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EDITOR'S DEPART MENT. ATHENS, SATURDAY, NO'V’R. 4, 1848. The Editor of the Southern Litetaty Gazette, be ing desirous of developing and eneoutaging Literary Talent in the South, has resolved to offer the sum of One Hundred Dollars, in prizes, as exhibited in the annexed schedule: TIIE FIRST PRIZE For the best Tale of the South, . . Fifty Dollars. THE SECOND PRIZE For'the second best Tale, . - Twenty Dollars. THE FIRST PRIZE For the best Poem, Twenty Dollars, OR A COPY OF HARPER’S SPLENDID PICTORIAL BIBLE. THE SECOND PRIZE For the second best Poem, Ten Dollars, All competitors must send in their MSS. before the 15th day of December ensuing, and they must come, if by post, pre-paid. They should be legibly written on one side of a sheet only. The authors’ names must be sent in separate sealed envelopes, which will not be opened until the prizes have been selected —when the successful competitors will be an nounced. The articles will be submitted to the ex amination ad decision of a Committee, composed of several gentlemen of distinguished character, whose names will be announced in due time. The award of prizes may be expected to be made known in the last number for the present year, and the publication of the First Prize Tale will be commenced with the New Year. The articles offered in competition will become the property of the Editor, and those which are deemed worthy will appear in the Gazette. All communicatious relating to theprizes must be addressed, post-paid, to the Editor. COMMITTEE OF AWARD. The following gentlemen have kindly consented to act as Judges upon the articles offered in compe tition for the above prizes: Professor JAMES P. WADDELL, Dr HENRY HULL, JAMES W, HARRIS, Esq. A Way-Mark. Every period of time, every history of individuals, every enterprize, be it or humble, has its epochs, its marked events properly signalized over others—serving as way-marks upon which to look back in the future, or from which to commence with renewed zeal the onward career. Such an epoch, dear readers, has now occurred in the history of our Journal. Six months have this day elapsed since it first visited your homes. Already has it given you good promise of ‘faithful continuance.’ We are well aware that there were not a few who generous ly predicted the failure of our enterprize! Kind and liberal well wishers (!) to the cause of Southern betters did not fail to admonish us of the peril of our undertaking, which, they averred, was so imminent that they could not think of embarking —what do you suppose, reader 1 their fortunes I their annual incomes ! their spare hundreds I—nay,l—nay, but simply twd Dollars in the fated experiment! Generous, hut prudent men ! They are not responsible for the failure of earnest efforts to redeem the South from her intellectual thraldom —not they; for they would have nothing whatever to do with them, satisfied that they must fail! Well, dear reader, we have not failed yet, though these same generous well wishers make no question that we shall before anoth er six months expires. We have outlived their pro motions, and also those of petty spite and jealousy— hseliugs we gladly believe to have been cherished by ver y, very few ; and why there are any to cherish them, Heaven knows—we do not. “Half of our heavy task is done.” Half of the contract we made with you when we ’ ommenced is performed, and we rejoice at having cached the first distinguishable way-mark in our With renewed zeal, with increasing confi with a firmer purpose, we shall advance upon *®ur way. before our next number is issued, millions of free ,tKn have cast their votes for a chief officer of this mighty confederacy, and the strife of the elec tion will be over. The political hurricane which I §© IS *ff m{glß El ft, HIT Ba A & ©A g BIT IT B ♦ now sweeps over the land will be hushed into a ca’m ; the fever which rages in the body politic will be subdued. Men will once more think soberly—talk rationally—live fraternally. To us, therefore, the new era is one of hope. We have been overshadow ed by the political clouds that have overhung the nation. In one week, the elective franchise will have conveyed their lightnings harmlessly to the earth, and the thunders of contention will cease. In the after-calm we shall doubtless secure the atten tion of hundreds, whose eyes have hitherto been filled only with the portents of the political heavens. We argue thus, because the political campaign has been most frequently made the plea for delaying to contribute to the support of our Journal. ‘We have no time to devote to Literature, now,’ said the statesman, the lawyer, the physician, the planter, the merchant, the teacher, ‘ we devote all our spare moments to politics.’ We will not ask them if their spare time is the only sacrifice they have made at the political shrine; but, now that a week must, de facto, determine the result, and there will be no longer food for protracted excitement, we beg, se riously, to lay the claims of Literature and the Arts before the people of the South. In all the Territory South of the Potomac, there are three—perhaps four—Literary Periodicals; a Quarterly in South Carolina—a Monthly in Virgin ia—a Weekly in Georgia ! Now let us glance, for a moment, at the Territory North of the Potomac. There are half a dozen able Reviews—at least a score and a half of Monthly Magazines—and we do not hesitate to say, a hundred Weekly and Bi monthly Journals—devoted exclusively to Litera ture and the Arts! How striking and how humilia ting the contrast! And can it be that Southerners will suffer this state of things to continue 1 We cannot suppose it —we will not believe it. When, if ever, the painful conviction does reach our mind, we will stop our press, and lay aside our pen in sor row and in shame! But, till then we will ‘hope on’ and toil on, undismayed by difficulties, uncheck ed by obstacles, uncomplaining of ill-rewarded labor, unmindful of the croakings, alike of timid friends and sneering foes, unsatisfied until we have thrown the very last grain of our influence and ability into the scale of intellectual regeneration for the South. The Schoolfellow. Our readers will find, in the present number, a Prospectus of a Magazine for Boys and Girls; and, as this is the very first enterprize of its kind in this region, we trust it will awaken considerable interest and secure a very large patronage. We do not think it necessary to say much concerning it at pre sent, but we shall be pardoned, doubtless, for calling attention to the plan, and soliciting for its further ance the earnest cooperation of parents and teachers in the South. The impressibility of the youthful mind is so uni versally acknowledged, and the importance of giv ing it right impressions so much insisted on, that it cannot be a matter of small moment to establish a Magazine, whose exclusive aim is to supply instruc tion and amusement for the young. The absence of those tastes for Literature and the fine Arts, which is so often deplored by our writers and our orators, will continue to be felt until a generation of educated youth comes upon the stage of society : and to educate the young, in the true sense of the term, their tastes, their minds and their hearts, must all undergo careful culture. As books are one of the great means by which Taste is developed, and the mind well informed, it is no small undertaking to provide a Monthly Maga zine, especially adapted to the juvenile capacity—a work which shall at once inform and delight the mind, develop and mould the taste, and become a companion and friend to the young. Such we pro pose to make ‘ The Schoolfellow.’ The work will he edited, printed and illustrated, with as much care and skill as if it were designed for men and women of acknowledged taste. For, so long as books for the young are made up of silly stories and wretched pictures, so long will they injure and degrade rather than benefit their readers. We shall make ‘ The Schoolfellow ’ in every re spect beautiful; and we mean all that we say, when we assert that no American Juvenile publication in our wide country shall be either handsomer or chea per than that which we now offer to the boys and girls of the South. We hope that our friends, and especially teachers, will proceed immediately to form clubs in their Schools, and send on the lists to us before the holi days commence. We offer the work to our young people on no con tingency except some Providential one. Our life and health being spared, we will publish * The Schoolfellow’ for one year at least. If it is sustain ed as it should be, we will publish it for many years. Bear in mind, that we offer four hundred pages of choice reading, and one hundred beautiful engra vings, for ONE DOLLAR, and to Clubs in Schools for SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS a copy! We hope to obtain a thousand names before the first of De cember ; for, what boy or girl in the South will not desire it ! 3T&e UCtcrari? ffJHorllr. Announcements. —The illustrated edition of the Sketch Book has just been issued by Geo. I*. Put nam. The illustrations are from the pencil of Dar ley, and by the best Engravers. We are impatient to see a copy. The Poems of Mias Anne C. Lynch will shortly appear, in a volume uniform with the splendid illus trated editions of Bryant, Longfellow and Willis.— It is announced by Mr. Putnam, the issues of whoso press are always attractive and recherche. He is also preparing a volume of Poems by J. Bayard Taylor, the pedestrian traveller. The Appletons have issued elegant cabinet edi tions of Gil Bias and Don Quixotte, with numerous fine steel plates, at a very low price—a truly accept able service to the reading public. Mr. Cooper’s “Oak Openings” has already reach ed a third edition. General Gleanings. —The Literary World has the following items of foreign literary news : Lyell, the English Geologist, has been knighted by the Queen, Lord Brougham is about to publish a letter to Lord Lansdowne, on French affairs. Art Items.— Goupil, Vibert& Cos., of New York, will publish next month the splendid print from Mount’s beautiful picture of “ The Power of Mu sic.” It will be a gem of Art worth possessing.— They also announce a series of Views of the most in teresting objects and scenery of the United States of America, engraved in Paris, in magnificent style, from drawings by Kbllner. For each number of six plates, the price will be only Two Dollars. A Gift for the Queen. —We learn that a copy of the Springfield Unabridged Edition of Webster’s Dictionary has been bound by J. B. Lippincott & Cos., of Philadelphia, in a style worthy of the object for which the volume is designed—presentation to Queen Victoria. It is surely something for our coun try, that it can afford England’s Queen so magnifi cent a lexicon of her own language! <Dur ffifosstp Column. The ladies are down upon our luckless correspon dent, Peter Schlemil, Jr., to use a common simile, “ like a thousand of brick.” We have heard some of them avow that “ they will now wear the ‘jack et’ more than ever —just to let Peter Schlemil know that they are not to be frightened by a man whose father lost his shadow, and who, of course, must be destitute of one himself!” We admire the spirit of our fair friends, and cannot refuse to publish the note of our correspondent, Jerusha, although she says harder things of Peter than we think are me rited : At Home, Oct. 28th. Mr. Editor: I have just read in your paper of to day, the ill-natured letter of your good-for-nothing correspondent, Peter Schlemil, Jr., and I feel com pelled to reply to his ridiculous insinuations and pointless satire. In the first place, Sir, I beg to ask what Mr. Schlemil, or Mr. Any-body-else, has to do with the toilet of the ladies. Things have come to a pretty pass, indeed, if we are not to adopt any style of dress we please, without consulting the so called “ lords of creation.” Lords of creation—in deed ! Why now, Sir, I put it to your candor, as a married man, if this is not an idle, empty, and pre posterous assumption. The ladies are the true sove reigns ; and we know it well enough. But let that pass; and I ask again, what have the men to do with our modes of dress I Are we to consult them as to how many flounces we shall wear on our frocks —or how many skirts we shall wear under them 1 The idea is infinitely amusing. And pray, Sir, why then are we assailed for wearing a very pretty, ap propriate and fashionable article, variously known as a Josey, a Jump, or a Jacket! Let me tell Peter Schlemil that we do not intend to intimate thereby a predilection for the vulgar nether garments whose name I blush to write even. But one thing 1 will say, and that is this: if ever Mr. Schlemil should have the presumption to pay his addresses to me, I think I would accept them, just to have an opportu nity of proving to him that there are ladies who have a better right to wear the unutterables than he. As to his threat of retaliation upon us by assuming a part of our legitimate costume, I can only say —Let him, if he dares. I, for one, should be delighted to see the show, and should doubtless be forcibly re minded of the fable of the Jackdaw in the plumes of the Peacock. In behalf of my sex, I am, Sir, Very respectfully, yours, JERUSHA JUMP. We hope our friend “Bayard” and our classical readers, will not judge our Latinity by the phrase in the Letter on Homeopathy, in No. 25, where it is printed—“ Similia similibus eurrenter .” Os course it should have been curantur —and the only apology we have to offer for the mistake is, that we did not observe it until the paper was off the press A much esteemed friend, connected with one of our Universities, says in a recent letter: “ Much as your Journal has been praised every where, I do not know that you will think it a com pliment when 1 tell you that my little daughter, not yet seven years old, meets me every Tuesday on my return from the Post Office, with the question, ‘ la the Gazette come, Papal’” * * * We do regard it as a compliment, and especially are we pleased to have this testimony to the fitness of our Journal for the young, from so excellent and judicious a parent as our correspondent The last phase of Flunkeiana, as exhibited by Punch, has this elo quent text: Enter Thomas, who gives teaming. Gent. “Oh, certainly ! you can go, of course; but as you have been with me for nine years, I should like to know the reason.” Thomas. “ Why, sir, it’s my feelins. Y'ou used always to read prayers, sir, yourself, and since Miss V ilkins has bin here, she bin a reading of ’em.— Now 1 can t bemean myself by sayin’ ‘ Amen’ to a Guv’ness!” Punch gives us a fine page-illustration of “ John Bull strangled by £. s. d.” It is a picture after the lamous Laocoon, in wnich the foregoing magic ini tials are ingeniously woven into the semblance of a huge snake around the athletic form of John Bull. The sentence of death has been pronounced against Smith O’Brien, found guilty of treason; and we fear that he has, ere this, paid the dread penalty of his patriotic efforts to benefit his unhappiy country! Ouc Uoofc ©ntiic. Chbistian Songs — By the Rev. James Gilborne Lyons, LL. D. Fourth edition. Philadelphia: Geo. S. Appleton. A book of original poetry does not often reach the fourth edition unless it possesses real merit; and this handsome volume affords, we think, no exception to the rule. Dr. Lyons exhibits the true poetic spirit, an appreciation of the beautiful, and a graceful fa cility of utterance in verse. These “ Christian Songs” commend themselves to the “pure in heart,” not only by the fervor of their tone, but by the ele gance and sweetness of their diction. It is customa ry, we know, with critics of a certain class, to depre ciate religious verse, and to regard the alliance of Piety and Poetry as ungenial. Never wero critics moro in the wrong, and never did they assume a po sition more utterly at variance with example. To say nothing of the Poetry of the Bible—lnspiration speaking in the sublirnest language!—how fertile in illustrations of the beauty, fervor and power of Reli gious Poetry is the present age. Where is there more delicacy of fancy, more fitness of imagery, more grace of style, more pathos of sentiment, more power of thought, than in the poetry of Cowper, James Montgomery, Milman, Heber, and a host of others ! But let us ask a gain—ln what themes have poets not professedly Christian, been more eminent ly successful than in those of a religious nature ! Where are there more exquisite poems than the He brew Melodies of Byron—the Sacred Melodies of Moore ! What other of Burns’ Poems equals, in all the elements of true poetry, the Cotter’s Saturday Night! Where is Wordsworth more truly poetical than in his sacred themes ! Among our own Amer ican authors, instances in point are not wanting.— The sacred poems of N. P. Willis are by far the no blest productions of his genius. The poems of Bry ant, Dana, Pierpont, and others, will afford still fur ther illustration of our view. We claim, then, that R eligious Poetry is the very highest manifestation of the “ Ars Divina.” To be a true and successful writer of Christian song, is to wield an influence and acquire a reputation world wide and enduring. The tones that ring out from the harp of the sacred lyrist thrill the mighty heart of Christendom, and reverberate to the remotest shores upon which the Cross of Christ has been planted High and enviable, indeed, is the reputa tion of the Christian Poet! We must not extend these incidental remarks, but turn again to the vol ume before us. Some of these “Songs” are familiar to the public, as they have been copied into the newspapers from Maine to Louisiana—and are well-deserving of their popularity. “The Magnetic Telegraph”and “The River Saco” are of this number. Among the most beautiful in the volume, we should mention “ The Flowers of God,’* “ Images of God,” and “A Rosy Child went forth to play.” The author’s versifica tion is very melodious, and there is no studied quaintness, no affectation, no obscurity in the style. We shall afford our readers occasional specimens of these “Christian Songs”; and we cordially con gratulate the author on his success. The Childrens’ Year. By Mart Howitt. Il lustrated with four Plates. Philadelphia: Lea& Blanchard. Thanks, say we, in behalf of the dear children — thanks to Mary Howitt for writing this charming little book—and to the American Publishers for re producing it in its present beautiful form. It is a record, in the most simple and attractive style, of “ the voluntary occupations and pleasures, and of the sentiments and feelings” of the two youngest children of the author for a whole year. If any lit tle reader —and we would almost venture to leave out the word little , and say, if any reader of this pretty volume is not charmed with Herbert and Meggy, we do not envy his taste. 207