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FOURTH SECTION.

COMMUNICATIONS.

In our first number, of the second volume of this work, we requested biographical communications of American excellence, either living or dead; but no such communications have been transmitted. We, again, urge the request; and we, also beg our correspondents to favour us with any observations, by which the understanding might be enlightened ;the heart amended ;—and the moral and physical strength of this country permanently augmented. All such communications will be gratefully received by us, and inserted, under their respective heads, in this publication, with all due punctuality, and with all convenient speed.

We have, however received from Charleston, the conclusion of the review of " Alfred," a poem written by a young gentleman of Carolina, at the early age of eighteen years. The review is by the pen of the Archer, to whom we are under so many and so great obligations for effectual aid in this literary undertaking. The review bears the stamp of that smooth, easy, elegant simplicity of diction ;-that amenity of disposition;—that refined taste, which accords with truth;—those softened, tender feelings of the heart, which cherish all the domestic charities, and adorn all the dear relations of life;and that ardour in the cause of sound morality, and of social virtue,—which so particularly characterize all the thoughts, words, and deeds, of this amiable and interesting writer.

With this opinion of the author, and of the review, in question, we considerably regret, that we are not able to insert this piece of criticism in our present number; but it shall most certainly, appear under its appropriate title, that of American Literature reviewed; in our publication for the next month.

We are, also, sorry that we are obliged to postpone, till February, the insertion of "The Archer, No. 5,” which we have received from Charleston. The labours of the Archer, in the cause of religion and virtue have been uniform and

strenuous, and cannot fail of being effectual. For his aid given to us, hitherto, we offer to him the throbbings of a grateful heart, and the most open, the most undisguised expressions of esteem and affection, ardent, unequivocal, and perpetual. To the continuation of his intellectual support, we look forward with high hope and expectation, because we know, that the first wish of his soul is to promote the best interests of humanity, by enforcing the indispensable, the eternal laws of moral obligation, and of moral honour.

We have, also, received the following communication from a correspondent, whose name is to us, as yet, unknown. For the Editors of the Monthly Register, Magazine, and Review of the United States.

Gentlemen,

These observations of mine I know to be founded on truth, and derived from attentively studying the character of my countrymen, and if you will insert them in your Magazine, you will oblige A Native American.

As we most earnestly wish to oblige the native Americans, when it can be done consistently with justice, we shall here insert the observations of our correspondent, without either comment or remark.

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"Much has been said, in all ages, about the necessity of encouraging literature, as one of the best means of increasing the power and honour of a nation; and a free government has been thought to be the most favourable to the interests of literature. But a free government alone, is not sufficient: the trading spirit, when carried to excess, will counteract every effort of intellect. Holland was, once a republic, had once a free government, but it never encouraged literature; a Dutchman seldom or ever,either bought or read a book,besides his ledger and a volume of arithmetic; and the consequence was, that this miserable pedling principle soon destroyed all sense of national honour and character, and gave up Holland an easy prey to her more intellectual neighbours.

"Neither is Holland the only place, in which the trading spirit stifles literature; here in America, where we have also, a free government, the same pedling spirit chokes literature, in a much greater degree than any real lover of his country likes VOL. II.

to see. Not long ago, I heard a woman, here, in Long-Island, say to her husband;-Why dear me, you are not going to buy another book!-You will ruin yourself in buying books; why, you know, it was but last month, you gave six pence for an almanac.

"The husband is a neighbour of mine, and worth between sixty and seventy thousand dollars.-I was in New-York the other day, in a book-store, where a subscription-paper was handed round for a little volume of poems, to be published by a young American, and every man present, immediately buttoned up his breeches' pocket, and said,-I'll wait and see what it is, before I subscribe.

"Now suppose, that this same caution had always guided the conduct of men, how could any works of genius have been produced, since no man will write, any more than he will do any other work, without encouragement, and the prospect of being paid for it?-If the people in Europe had always shrunk from patronising literary efforts, and waited till they should see what they were, the Europeans, at this moment, would be no wiser, and no better informed than the savage Indians, that border upon our back settlements, or than the lady herself, who scolded her husband for having given sixpence for an almanac.

Long Island,

Dec. 18th. 1806.

I am, Gentlemen,
Yours, &c.
T. VT.

N. B.--The observations, with regard to Holland, are not quite correct, for she has produced many excellent theologians, and some good classical scholars.

We have, also, been favoured with the following remarks, to insert which at least, shews our honesty, if it do not discover our prudence.

GENTLEMEN,

I am a plain man, and have had only a plain education, such as this country in general affords; I am a merchant in this city, and, let me tell you, can afford to spend my money, as well as other people. And so I take in your Magazine, and must tell you fairly, that though I like some parts of it tolerable well, yet the style is very often very bad. Why,

there is that Wanderer No. 1.--I was forced to call out for Johnson's dictionary, at every line, while I was reading out loud to my wife and two daughters, to find out the meaning of so many hard words, as you use. And you must know, a gentleman does not like to be stopped, when he is reading off hand, and out loud, before his family; and, then, you use too many epithets, why you write prose run mad; and Ned's father never made such a long speech to such a little boy about that drowned woman; why I never made a speech a quarter so long to my eldest son, George, who is now more than fourteen, he will be fifteen, come the fourth of July next; that you must confess is not natural; and, then, why should the drowned woman be a large woman?--I should be glad to know that; and moreover your sentences are too long; what do you think Pope, an English poet, says about them there long sentences? "Swift for a close sententious style,

But Hoadly, for a period of a mile.”

My eldest daughter Molly, who is looking over my left shoulder, while I am writing to you, says, that her French master told her as how, one Moliere, as used to write French plays, used to call up his cook-maid, and read his plays to her, because, says he, says Moliere, if my cook-maid don't understand them, the public won't, and the public isn't a bit wiser than my cook-maid.

Now, gentlemen, if you will only mend your style, and shorten your sentences, and make your Magazine better, you will much oblige

Your humble servant,

A PROMOTER OF LITERAature.

New-York, Dec. 27th, 1806.

P. S. I do not put down the name of the street, where my house is, for fear you should find out who I am.

We, the Editors of this work, do hereby, solemnly, pledge ourselves to pay all the attention to the criticism of this promoter of literature, which it merits. We feel much hurt, at the gentleman's not putting down the name of the street, where he lives, because we wish much to find out so valuaable a correspondent; we, however, console ourselves with the hope, that he will, ere long, be able to find himself out.

In answer to his complaint about the hard words, and other grievances in the Wanderer, and in the tale, we say, that, to oblige so judicious a critic, we will, in future, desist from the use of hard words, retrench the number of our epithets, endeavour to write prose run sober, and not permit Edward's father to make any more long speeches.-In reply to the very sagacious question of why should the drowned woman be a large woman, we beg leave to ask why she should not be a large woman?

We have no cook-maid; what, then, shall we do, in order to adopt Moliere's admirable plan? Will the promoter of literature himself, undertake to supply the cook-maid's place; or will his eldest daughter Molly, venture to officiate in that important capacity? That same Moliere, who, as the French teacher informed Miss Molly, used to write French plays, and call his cook-maid up stairs, causes a learned lady, in one of his plays, to declare, that the heart in the human body, lies on the right side; and, on being asked, if the heart did not lie on the left side, this female Solomon, gravely replies; No, the heart used to be placed on the left side; but it is, now, changed.

Emboldened by such high authority, we venture to ask,if the public, which, in Moliere's time, used to be no wiser than his cook-maid, is not now changed and gone over to the right side? THE EDITORS. The note, immediately subjoined, shall close the fourth section for this month.

GENTLEMEN,

In page eleven of your magazine for December last, are these words," his elder brother, who was some years older than him." Now, this is false grammar; him should be, he.And is this the wonderful magazine we were taught to expect; in which you cannot write eleven pages, without bad grammar? It would be well, if, before you take upon you to correct others, you would learn to correct yourselves, or you will hear further from, one, who keeps his eye upon you.

NEW-YORK, January 1st. 1806.

CAUSIDICUS.

We think, from the stile of this note, that our correspond

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