kindness during an absence from home, you owe it Could such a person have a delicately toned, or to those who have entertained you, to inform them a highly cultivated intellect? Were not his faculof your safe return, and to thank them for their ties spread over too large a surface to be of much hospitality and attention." very "The responsibility of seconds in a duel, is depth or strength? And were not his low drudgegreat; and should be seriously regarded by all ries altogether incompatible with refinement and whom circumstances place in that unfortunate posi- dignity of mind? Must not his mental efforts retion. The seconds may always prevent a duel from semble the gambols of a cart-horse, turned out to taking effect; and they always ought. They should play on a frosty winter-morning? Would not his be astute in contriving forms of apology and expla- hearers think, nation which may satisfy one party without compromitting the honor of the other. It is idle to "E'en sober Dobbin lifts his clumsy heels, say that the parties cannot be reconciled; and that And kicks, disdainful of the dirty wheels?" nothing will conquer their determination to meet. Out of Ireland no man has that recklessness of life, All these appeared, as Falstaff says, 'questions and out of hell, no man that malignity of feeling to be asked.' We asked them, in thought, as we which will overcome the natural, earnest wish of sat waiting for the preacher; and as we saw him, every one to escape mortal risk, if it can be done with a rather ungraceful stoop, and more ungraceconsistently with reputation. Something may al-ful half run, pace along the aisle to his pulpit, ways be contrived, by which both may retire with flying colors." they were soon and decisively answered. Passages like these may be greatly multiplied: and it is a matter for serious regret, that counsels adapted so well to humanize intercourse and make it pleasant, should have had their currency clogged by union with such false and mischievous principles as are pointed out in the beginning of this notice. A book, good in the main, but bad in part, ́is like a brilliant genius, with one or two conspicuous vices. The goodness, the intellect, passes uncopied the evil only impresses itself upon men's minds. "Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile." It is the nature of imitators, to copy only, or at least chiefly, the defects of their models. Were we not right, in forbearing to present our friend with "The Canons of Good-Breeding?" Vandalia, Illinois, Oct. 24. BEECHER'S LECTURES. M. Seven Lectures to Young Men, on various important subjects; delivered before the young men of Indianapolis in the winter of 1843-'4. By HENRY WARD BEECHER. pp. 195. The prayer was unambitiously simple; like that of one who feels his wants, and consciously humbles himself at the feet of his Maker: and it was full of the true eloquence which that feeling, in a strong mind, must inspire. The text was one of dicate that the WHOLE WORLD was embraced in those passages in the New Testament, which inChrist's plan of beneficence. Having begun his discourse with a few clear and energetic remarks upon this universality of the Saviour's aims, the preacher passed on, by a most easy and natural transition, to inculcate on his hearers a concern for the good of others. The sermon was in fact on Generosity and Selfishness: a masterly portraiture of him who lives only for himself, and of him who lives chiefly, if not only, for his fellow-men: a powerful dissuasive from the charity which both begins and ends at home,—and a resistless, closely reasoning exhortation to active benevolence and enlarged public spirit, as the surest means of promoting even the individual's own welfare. We never heard any other sermon so well calculated to make good men. The wisdom of its thoughts, and Spending the last Sunday of October in the me- the unobtrusive beauty of their dress, were alike tropolis of Indiana, we went, by invitation of a remarkable. There was plenty of rhetorical orfriend, to hear a young Presbyterian preacher-a nament, bold and original enough for Demosthenes; son of the eloquent Doctor Lyman Beecher. The but so happily disposed, and couched in words of character given of the young man, biassed us such simplicity, that it would hardly be deemed greatly in his favor. He was described as a man- ornament-it seemed an essential part of the fabof-all-work in the town: a mainspring of the Agri-ric itself, of the sermon; windows, that gave it the cultural and Horticultural societies; the man al- best light, as "good Mr. Baxter," we believe, calls ways ready with addresses at their meetings: fore-illustrative imagery. most in promoting Sunday-schools, and in giving Hereafter," thought we on our way to dinner, strong and wholesome impulses to common-schools: "let no man talk of literary leisure, or of a life a temperance advocate of the first order: a steady domestic drudge, too: cutting wood, making fires, milking the cow whenever a "help" was not to be had, as often happens there; taking all manner of hard labor off his wife's hands; and thinking it no condescension, far less a disgrace, to do any kind of work that either man or woman should do. devoted to elegant studies, as tending to richness, elevation, or power of mind. Never again shall we believe house-work, garden-work, field-work, or stable-work, at all unfriendly to head-work, of the noblest kind.” That evening, our friend confided to us, for a more venerable friend in Virginia, the book named at the head of this article--Beecher's LECTURES on the point of becoming gamblers from having TO YOUNG MEN. We read it nearly through, in a taken the first step, we invoke attention to Mr. day's journey by stage. It pleased us nearly, or Beecher's chart of the path by which a gambler quite as much as the sermon of its author. Few goes, insensibly, from innocence to the depths of books are so eloquent, or so wISE. ruin. As Let not the reader mistake the meaning of this word wise, as the children did in one of Jane Tay"A young man, proud of freedom, and anxious lor's admirable dialogues. We intend not by it to exert his manhood, has tumbled his sober books any of the altitudes of philosophy: we have not learned various accomplishments; to flirt, to boast, and letters of counsel into a dark closet. He has the remotest reference to Aristotle or Plato, New-to swear, to fight, to drink. He has let every one ton or Locke, Kant or Leibnitz; nor to a long of these chains be put around him, upon the solemn beard, with gray locks, environed by mouldy books, promise of Satan that he would take them off in an old-fashioned house with tall, narrow win-whenever he wished. Hearing of the artistic dows and mossy walls. We mean by WISDOM, Sim-So, he ponders the game: to-day he learns whist; feats of eminent gamblers, he emulates them. ply using the best means to attain the best ends. to-morrow, brag; Saturday, bluff; and Sunday, And we call Mr. Beecher's book WISE, because it poker. He teaches what he has learned to his employs a strain of eloquence hardly surpassable, shop-mates, and feels himself their master. to accomplish that best end,-human virtue and yet he has never played for stakes. It begins thus: human happiness. Peeping into a bookstore, he watches till the sober The Lectures are seven. customers go out; then slips in, and with assumed I. Industry and Idle- boldness, ill-concealing his shame, he asks for ness. II. Twelve Causes of Dishonesty. III. cards, buys them, and hastens out. The first game Sir Warnings. IV. The Portrait Gallery. V. is to pay for the cards. After the relish of playGamblers and Gambling. VI. The Strange Wo-ing for a stake, no game can satisfy them without man. VII. Popular Amusement. To quote the a stake. A few nuts are staked; then a bottle of good passages on these various topics, would be to ture a sixpence in actual money-just for the wine; an oyster-supper. At last they can ventransfer nearly the whole volume into our pages: amusement of it. I need go no further--whoever we have not space for a tithe of those which we wishes to do any thing with the lad, can do it now. feel particularly desirous to copy. If properly plied and gradually led, he will go to Among the "Twelve Causes of Dishonesty," any length. Do you doubt it? Let us trace him a the most prominent are Parental Example-the year or two further on. ་ He has Teachings of Employers-Extravagance-Debt-tears, the young man departs from home. "With his father's blessing, and his mother's Political Zeal-Executive Clemency-and Com- received his patrimony, and embarks for life and mercial Speculations. No newspaper but should independence. Upon his journey he rests at a city; forthwith copy, in successive numbers, the impres-visits the school of morals;' lingers in more sussive warnings that our young working Preacher picious places; is seen by a sharper, and makes gives on these seven subjects. No merchant's his acquaintance. The knave sits by him at dinclerk, journeyman mechanic, professional man, or of advice; cautions him against sharpers; enquires ner; gives him the news of the place, and a world young person of any description, but should study if he has money, and charges him to keep it sethese warnings, and look to his ways. Hear what cret; offers to make with him the rounds of the the author says of town and secure him from imposition. At length, that he may see all, he is taken to a gambling-house, Dishonesty learned from one's employers. The but, with apparent kindness, warned not to play. boy of honest parents and honestly bred, goes to a He stands by, to see the various fortunes of the trade, or a store, where the employer practices game; some, forever losing some, touch what legal frauds. The plain honesty of the boy ex-number they will, gaining piles of gold. Looking cites roars of laughter among the better taught is thirst where wine is free. A glass is taken; clerks. The master tells them that such blunder- another of a better kind; next the best the landing truthfulness must be pitied the boy evidently lord has, and two glasses of that. A change has been neglected, and is not to be ridiculed for comes over the youth; his exhilaration raises his what he could not help. At first, it verily pains courage and lulls his caution. Gambling seen, is a the youth's scruples and tinges his face, to fraine different thing from gambling painted by a pious deliberate dishonesty,--finish, and polish it. His father!--Just then his friend remarks, that one tongue stammers at a lie; but the example of a might easily double his money by a few ventures; rich master, the jeers and gibes of shop-mates, but that it is, perhaps, prudent not to risk. Only with gradual practice, cure all this. He becomes this was needed to fire his mind. What! only adroit in fleecing customers for his master's sake, prudence between me and gain? Then that shall and equally dextrous in fleecing his master for his not be long! He stakes; he wins. Stakes again; own sake." a wins again. Glorious! I am the lucky man that is to break the bank. He stakes and wins again. At this time, when the thousands who have bet- His pulse races; his face burns: his blood is ted on the Presidential elections are mistaking their all his winnings; loses more. up, and fear gone. He loses; loses again; loses excitements about the dollars they have lost or again: he wins anew. He has now lost all won, for ebullitions of patriotism, and are perhaps self-command. Gains excite him; and losses ex But fortune turns We are sorry to point out one impropriety in language: that widely spread vulgarism, "at the South"-as if the South were a mere point, and not a vast region. Louisa county, Nov. 7. M. cite him more. He doubles his stakes; then | forded no such specimen of typography and statrebles them--and all is swept. He rushes on, tionery. puts up his whole purse, and loses it! Then he would borrow: no man will lend. He is desperate-he will fight at a word. He is led to the street and thrust out. The cool breeze upon his fevered cheek wafts the slow and solemn stroke of the clock,-one,-two, three,-four: four of the morning! Quick work of ruin!-an innocent man destroyed in a night! He staggers to his hotel; remembers as he enters it, that he has not even enough to pay his bill. It now flashes upon him that his friend, who never had left him for an hour before, has stayed behind where his money is; and, doubtless, is laughing over the spoils. His blood boils with rage. But at length comes up the remembrance of home: a parent's training and counsels for more than twenty years, destroyed in a night! EDITOR'S TABLE. NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS. It is not, most generous patrons, because “custom calls me to't" that we tender you the greet"He stalks his lonely room with an agony which ing of "a happy New Year!" We owe you far only the young heart knows in its first horrible more than a mere compliance with custom, and awakening to remorse-when it looks despair full truly do we desire to pay it; and whilst the radiin the face, and feels its hideous incantations tempt-ance of anticipated joys is shining around your ing him to suicide. Subdued at length by agony, paths, we would blend with it the heart-tinted hues cowed and weakened by distress, he is sought again by those who plucked him. Cunning to sub- of our sincere gratitude. 66 In times that have tried men's liberality and made such inroads upon the interests of Literature, Farewell, young man! I see thy steps turned you have stood by the Messenger. When, upon to that haunt again! I see hope lighting thy face; the death of its founder, it was administered upon but it is a lurid light, and never came from Heaven. Stop before the threshold! Turn and bid farewell like any mere chattel in law; when all its conto home!-Farewell to innocence!-farewell to tributors had forsaken it, and its conductor was venerable father and aged mother!-the next step forced to fill its pages with matter from works that shall part thee from them forever." had been circulated as widely as itself, all over the Country, and many lukewarm supporters withdrew, your friendship failed not. When a new Editor, unknown and inexperienced, assumed its management in this depressed condition, you continued firm and generous, taking us upon trial, and encouraging us by your favor. Many of you have not only enlisted in its support in the hour of its greatest depression, but have done so because it had passed into our hands. Conceive a composition of such power as the foregoing extract, delivered with a natural, earnest, and not ungraceful energy; and it is obvious, that the effect must be very great. To us it seems wonderful, if any of the young men to whom these appeals were addressed, could hold out against them. Hardened indeed must be the heart,-inveterate the evil habits, which would not melt before eloquence so truthful and so persuasive. Under such most flattering circumstances, how Happy the town, that has within it such a min-recreant would we be to every sentiment that could ister as the author of this book! We do not know fit us for the position we occupy, did not the heart whether he is appreciated by his neighbors accord- dictate the expression of thanks which we now ing to his deserts or not: probably not: for men offer you. We sigh for gifts which, alas! we do never do fully know their benefactors, till they are not possess, to enable us to make a suitable acgone from them. Human reward, fortunately, is not knowledgment for the favors that have been shown the reward such benefactors look for. How proud-us. In lieu of the grace of compliment and the inly does he contrast with some sleepy clergymen spiration of Genius, we present you the sincerity of we wot of, who are horrified by the thought of a truth. Temperance Address in a country-church on the Sabbath, after sermon; but will go and eat a sumptuous dinner cooked that day-sip wine, read the newspapers, and talk politics or scandal the whole afternoon!—or with another, of whose withdraw-ship? ing from the Temperance Society in his village, a bar-keeper boasted, as having increased his sales of liquor fully thirty dollars a week! The getting up of Mr. B.'s book is particularly good; and most creditable to the young sylvan borough where it is published. Richmond has af SOLICITING PATRONAGE. Citizen. You must think, if we give you any thing, we hope to gain by you. Coriolanus. Well then, I pray, your price o' the consul Citizen. The price is, Sir, to ask it kindly? Kindly? Sir, I pray, let me ha't. I have wounds to show you, sir What say you? Citizen. You shall have it, worthy Sir. In entering upon another year, the Messenger | has to solicit a continuance and an increase of the public patronage. Like Love, it can not live upon air. In asking patronage we have always felt somewhat like Coriolanus, in offering for the Consulship, "Better to starve, Than crave the hire which first we do deserve." NORTHERN VIEWS OF A SOUTHERN JOURNAL. We ask the attention of our readers, especially in the South, to the following letter. This is not the first time that such notions have been brought to our notice, though they have never come to us so directly as to merit any remark. On one occasion we saw in a Northern paper a violent attack upon the Messenger, and through it upon the whole South, its talent, literature and moral character. Such newspaper squibs always pass unheeded. But now a subscriber to the Messenger, from its foundaBut we would have the Messenger proclaimed tion, assigns its slavery articles as the reason for his disconConsul in the Republic of Letters, and maintained tinuance. Of course we allow the largest liberty to all our with a munificence proportioned to Consular dig- they choose to assign their reasons, it is our right and duty patrons and ask no reasons for their quitting us. But when nity. Hence would we "kindly" ask the Public to correct the mistakes and remove the ignorance involved voices. In these days of competition and puffiing, in those reasons. Our comments will be pointed out by the it is indispensable to make some efforts to extend figures in the letter. the circulation of a Literary Journal, especially a Southern one. Will not our present patrons assist us in this effort? A word from them will procure us many a new subscriber. The position of the Messenger, its aims, character, and ascertained If the Southern taste requires that a public Journal should utility, and the immense region it has to sustain it, be prostituted to pander solely to a tyrannic and lucre-lovdemand AT LEAST TWENTY THOUSAND STANCH SUB-ing sentiment, it argues a retrograde movement in civiliSCRIBERS. Do help us to obtain them. Americus and we have held a consultation upon the subject above referred to, at which the following dialogue ensued. Americus. You say truly, that merit is now often outstript by clamorous commendation of inferior works. As you have excelled your cotemporaries in the usefulness and real excellence of your journal, why not try to excel them in self glorification also. I will dip my pen in the ink of laudation if you think fit. F― M, December 10, 1844. have 10 vols. ending with this year. While Mr. White I have taken the Messenger from the commencement; I lived it was always neutral on exciting subjects. (1) zation which the free States may rejoice to be freed from. (2) A public journal for general circulation, if it admit articles on controversial points, they should be pro and con. Could we see C. M. Clay's speech and letters and those of a kindred character, occasionally interspersed with the rabid slavery essays, we would read them all quietly, hoping that wisdom would assume her rank as civilization advanced. But to hear a learned editor speak of the SCALE of master and slave assigned by God-instead of being forced by cunning and vicious men-carries us back beyond the French Revolution, when a Noble could shoot a peasant for amusement. A Vandal slave-holder can shoot or whip a negro to death and pay a fine. (3) But to steal a negro is rewarded by hanging. I wish Texas annexed, but not for the extension of Editor. No, no! Americus. In this they are unapproachable: we despair of ever excelling them; slavery. The wise men of the South, of the Jeffersonian but equal them we must. A thought has just oc-age, wished and believed that slavery must come to an end, curred to me. or we should do worse. But their degenerate sons are expecting to amass wealth by this plague spot on our Republic. Americus. No doubt, a wise thought, that This is a rapidly increasing age of civilization. But this would have done honor to Solon! Editor. Not so far back as that. I only mean to revert to the times of my Lords Coke and Mans field. The young strippling of the Law can arm himself with the authority of these sages, and drawing his "papers" after the forms of the most skilful pleaders, boldly contend with his ablest competitors. Thus let us arm ourselves with the example and forms of the veterans and sages of publishing, and meet our cotemporaries with their own weapons. relic of the barbarous ages is clung to by those who cannot discern the signs of the times. You affect to despise the philanthropists of the North. Let me tell you, the nineteeeth century will not close and leave a slave on earth-unless in some benighted corner of Asia. (4) I have nothing to do with abolition or any other fanaticism. But will take your No. no longer; go your own way; hug your barbaric arguments; sleep over a volcano; prepare for a revolution that shall shake your sunny hills to their aristocratic centres. Your friend and servant, (The letter was accompanied by a printed extract from Mr. Jefferson.) A rare thought! said Americus, quite delighted; 1. This is a mistake. Neutral on exciting subjects! What and thus you will make them your trumpeters. Ia yea-nay-no-opinion affair, such persons would have the will assist you in selecting, with all my heart. The best of commodities must be kept before the Public. For further particulars see COVER. Messenger to be! It never was "neutral on exciting subjects." It has abstained from the exciting struggles of mere party politics, and religious controversy. On every question affecting the rights and institutions of the South it never was and never will be "neutral." At its birth it was christened the SOUTHERN Literary Messenger. It was bound to prove true to its baptism; and it has done so. While Mr. White lived, it was always decided on the subject of slavery. The complainant says he has ten vols., but he seems to have paid us the compliment of reading our volumes more critically than the others. with distinctive features, Southern yet National, Literary yet philosophical, light yet solid and useful, discussing Public affairs, yet espousing no party, they must go to the SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER, the Literary Organ of the SOUTH AND WEST. As our ten years' friend is about to withdraw the light of his countenance, we can only commend to him the more diligent study of the ten volumes he has; for he well knows that he can not find such a body of truth and excellence in any other work in this country. Had we time, we would look back and collate all the "rabid slavery essays," that appeared before our editorship. But we recollect several very well. Mr. White published a long and "rabid essay," by Judge Harper of South Carolina, and was so much pleased with it, that he also issued a pamphlet edition of it. He did the same with a "rabid essay" by Mr. W. Gilmore Simms, who reviewed Miss Martineau's opinions on slavery. He also published able papers from Judge Beverly Tucker, of William and Mary College, and others; one entitled "Black and White Slavery," we particularly commend to the perusal of the this month so loaded our table. It is a great pleasure to We owe our thanks to the various publishers, who have complainant. Such was the "Neutrality" of the Messenger, "on exciting subjects," ""while Mr. White lived." And had he pursued an opposite course, we would have at once launched our bark upon a different tide. We have never yet put forth our own views upon the question of Slavery, because they have never been called for. But we are a Southerner, and mean to maintain Southern institutions, rights and intetests. So far the Messenger will be distinctively SOUTHERN. In Literature and other general matters, it will be not sectional, but National, and always independent. We do not regard Slavery as a National matter; but the security and peace of the slave-holding States in reference to Slavery are matters of deep NATIONAL interest and obligation. Notices of New Works. herald to the Public publications so beautiful and valuable as many of the following. HARPER & BROTHERS: NEW YORK, 1844-5. BURKE ON THE SUBLIME AND BEAUTIFUL. 2. This is not worthy of any remark; nor is what follows it, save to request our liberal friend to publish some of the Messenger articles by the side of those of his cham-But is it not rather a stretch of fastidiousness to be expurpion, to which he has referred. 3. This displays the ignorance of the writer. We merely offset it, by calling his attention to those who think horsestealing a heinous offence,--but negro-stealing the essence of humanity. 4. We do not despise the philanthropists of any place or age. We only believe in a pseudo philanthropy, that would make victims of those whom it professes to bless. Our friend seems to know more of Asia than he does of Africa, Europe, or America. "What's in a name?" No degradation, no despotism, no ignorance can constitute Slavery! A black laborer and a Southern master; this alone is Slavery! The rest of the letter is too amusing to be remarked upon. We only beseech our friends not to be alarmed; not to start from their slumbers. The world is not at an eud yet, nor our " gating this admirable work of the Right Hon. author? We commend these works with emphasis and pleasure. In them delightful, though difficult enquiries, are presented in a manner most attractive even to those whom the name of 'metaphysics" would fill with horror. Though not correct in all their conclusions, their perusal will quicken thought and enhance all the pleasures of Taste. THE PHILOSOPHY OF RHETORIC. BY GEORGE CAMP- ELEMENTS OF RHETORIC AND LITERARY CRITICISM, &C. The work of Doctor Campbell has long been celebrated for its excellence. It is not only valuable for its investigations in Rhetoric and criticism, but for its genuine philosophy of the human mind. So far as we have looked into the production of Mr Boyd, it seems well adapted to the purposes for which he designed it. Teachers would do well to examine it, in selecting text books for their schools. A 'sunny hills yet shaken from their aristocratic centres." Our only objection to noticing this letter was that it would give it more importance than it deserves. But it is the expression of a feeling that may operate upon others also, and it afforded us a fair opportunity of avowing some of the principles by which we are guided, and of letting the South see that our efforts in her behalf are not unfelt. We appeal to her to know if these efforts shall be unrewarded, by her liberal patronage. The Messenger is Southern and asks a Southern support. Not that we would array the South against the North-far, very far from it. We cordially adopt the motto of Americus South, "In the South and for the South: In the Union and for the Union." But we will vindicate Southern interests from assault, Southern manners from aspersion and Southern Literature from disparagement. This is what our Northern friends should expect from a Southern Journal. The liberal and right thinking of them not only expect but commend it. It is this Here we have Greece in two very attractive forms, the which should give it value in their estimation. If they poetic and the historic. Bishop Thirlwall's history has rewant merely a periodical, they have thousands, “good, bad ceived very high commendations from competent judges. and indifferent," at their doors. If they want a work Of Homer himself any thing would be superfluous. The By the Right Rev. Connop HISTORY OF GREECE. Thirlwall, Lord Bishop of St. David's. To be completed in 8 no.'s at 25 cents each. No's 1, 2 and 3. THE FIRST THREE BOOKS OF HOMER'S ILIAD, according to the ordinary text, and also with the restoration of the digamma. With notes and a glossary. BY CHARLES ANTHON, LL. D. |