WE notice periodical works occasionally only ; for why should
we cri- ticise works whose fame is established ? why should we inform the world of the publication of books which the world duly expects at stated periods ? The exceptions are, when these established produc- tions happen to contain matter worthy of comment or refutation, or when new works are commenced which give promise of excellence, and whose progress it is useful to note. Of the latter kind, is the Foreign Quarterly Reriew. Born in discord, and in its infancy obliged to feel its way with arms in its hands, its growth has neither bccn stinted nor its education natlected : perhaps the early strife in which it had to contend has even given strength and manliness to its character, and early trained it to the habits of vigorous exertion. Be this as it may, there is no one who will take the trouble to look, who may not now behold it at present proceeding steadily and complacently along its even course—a long, and we hope a prosperous course. The Foreign Quarterly was wanted, by at least a large and enlight- ened portion of the public ; and from the labour and expense which are evidently bestowed upon it, and which appear to increase with numlwr, we lyr,,,-;-,une 1nut ii i;onion 111 public lecognizes its value and recompenses its exertions. The enlightened part of the would have the prosecutor, in the case of ex officio criminal informa- world are not, however, the best patrons of literature ; so that we hope tion and indictment, conclude for a certain quantum of fine, or impri- the Foreign Quarterly has a good solid stock of the stupids,--who) sonment, or both, in the same way and for the same reason that in are the real promoters of literature, for they give sterling pence in re- the case of action the prosecutor concludes for a certain quantum of turn for paper, print, and writing ; whereas your persons of sense, damages. And we would give to the jury the power of assigning the and information content themselves with reading your book in a club,. whole, or any part of the fine and imprisonment concluded for that borrow it of a friend, or snatch a hasty perueal at a bookseller's; they might see fit. For, let lawyers haver until doomsday about the counter ; after which, they make you a frequent text for disputation,. distinction between law and fact, the amount of a fine and the duration damn or praise you as they may have been in the humour when of an incarceration are as much matters of fact, and as easily to be they read ; and when, after making incredible efforts to please them in apprehended and appreciated by a juryman, as by the most subtle big particular, proprietors are ruined and the work falls, they sincerely regret wig among them. This is a topic, however, on which we do not pur- the loss of von, and declare that if they had had an idea that your sale pose at present to enter; it is the jury that we aim at reaching. Now, was not otherwise than immense, they would. have given a fair aate what is the grand cause of that most extravagant jealousy and fear flinty for the continuance of a publication they always looked forward; to. that juries entertain even of cool discussion on a ticklish subject with pleasure. The utility of periodicals devoted to the spread e whether private or public ? Unquestionably the exaggerated notions information and the discussion of important questions is stupendous:. that they entertain of the influence, and power of the writer. anne These works macadamize, as it were, the roads of literature : they knotam pro magnifica Shroud the most arrant twaddler or the break down the great stones into little ones, and make all smooth. most despised and detected slanderer in the veil that the plural pronoun We are inclined to attribute much of the progress of knowledge in the casts around a periodical writer—only invest him with the mighty WC— middle c:asses, which so remarkably distinguishes the first twenty-nine and forthwith he towers a eiant in the ini: ids of his simelel warted country- years of our young century, to the _Edinburgh and Quarterly. Reviews, men. Bat suppose the libel which alarms a jury, because its author assisted in an inferior degree by inferior works. On this ground; it ix is unknown, not traced to him by a lone; and linked chain of evidence, the duty of all persons interested in the enlightenment of mankind, not (for in that case the alarm law biya excited), but bearing on its face merely to read but to buy. The costliness of these works is far beyond: the stamp of one wham all the :list riet knew to be utterly worthless— that of ordinary publications : they consequently demand a great eh- would they then fear, or would tiley leueli? Let the ears of the ass be ciliation, not merely to reward the parties concerned, but to repay openly displayed, where would be the terror of the lion's skin that them.
wrapped his shoulders ? Let it be remembered how much talent and education is clubbed
Not only would the prohibition of all anonymous publications together in the production of one good number, like the one before us operate most beneficially on juries, by enabling• them to judge of —how much various information—how widely collected—and with the severity of the blow as well from the nature of the weapon what pains put together. N ot only are all these individuals to be (which is the only detain they have at present) as from the vigour sufficiently remunerated, but there is an editor to pay ; and if fie does and value of the arm that wielded it, but it would operate yet his duty, richly does he deserve his reward. No one but he who has more beneficially on writers. So sovereign do we deem the remedy had experience of a similar kind can undertake to limit the amount of of absolute publicity, that we do not hesitate to say, that were the labour or the extent of the calls liable to be matte upon the tirneand every man compelled to put his name to his writings, prosecutions for talent of the editor of a true Quarterly Review. In the first place, he libel would in a great measure cease from Eneland. Who are the assembles about him, either by means of personal intercourse or by great enditers of libels at present ? Those who from accidental circum- correspondence, a considerable number of writers of various &scrip- stances are least known to the public, and least amenable to its tams, of information and ability. The mere act of communication: salutary censure. How often are libels of fact found in police reports with each contributor is a work of time : .he has then, however, his —hew seldom in reports of law courts—when do they occur in re- instruments about him, and he sets to work. The process is something- ports of Parliament ? And whence the dild'erence, but in the condition of this kind—In his own mind he forms a sort of model of the number- of th write-is ?—the last class known to all the press, the second to a yet unborn: he considers the wants of the public—the capabilities of ereat part of it, the first unknown to the press and to every body else. the ruling questions of the day ; and he settles the description of work Were they all known, not merely to the press but to the public, I low would to be produced. Keeliing his eye upon all the events of the day, and their responsibility he augmented 1—with what care would they Nveigh examining, critically the dill'erent publications as they come from the facts. with what zeal would they seek. aftee information! how strenuously press of this or other countries, he chooses his subjects. Considering: would they labour to be accurate ! Among the journals, what class is then the peculiar forte of each of his coadjutors, he distributes to each least regardful of truth?—teat, assuredly, whose conductors are least his appropriate task ; he suggests the manner of treatment ; he pre- known:And what class is utterly regardless of truth, honesty, or de- scribes the limits of his range, and in general puts his assistant as it cmcy ?—that whose conductors are not known at all. How would our were on the scent. Thus the article is written, but the work of the criticism be refined and purified bysuch a law ! How would the sneering editor is far from being finished : the nicest and most delicate portion of puppies, with talents scarcelvequal to the composition of their own weak his duty is to be pertormed—he has to judge the judge. Is the critic slanders, shrink into insignificance, when donne- to sit in judgment on \yell-founded in his views ? are his views, or are any part of them, incon- better men than themselves ! What an utter wreck would ensue of sistent with the general doctrines of the periodical ? do they contra- the coteries ystem by which the weaklings of the press of England diet the opinions of some other coadjutor, already decidedly expressed have SO. long, supported each other ! • What miextinguilable laughter and adopted by the Review.? Thell, again, many- individuals abound would follow, were the public, when they see its workings, to see also the in novel information, who are unable to couch it in a suitable style. The pring,s of that milehineu by which our sir ill prose and small poetry task of a polisher of style is more laborious than that of the polisher of are puffed into notice—coukl they but behold the Tomkins and Simkins needles—it is almost as dangerous as that eminently short-lived and and Popkins of literature, in their alternate capacities of authors and dangerous trade. No man likes his style to be touched: no author reviewers, dwelling on the excellencies of each other's works, and can bear to lose a line : it an editor strikes out a single sentence, that damning all beyond their own little circle! And what a stimulus sentence is sure to be, in the estimation of the author, the very jewel would not perfect publicity give to men of real talent !—for what could of his composition ; and even the persons who confessedly are un- be more encouraging than for him who was conscious of superior practised in writing, when once they have clothed their ideas in such powers, to know that none could step between him and the honest meagre garb as their poor wardrobe of words can supply, imme- fame to which he was entitled ? Let no one imairin i that the truth diately become so attached to the brat, rags and all, that they would suffer by such a regulation—that men wou:d fen: to write be- resent a tranchant pen as an enraged mother flies upon the brute cane they were called on to authenticate their lucubrations. Men of that beats her darling boy. Practised authors, too, often leave ex- slrone intellect tun always bold ; it is the feeble and trilling and sickly- pressions and Onuses which another mind g-oing over the composition. minded class of aut holdings, that de re not shout unless they have a. wall perceives nuolit be amended, or changed for others of greater force or
_ _ a aptitude. It is not. style alone which is to be rectified ;quotations quotations are to be verified, matters of fact to be looked to, and sometimes even a
LITERARY SPECTATOR. slip of the pen in the MS. of a distant author will cause an editor half
a day's work. After all the preparatory labour, the article is at length PERIODICALS—THE FOREIGN QUARTERLY REVIEW. sent to the press : then arrive the prool-sheels, and all the blunders of the printer : here begins another course of examination and correc- tion, till, after several proofs and revises, the subject is at last dis- missed for ever by its vigilant guardian. The labour of ehaiteen sheets similarly suggested, produced, examined, and corrected, fill up the thirteen weeks of the quarter with a passable quantity of occu- aitt a ih.
We are discussing the expense of periodicals. When both editors and contributors are paid for their exertions, how much more remains to be done : the printing, the paper, the advertising—no trifling items —are yet to be reckoned. Very certain we are, though we have not heard a word on the subject, that the No. VIII. of the Foreign Quar- terly lying before us, has cost the proprietors upwards of 5001. hard money: that is to say, such a work as the Foreign Quarterly demands the very considerable outlay of 20001. per annum—the interest of forty thoits.,Ind pounds in the Funds.
Now we have no interest or concern in this matter, beyond what may he suggested by the proverb, "A fellow feeling makes one won- dr; us kind:' and we well know that truly good thines, in the present el ete of the public information, ire better prai8i,d than paid—in short, that good judges sutler themselves to be pleased at small expense. We have good reason to know,—and we say it without any foolish boast,—that the body of readers who may be termed the regular sup- porters of THE SPECTATOR, are persons who would be chiefly picked out as the representatives and delegates of the information and re- spectability of a large portion of the English public. To them we ven- ture to make a few suggestions, by query or otherwise. Have they not frequently read, admired, and applauded works which all of a sudden they found discontinued—which had fallen ? Why had such works ceased to appear ?—for want of purehaaers : they were too good for the vulgar many; the select few praised, but did nothing else ; and even the praise too was perhaps given without any earnest notion of doing a service, but shuply bestowed in the course of talk as the up- permost subject in the mind. If such persons, whose praise is valuable, would praise as advocates, and pursue their eulogies with the vigilance of a friend, (and surely they ought to be friends to that which conveys instruction and delight, not once, but periodically), their praise would be as seed: they would benefit twice,—they would benefit the merito- rious producer ; they would confer a lasting benefit upon the inquirer, who is in this case the consumer. How frequently does it occur that individuals of worth and education content themselves with the five- hundredth share of at club periodical, which they constantly read and value, while for the amusement of the more frivolous and uninstructed portion of their household they subscribe to two or three works which they despise ?—works which cost nothing to the maker but the sacri- fice of perhaps his honesty or his taltectability, and which, as it may be supposed, produce but few beneficial effects on their readers. Nevertheless, grantires that, among such persons as we have supposed, the demand for seandei is uncontrollalde, and that the supply of frivo- lous information cannot be stopped, is it not the height of injustice that valuable truths and enlightened endeavours should be sacrificed in behalf of ilnaitions or at least unworthy eftbrts? In short, if the friends of instruction are obliged to buy trash for their wives, daugh- ters, and shallow acquaintance, let. them for the sake of themselves, and ourselves, and such as ourselves, buy what they deem valuable. Let the friends of the Diffusion of Knowledge look to such matters as these: the subject is worthy even a portion of the attention of the first and best men of the country. We could make out a long list, as an incentive to sach men, of works which have failed by being too good. Let every man of sense and intelligence who approves the plan, end, and management of a periodical work, not rest till he has subscribed to it : let him then look out tbr ten other persons whom he may cause to do likewise. We are not here writing for ourselves, or for the Foreign Quarterly Review, or in favour of any particular work : we speak in behalf of the resretable division of the Periodical Press ; and the ground we take is its immen•se utility, and its groat costliness.
We ought to add, that we have no earthly reason for believing that the Foreign (Jour/arty has not as great a sale as the Quarterly itself, beyond the fact. of its being a young publication.
So much for the general question ; which, to say the truth, has so absorbed our attention, and so completely merged us in more expan- sive sympathies, that we feel but little disposed to enter upon particu- lar criticism. We must, however. observe, that. No. VIII. contains a vast. deal of interesting met lea The first article is said to be by Sir WALTER SCOTT its subject is the popular revolution of Naples, begun by the fisherman Mesaniello, and carried on by the Duke of Guise. There is also an arl icle on the two Malin° Falieros of ByttoN and DaresviesNE, evidently by a true lover of poetry. A new Italian novel of Rossosr, the Nun Monza, is reviewed with considerable tact ; and no small portion of knowledge is brought to bear in a general way on the subject. There is an exceeent paper on the Metaver system, or the French and Italian plan of Anting land. The article on the Black Sea is at least seasonable : it deserves higher praise. The paper on Mos /offs life is a piece of charming reading. We might say more : we shall only, however, allude to the mass of Continental literary information contained in the latter pages of the work. This appendix puts us in correspondence will tall Europe: it is nearly the sole channel We have, and it is abundant. We also esteem the exact list of works published in the course of the quarter in all the Continental capitals, as a valuable acquisition.
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