heralded by the most clamorous system of puffery that has ever been except in New England fifty years ago.
 The result of this was to place the narrowest and severest criticisms on those who were moved to write, or who felt the impulse to create. It compelled them to strive to accomplish the im- possible-to bend literary art to the de- mands of political sectionalism. The fact that southern writers accomplished anything at all during the period when it was thought necessary for literature to become the hand maiden of partisan poli- tics, shows that they possessed genius which, under more favorable conditions, would have produced more substantial fruits. The first southern writer to rise superior to these limitations was Thomas Hally Chivers. The next was Sidney La nier.
 At the present day, southern writers are free to follow their own inclina- tions and inspirations no matter where these may lead, and the result Is that the most notable contributions to Ameri- can literature during the last quarter of the century are from the hands of south ern writers. And the literary impulse in this field seems to be constantly quick ening and growing stronger. Compara- lively speaking, it has hardly begun Its richest fruits are for the future.
 'The ''new movement" as it has been called, is accompanied by new move ment in comment and criticism. We are reminded of this by receiving lately number of booklets issued by the Nash vile publishing house of Barbee & Smith. These booklets, beautifully printed and tastefully covered, are in two sizes, one covering the literary period since 1870, and the other dealing with the pioneers of southern literature.
 The first series is from the pen of Dr. William Malone Baskervill, of Wander bilt university and the other is written by Prof. Samuel Albert Link, of Nash vile. The critical spirit is less developed in the essays of Prof. Link than in those of Dr. Baskervill, but he deesnt deliver his eulogies al random. He is apprecia- tive, but cautious and conservative. It should be said that his purpose is not critical. It is his aim to revive interest in the writings of Hayne, Tichnor, Simms and others. We do not see the name of Dr. Chivers on his list, an omission that should be supplied.
 Dr. Baskervill's essays are both criticali and appreciative. He looks more to the purport than the popularity of recent southern contributions to southern litera- ture. He reasons about it. He is in-l quisitive in broad and genial way. lie turns the matter over examines it, sug gests and prophecies. This is the spirit of the born reviewer, and Dr. Basker-