while with another and better class, we will be accused of underrating the intelligence of the American people; since many well-meaning persons do not scruple to affirm, that for the diffusion of knowledge our country is preeminent. The statement of

census it was ascertained, that there were in the United States 540,000 free white persons over the age of twenty years, unable to read or white; and it was further proven by the same document, that 45,000 of these were to be found in the State of New York, the very centre and focus of this cheap

nance men always feel at avowing their ignorance, we must be convinced that the number instead of being exaggerated falls far short of the reality, and the state of things it exhibits should be anything but flattering to our national vanity.

far the more profitable employment; Cooper, al most the only one who keeps the field, waging war against a pestilent horde of hornets, which have been attacking him, much to the delight of the public, who however should recollect that," Insects have driven the lion mad ere now," and that it is one simple fact will answer these: by the recent an indication of a very unwholesome state of public feeling, (to say the least of it,) when such attempts are not frowned down by an indignant public. Where then is our literature, we ask again? and the only reply which can be given is, that it must be sought for in the ephemeral pages of Magazine or Review, or in the still more fleeting columns of publication. When we consider the natural repugthe weekly, or daily newspaper; and in these fragile depositories, we often meet with bursts of eloquence, of pathos and of poetry, worthy of a stronger casket; and evincing the hidden germs of talent needing but light and culture to spring up in full life and vigor, and produce a boundless harvest. In the early stages of colonial existence, the It is a mournful thing to contemplate, when the people did not feel the want of a literature, because voice of a free and prosperous people can find only they were in fact too busy to read; their very exsuch an imperfect utterance as this; not naturally istence was but a continued struggle against cold dumb, but finding none to listen to its first imperfect and hunger; their time fully occupied in felling giutterances, and train it to clear and open speech! gantic forests, and contending against the wiles and It is a proof, that there must be something at bot-artifices of savage men, the supply of their animal tom radically wrong-what that something is, it wants, and the support of their wives and families behoves us to investigate. Let us see if we can left no leisure for the cultivation of their inteltrace it. It may be replied to this, that we have lects. The descendants of the Puritans, again, inherited a literature with our language, that the thought One Book all sufficient, they cared not for English literature, with its world-renowned names what was written in any other book, than the Book and priceless treasures of thought, is ours by right of God. Possessed with a gloomy fanaticism, of birth, and that we need no other; but is this they turned with sullen scorn from the accomplishtrue, can any one pretend, that the works of the ments, as well as the frivolities of their foes, the master minds of England, are familiar to the great Cavaliers, and despised the cultivation they had mass of our people; and their names regarded as never known. In the South alone was literature household words; alas! it is not so, and every edu- regarded; the descendants of the Cavaliers, absorbed 'cated man knows and deplores the fact. Some of in reverential love for Mother England, (no stepthem no doubt are familiar to the people, as Shaks- mother then,) acknowledged her literature, as well peare for example, but he is the property of the as her laws; both sufficed for them. Under such a whole civilized world; so too with Milton, and state of things, American Literature could not be probably a few of the more recent English authors; expected to take root; and accordingly, we first but to the great bulk of our people, the "well of find indications of a growing Literature, after the English undefiled," from which they are told to revolution, when a Literature peculiar to the men drink, is a sealed spring, and they are driven to and country sprang up, some relics of which we quench their thirst at the muddy and polluted streams still possess; such, for example, as Trumbull's of German mysticism, or French licentiousness."McFingal," Barlow's "Columbiad" and other Our very language has shared in the general dete- similar productions strongly imbued with the spirit rioration; it is no longer the bold manly Saxon and prejudices of the time. But they, too, were tongue which is spoken now, but a piebald jargon a busy race,-busied in framing constitutions and of mingled Latin, French and English. It has making laws; and for a long time the death strugbecome ungenteel to speak good English, it must gle between the Federal and Democratic parties conbe plentifully interlarded with scraps of French, or vulsed the whole country and absorbed the minds Italian, to please the fastidious ear of "good socie- of all intelligent and educated men; for some time ty," and the sweet and simple ballads which made subsequent to the Revolution, the facilities for obmusic of the English tongue, when warbled by taining education were limited to a few, and these some artless girl, have given place to Italian "Ca- chiefly became political leaders, but the excitement vatinas," and "Dolce Concentos." We know gradually subsided, and the long breathing-time of that these opinions may subject us to the charge of peace which intervened, gave leisure and opportubeing "Gothic" and "old-fashioned," and to such nity of mental culture, which was not neglected other elegant phrases of fashionable contempt; by the youth of the country. Education had al

ways been duly regarded by the early settlers, and it did appear somewhat unfair, that an editor, who Harvard and others had set the example of found-paid fifty guineas for an article of Macaulay's or ing colleges, and contributing a "bushel of books" Wilson's, expecting to reimburse himself by the to begin with; but now the school-master rose into circulation of his review, should thus be forestalled, importance, and by his humble, but useful labors, by one who had not paid a cent for it, except the became an important element in the prosperity of postage on his single number sent him by his "Lonthe American People. don correspondent:" but then the work was so cheap, With increasing cultivation and intelligence, a and the times so hard, that the public shut its eyes demand for native literature arose and American and gulped the dose. But the hole opened by one, authorship raised its lead; Paulding and Irving others thought they might creep through too. The in "Salmagundi,” proved to the people, that wit misfortune of encouraging an immoral principle, and humor were not confined to one side of the does not always appear in its immediate effects, Atlantic; and the publication of the "Sketch- but in the consequences to which it inevitably leads. book" convinced our neighbors, over the water, of Other publishers were smitten with the value of the same fact. C. B. Brown showed that Godwin the discovery and pressed on in the footsteps of |might be rivalled, if not surpassed, in powerful de- their brother, the sympathies of the good-natured lineation of single passions, and delicate anatomy public were enlisted by the assurance that it was of the human mind. Edwards, in his acute and their interest the publishers had at heart in this powerful work" on the Will," proved that Ame-move, that they had long been grievously imposed rica possessed a metaphysician fully able to cope upon by the regular publishers, and as a proof, they with any in Scotland, or elsewhere; and Bryant could now procure from them the same works at and Halleck strung their lyres to notes of rival one tenth of the former price. The eager public sweetness. But the arts of peace were again ban- swallowed the bait so skilfully offered; dreadfully ished by the clash of arms, and, when that ceased, incensed were they against the mercenary pubby the contests of rival political parties, continued, lishers, who had so long, as they thought, been under different names, and with different princi- plundering them; and proportionably grateful to ples and watchwords, down to the present time; the public-spirited citizens who had opened their during which time Literature, though not very eyes to the fact. ardently cultivated, was yet slowly but surely pro- The newspaper press, too, which, in this country, gressing, as many names, eminent in history and in nine cases out of ten, follows, instead of attemptfiction can testify, when the death-blow was given ing to lead the public sentiment, took up the cry, by some of her pretended friends, under the pre- and Cheap Literature literally deluged the land. text of "introducing her to the Million." It is a In spite of Shakspeare's opinion to the contrary, curious thing, that, from time immemorial, there every day's experience teaches us, that "much is has seemed to be a natural enmity existing between in a name," and it was verified in this instance; -authors and publishers, although from their close for the public did not pause to inquire whether this connexion one would suppose otherwise; in most literature was cheap or not, but took it for granted, other trades, between the maker of a commodity and proceeded to act accordingly; they did not reand the vender of the same, a friendly relation sub-flect that there is a kind of Literature which would sists; not so with authors and publishers; from the be dear at any price, or even at no price at all; time that the "learned lexicographer" knocked They did not consider that money is not the only down his bookseller, to the present day, the quarrel standard of value, though the most common and has been kept up, until the final blow has been obvious; and that even a gift, might be dearly paid stricken, which has brought Literature, (in this for, if the acceptance of it entailed a breach of country at least,) down to the "last stage of a de- moral honesty upon the acceptor; and, therefore, cline." Under a system of liberal remuneration to the wrongs sustained both by authors and publishers authors, and moderate profits to publishers, both of the pirated works, were not reflected upon; they parties were gradually progressing to the entire did not consider that this cheap system was founded satisfaction of the public; when the idea suggested in fraud and supported by injustice, and heedless, or itself to the mind of an "enterprising publisher" in forgetful of the true but homely adage, “that the New York, that this was but a slow way of getting receiver is as bad as the thief," each individual rich, and that a "good speculation" might be made shifted the responsibility off his own shoulders, by establishing a system of small profits and quick and profited by the fraud which he thus aided in retorns; and inasmuch as piracy was more pro- sustaining. Nay, some of the publishers rendered fitable than free trade, he determined to reprint in bold by impunity, and the apparent sympathy of the cheap form the popular English Magazines, for public, had the effrontery to tax with ingratitude which, as he paid nothing, he had but to reimburse the indignant authors, whose labors they had aphimself for the expense of paper and printing. propriated to their own profit, reproaching them This scheme was carried into execution; the moral with an indifference to fame, because they mursense of the public was, at first, a little shocked; mured at robbery; the American who can read with

out a blush, the letters of Carlyle and Sydney Smith, | cast the whole system into disrepute, if fully proven upon this subject, must entertain very different and sustained. views of moral honesty from ours; since the rea- The first works with which this movement comsoning of the publishers to them, resembles closely menced, as we before observed, were the republithat used by the sage Augustus Tomlinson in " Paul cations of English Magazines; then succeeded the Clifford," who comforts the dispirited traveller, rapid and cheap republications of English novels; whose pockets he has rifled, with the assurance, the sale of these was so profitable that reprints of that he has been made to perform a benevolent standard works of fiction followed next, with occaaction in relieving the wants of the distressed. sionally, a work of grave and solid character, to

We are aware that these are hard truths, but as give a character to the undertaking. A thirst for we believe them to be true, no sensibility shall pre-works of fiction was thus created among the readvent our giving them utterance, and expressing ing public, the demand exceeded the supply, and plain things in plain words; to the motives of those they were compelled to eke out with works of very who differ from us, we accord all due credit, but it inferior merit, and these tended to vitiate still does seem to us that no chain of reasoning, however further the public taste by the application of stimusubtle and ingenious, can do away with the force lants until solid food was distasteful to them; alof the plain statement of facts set forth above. though, as yet, no positive evil has been done. But We are not ignorant of the fact, that many inge- the unprecedented success of this new movement nious defences have been made for the publishers called another class into the field; the harpies of to palliate their invasion of the rights of authors; Literature came flocking in unbidden to the banquet, some even going so far as to deny that an author has any property in the creations of his own mind, and that by the act of publication, he makes them the common property of all mankind, and loses all claim upon them; this argument cannot possibly stand the test of a moment's reflection; if admitted, it would strike at the root of all intellectual labor, and make the very existence of copyright a continued injustice.

Can it be seriously urged that one Butcher and Tailor, who cater solely to our physical wants, shall be amply remunerated; while he, whose labors are directed towards the cultivation of the most noble portion of our nature, who addresses himself to the immortal mind of man, shall lay his priceless gifts at our feet, and there, like a poor pensioner, humbly wait for the alms which we may be pleased to bestow upon him if such are to be the rewards, and such the position of those, who waste the flower of their youth and the vigor of their manhood, in painful and protracted study, "Slaves of the Lamp," uncheered by the sweet smile of woman, or the inspiring plaudits of the crowd; how mad must he be, who would voluntarily incur a doom of such painful drudgery and abject slavery!

:

and defiled with their filthy touch the food which was to be set before the people; the licentious novels of Charles Paul de Kock and George Sand (Mdme Dudevant) and other kindred spirits were translated and published in pamphlet-form, thrown before the public just at the time when it was thirsting for new excitement; they spread like wildfire, and were followed by others of similar character, until the public sentiment, in the large cities, became so vitiated, that works of gross immorality were openly vended in the public streets. Nor did the evil stop here, for it spread in a black and filthy stream over the length and breadth of our land.

It may be thought that we had exaggerated the extent of this evil, but we do not speak from hearsay, but from the evidence of our own senses. During the last two years, we have visited almost every section of our Union, and the books which met our view more often than any other, were the pestilent French novels to which we have alluded; through the untiring energy of agents, these books have penetrated into the most secluded villages, tainting the public morals and scattering the seeds of vice broadcast over the land; and this is the substitute which "Cheap Publication" has given us for a wholesome Literature of our own.

The topic is a fruitful one, but we think enough has been said to sustain the positions we have advanced, viz: that the system has crushed and De Kock has been called "The Bulwer of destroyed all native authorship, and that it is France," but the very coupling of their names tobased upon the most glaring wrong and injustice; gether is an insult to the latter, who, if he has at and we therefore proceed to substantiate our third times deviated from the strict line of propriety, charge, which is, that the character of the most would yet scorn to prostitute his talents to the dewidely circulated publications of this class, is such, tail of scenes of low vice and criminal indulgence, as to taint and corrupt the minds of our youth. and such seems to be the sole aim and end of the The injury complained of in the second charge is French novelist, to render virtue ridiculous and of a nature not immediately perceptible to super- vice attractive, and the very talent he displays in ficial observers, the bad effects being consequential, the prosecution of his task renders his novels the rather than immediate; but this last evil is of such most dangerous as well as the most fascinating to an open and glaring character as to be obvious to inexperienced youth. But they are very cheap,” the dullest perception, and of itself, sufficient to " only one shilling," and, therefore, prudent fathers

of families must encourage a system which reduces, plundered authors and publishers on the other side of so much the price of books, &c.

THE "STONE HOUSE."

lion, who, after their leader's death, still held out so pertinaciously against Governor Berkley. This surmise, however, would seem to be unfounded. Firstly, it is well known that those followers of Bacon, occupied West-Point at the head of York River, strongly fortified it and made it their place of arms. That post in their hands actually proved impregnable against repeated assaults of the Governor's forces under Ludwell. And Sir William Berkley at length, fatigued by their resolute defence, in order to induce their surrender, was obliged to offer the rebels there a general pardon, which nothing less than the last necessity could have extorted from him. The position occupied by Bacon's adherents at West-Point being so strong and every way convenient, there could have been no motive to prompt them to build another fortification on Ware Creek.

The "Stone House," as it is called, is perhaps the most curious and interesting relic in Virginia. Two accounts of it appeared some time since, one in the Richmond Whig, the other in the Farmer's Register. From them the following description is gathered. The "Stone House" is situated on Ware Creek, a tributary of York River, in the county of James City. It is distant from the mouth of Ware creek five miles, from Williamsburg fifteen, and from Jamestown twenty-two. The walls and chimney which remain are composed of sandstone. The house is eighteen and a half feet by fifteen in extent. It consists of a basement room under ground and a story above. On the West side is a door-way six feet wide, giving entrance to both apartments. There are loop-holes in the walls, measuring on the inside twenty by ten inches, on the outside twenty by four. The walls are in the basement two feet thick, in the upper story eighteen inches thick. The masonry bears marks of having been executed with great care and nicety. The house stands in an extensive waste of woods, on a high knoll or promontory, around the foot of which winds Ware Creek. The structure fronts on the Creek, being elevated one hundred feet above its level and standing back three hundred feet from its margin. The spot is approached only by a long circuitous defile, the comb of a ridge, in some places so narrow that two carts could not pass abreast. This defile is, besides, involved in such a labyrinth of dark ridges of forest and deep gloomy ravines, mantled with laurel, that it is said to be next to So much for these conjectures. I now beg leave impossible to find the way without the aid of a to suggest another, founded on the following pasguide. Nor is the place more accessible by water. The surrounding country is described as the most broken and desert track to be found East of the Blue Ridge.

In the next place, it is altogether improbable that the vindictive vigilance of Berkley would have suffered Bacon's followers unmolested to erect such a work as the "Stone House," whose elaborate construction would seem rather to indicate that it was built in the leisure of peace, than in the anxious precipitancy of a hard-pressed and hopeless rebellion.

Lastly, of Bacon's rebellion, there are several minute circumstantial accounts and it is improbable that Beverley, T. M. and others would have omitted a fact so interesting as the erection of a fortified work on Ware Creek, when they were detailing so many other particulars of less conse

quence.

sage:

"We built also a fort for a retreat neere a convenient river, upon a high commanding hill, very hard to be assalted and easie to be defended, but ere it was finished this defect caused a stay. In searching our casked corne, we found it halfe rotten and the rest so consumed with so many thousands of rats that increased so fast, but their originall was from the This did drive us all to our wits end, for there was nothing ships, as we knew not how to keepe that little we had. in the country but what nature afforded." ✶ ✶ “But this want of corne occasioned the end of all our works, it being worke sufficient to provide victuall."-Smith's Hist. of Va.,

The singular structure of the old "Stone House" and its wild secluded desolate site have naturally given rise to several traditions and conjectures as to its origin and purpose. It is said, that there is a neighborhood tradition, that the house was erected as early as thirteen years after the landing at Jamestown-and that it was built by the famous pirate Blackbeard, as a depository of his plunder.This B. III., p. 227.

hypothesis, however, involves a serious anachro- Upon lately meeting with this passage in Smith, nism; since it is well established that Blackbeard I was forcibly struck with the coincidence between did not figure in the waters of Virginia until about the fort thus spoken of by him and the "Stone the year 1717-more than a century after the land- House." If the conjecture be well founded, it will ing at Jamestown. entitle that structure to the claim of being the oldest house in Virginia, if not in the United States, as the fort mentioned by Smith was erected about the year 1608-9, only two or three years after the landing at Jamestown, which would make it about two hundred and thirty-four years old. Smith says Another conjecture, much more plausible than "We built also a fort for a retreat;" that is a reeither of those above-mentioned, is that the house treat from the Indians, in case Jamestown should was built by the adherents of Bacon in his rebel- have been overpowered. "Neere a convenient

Another fanciful conjecture is, that the "Stone House," like the cave where Dido entertained Eneas, was a sort of rendezvous meeting-place of Captain Smith and Pochahontas! This is rather too romantic.