PROSPECTUS

 THE Southern Literary Messenger
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~ Il LITERATURE, but occasionally finding room also for articles that fall within the scope of Ser, NcE and protesting disdain of tasteful selections. though it's matter has been it will continue to be- in the main, original.

 Party Politics and controversial Theology, as far as possible, jealously excluded. They are some- times blended with discussions in literature CT in moral science, otherwise unobjectonable, as to gain admittance for the sake of the valuable matter to which they adhere: but whenever that happens, they are incidental, only not primary. They are dross tolerated only because they cannot well be severed from the sterling ore whcrewith it is incor- poraied.

 Reviews, and Critical Notices occupy their due space in the work and it is the Editors aim that they should have a three-fod tendency--to convey, in condensed form, such valuable truths or incl dents as are embodied in the works reyiewed,-to direct the readers attention to books that deserve to be read-and to warn him against wasting time and money upon that large number, which merits only to be burned In this age of publications, that by their variety and multitude distract and over whelm every undlscriminating student IMPARTIAL CRITICISM, governed by the views just mentioned is one of the most inestimable and indispensable of auxiliares, to him who DOES WISH 10 discriminate.

 Essays, and Tales, having in view utility or amusement, or both-Historical Sketches and Re miniscences of events too minute for History, vet elucidaing it, and heightaning it's interests,-may be regarded as forming the staple of the work And of ndigenous Poetry, enough is publshed-some- times of no mean strain-.o manifest and o culti- vate the growing taste and talents of the country.

 The times appear for several reasons, to demand such work--and not one alone, but many. The public mind is fevershed and rritated still from re- cent political sriies the soft assuasve influence of Literature IS needed, to aay that fever, and soothe that irritation. Vice and folly are rioting abroad.- they should be drivensby indignant rebukc, or lash ed by ridicule into feir fitting llaunts. Ignorance lords its over an immense proportion of our people . every spring should be set in motion, to arouse the enlightened. and to increase their number; so that the great enemy of popular government may no longer brood, like portentous cloud, the desti nies of our country. And to accomplish all these ends, what more powerful agent can be employed than periodical on the plan of the Messenger: if that plan be but carried out in practice

 The SOUTH peculiarly requires such an agent- In all the union south of Washington, there are but two Literary periodicals. Northward of that city, there are probably at least twenty-five or thir- y Is this contrast justified by the wealth, the leis- ure, the native talent the actual literary taste of the Southern people, compared with those of the Northern' No; for inwealth, talents and taste, we may justly claim at least an EQUALITY with our brethren and a domestic institution exclusively our own beyond all doubt afford us if we choose twice the leisure for reading and writing which they enjoy

 It was from deep sense of this LOCAL want that the word SOUTHERN was engrafted on the name of this perodica; and not with any design to nourish local prendices to advocate supposed local inter- ests. Far from any such thought, It IS the Editors fervent wish to see the North and South bound en- dearingy together forever, in the siken bands of mutual kindness and affection. Far from meditating HOSTILITY to the north, he has already drawn, and he hopes hereafter to draw, much of his choicest matter thence and happy indeed will he deem him. self, should his pages, by making each region know the other better, contribute in any essential degree to dispel forever the lowering clouds that so lately threatened the peace of both, and to brighten and strengthen the sacred ties of fraternal love.

 The Southern Literary Messengar has now com mencedits ninth rolume, and ninthyear How far it has acted out the ideas here uttered is not for the Editor to say He believes, however, that 1t falls not further short of them, than human weakness usually makes FnAcTrcw fall short of THEORY

 R.rtwon@ "a. Oetober ls45-