The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-06-17


our people we'll acquainted with.
In short theeore-what Southern literature simply lit
by which for its purity of style and pec
fine literary shall show itself worthy to become
great body of classical English eurea literature great
and aper extent than Greece dreamed Of
literary has the characteristics in all all Ian
guages testing ouchstone the and the sole
endowed with have acquired
perfect literary tastehat finest which study
learning can produce dull and learning unove
berary necessarily local oourngpro
birthplace Thy speech bewrayeth thee
writer books the Apostle Peter but books are
of such and local cooun but rather
lin spite of them.
How much English literature?
Has she contributed her due quota? great
soldiers great oratoh she produced great writer's great poets
1t matter of surprise strangers and source of re-
that while there this continent
american traits and characteristics manifesty Amer
traits and characteristics suggestive Of New England OF
rarely the Southern States When the literary
contributions the South has made to that literature
Souenr has to confess that they indeed few and OF
three exceptions wory representative the genius of his
country yet the meets everywhere Southern society wit"
on If culture and refinement and women of exquisite literary
meets them large British society Strange
contradiction and yet not mxpeaoe Tor the love Oh e'els Is
different thing pursuit letters different the repng OF
octy characterized by love of literature as strong as 1ouno
England Old England but it love that where
ihas not sowed and gathers where it has not strawed.
remember what said this subject by the
lizard of the Congaree Gordon Coog rmr who
and did not know that he writing most
delightful nonsense verse He said:
"Alas for the South! books have grown fewer
She much given to literature"
do not go the whole length with Cooer he
was
True the South has altogether product
Southern authors who rank
lin English But this and said back
the South has not done much work
worthy Of her the literature of her time and language He
highest genuine efforts have tended and pub
literary work What works she has produced are in the
fugitive holiday marks of haste rather than OF
penabour study reading though she is and loving
does with cornto more than she pro
lduces and to let others produce it for her.
The South Field Of Literary Culture.
And yetwa literary culture the South presents-
tempted the fancy and the OF
find tempting work from the heroic age down
the sudden rise and sad eclipse Cnederay Here the
bospher may employ depicting the lives Of usrous South
philosopher the political economist and the socloog
may busy peculiar problems life and
The life early colonial the
Civil Wawe found for the writer's of
thrilling the early settlements has not yet beer
Southern landyea in this very lano
done and enacted in the
the pac pioneer ndaan fight and bloot
worthy be recounted the horrors OF Glencoe
The Revolution has not yet been adequately written
and yet one tale the brave days Of old would
alive the patriot fire and the fame OF your fore
cycle centennial celebrations And that ante beu
Southern fe beautiful, pathal with its mingled saten
smpcwho for the tender OF day th
dead-o portrait the fine old Southern gentleman
time, with his courtesy and urbanty living life Of
hospitality his home among the WOODS
cornfeds of baronal the
oaks and agnias the wcoun And by his
seetpped Southern genewoman, stately and beauhu
SOFT gentle and lowha excellent tne
daughters and proud OF her gaan
housekeeping and beloved by her humble negroes
varied accessories presented for the story
campmeetings the babecues the mue OF militia
constructing the ckeak the OF the ngh1esrt
negroes worthy of the of Robert Burns the pen
Walter Hogah Alas! Soon will pass away the
remember those days and those scenes
Not vet td and well
fo mayhp We still too those tragic scene
perspective recent real to be
the glamour Romance even to be tah1u
recorded by the Many books have been written BY
those who Souhener writes from the South
lacking magnanmty Ih