The Southern Literary Messenger, Volume I., 1834-35Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Volume I., 1834-35
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
We beg the reader to bear it in mind that these are the productions of
a young, inexperienced, and almost uneducated girl, and that they are
not to be tried by the tests which are usually applied to more matured
efforts. In conclusion, we will say in the language of Dr. Morse, her
biographer, "that her defects will be perceived to be those of youth
and inexperience, while in invention, and in that mysterious power of
exciting deep interest, of enchaining the attention, and keeping it
alive to the end of the story; in that adaptation of the measure to
the sentiment, and in the sudden change of measure to suit a sudden
change of sentiment, in wild and romantic description, and in the
congruity of the accompaniments to her characters, all conceived with
great purity and delicacy, she will be allowed to have discovered
uncommon maturity of mind; and her friends to have been warranted in
forming very high expectations of her future distinction."
We are pleased to learn that it is in contemplation by Miss Davidson's
friends, to publish a new and improved edition of her works, with
various additions from her unpublished manuscripts.
THE PILGRIMS OF THE RHINE; by the author of Pelham, Eugene Aram, &c.
_New York: Published by Harper & Brothers_--1834.
Mr. Bulwer's novels have acquired no inconsiderable degree of
popularity in the circles of fashionable literature. Whether they are
destined to survive the temporary admiration bestowed on them, is at
this time a subject of speculation; but in the next generation, will
become matter of fact. We are among those who think that they will
quietly glide into that oblivious ocean, which is destined to receive
a large proportion of the ever multiplying productions of this
prolific age. We do not say this either, in disparagement of many of
those labors of the mind which even intrinsic excellence cannot save
from perishing. Great and valuable as some of them undoubtedly are,
such is the onward march of intellect, and such the endless creations
which fancy and genius are continually rearing for man's gratification
and improvement,--to say nothing of the almost illimitable progress of
science, that posterity will find no room for the thousandth part of
our present stock of literature. We do not anticipate that {54} Mr.
Bulwer's writings will be among the select few which will outlive the
general wreck; because, unless we are much mistaken, he is one of
those authors who write more for present than permanent fame. This is
emphatically the age of great moral and mental excitability. It is a
period of incessant restlessness and activity; and he who would expect
to command much attention, must seek to gratify the appetite for
novelty and variety, even at the expense of good sense, sound morality
and correct taste. We incline to the opinion that Mr. Bulwer has
forgotten, that society in the aggregate, frequently resembles the
individual man; and that whilst it often experiences paroxysms of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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