PROSPE CTUS

 OF THE Southern Literary Messenger.
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YE HIS IS a monthly Magazine, devoted chiefly to I LITERATURE, but occasionally finding room also articles that fall within the scope of SGT NcE and protesting disdain of tasteful selections though its matter has been it will continue to be, in the main, original.

 Party Politics and controversial Theology, as far possible, are lealously excluded They times so blended with discussions in literature or in moral science, otherwise unobjectonable as to gain admittance for the sake of the more 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 wherewith it is incor- porated.

 Reviews, and Critical Notices occupy their due space in the work and it is the Editors aim that they should have three-fold tendency--to convey, in condensed form, such valuable truths or incl dents as are embodied in the works reviewed,-t 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 10 be burned In this age of publications that by their variety and multitude distract and over- wielm every undiscriulinating student, IMPARTIAL CRITICISM, governed by the views just mentioned, is one of the most inestimabe and indispensable of auxiliaries, to him who DOES WISH to discriminate.

 Essays, and Tales, having in view utility or amusement or both-Hstorica Sketches and Re- miniscences of events too minute for History, yet elucidating it, and heightening it's nterests,-may be regarded forming the staple of the work. And of indigenious Poetry enough is published-some- times of no mean strain-to manifest and to cultl- 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 everished and iritated still from cent political etrites the soft assuasive influence of Literature is needed to allay that fever, and soohe that irritation. Vice and folly are riong abroad :- they should be driven by indignant rebuke, or lash ed by rdicule, into their fitting haunts Ignorance lords it's over an immense proportion of people every spring should be set in motion, to arouse the enlightened. and to increase their number; that the great enemy of popular government may no longer brood like portentous cloud, over the desti- nes of our country. And to accomplish all these ends, what more powerful agent can be employed, than periodical on the plan of the Messenger: il 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 thr ty Is this contrast justified by the wealth. the les- ure, the native talent or the actual literary taste of the Southern people, compared with those of the Northern' No; for in wealth, talents and taste we may justly claim at least an EQUALITY with our brethren; and domestic institution exclusively our own beyond all doubt afford us, five 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 haine of this periodicals and not with any design to noursh local prejndces to advocate supposed local inter ests Far from any such thought, it is the Editors fervent wish, to the North and South bound en- dearingly together forever, in the siiken bands oi mutual kindness and affection. Far from medtatng HOSTILITY to the north he has already drawn, and %aeP ePdih thence s 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 dspel forever the lowering clouds that so lately threatened the peace of both and to brighten and strengthen the sacred ties of iraternal love.

 The Southern Literary Messeagar has now com menced it's ninth rolume and ninth year. How far ii has acted out the ideas here uttered is not for the Editor to say. He believes, however, that it falls not further short of them, than human weakness usually makes PRAcTfcg fall short oi THEORY.

 Richmond, Pa October, lsi3,