Literature, Principally Belletristic - University of Tennessee, Knoxville

· INTELLECTUAL LIFE IN THE COLONIAL SOUTH '
eliminating middle men in the tobacco trade and selling straight to French
agents stationed in the colonies (this was before the "French menace").206
Later essays on tobacco laws became more satiric.
Marriage was a frequent subject for moralizing from as early as May
20, 1737, when "Philo-Gunaicus" contributed "unpolish'd Thoughts" on
woman's part in the connubial relationship. Two weeks later Andromache"
presented a feminine reaction to the arguments of the previous
piece. There were in 1738 comparisons of the married and the single state.
Another favorite topic (it was also present in Maryland and South Carolina
prose pieces) was "the good life," fairly dull but significant as presenting
the Horation or golden mean as ideal. "On Good Nature" was a
related topic, as was "Pride." Character traits, especially weaknesses, were
a favorite subject. Gambling, brutal cockfights, and swearing were inveighed
against. Related to these in topics are many of the "Monitor" series
noted above.
Literary criticism is present not only in the "Monitor" group and the
Dymocke-Davies controversy but in several separate essays. On February
7, 175 I, an anonymous writer laments the fact that too much contemporary
verse encourages vice rather than virtue. An untitled discussion of "humor"
appeared on June 18, 1752, signed "C," actually a definition of the term.
The author offers examples of "practical Jests" but points out that far
more important is "that tragical Humour ... which, tho' it may tend to
raise Laughter in some, may however be said to have its Foundation in
Tears." His illustrations are from classical writers.
There are other essays presumably by Virginians on other themes. "Of
Spectres and Apparitions" raises the question of the existence of ghosts.
Another piece traces the changing meaning of the term "A Gentleman."
A third is a verbal appreciation "Of the Beauty and Usefulness of the
AURORA." One piece attempts to account for the formation of dew (not
very scientific) and one signed "R.W." considers the theory of revivification.
"The Benefits of the PRESS to the People" will prove more interesting
to today's readers. In sum, the essays show a literate, urbane, even
talented group of contributors who as one might expect reflected the manners
and mores of their society in its more conventional relationships. One
wishes for discussions of the Indians, life on the frontier, more dialectrustic
imitations which might give more definite indication of the Americanness
of these people. The social an intellectual gap between them and
the mother country was widening, but evidences of the growing breach,
except for the political essays already mentioned, were so far to be found
more in official speeches and legislative acts and a few separate pamphlets
than in their newspapers. But by the end of the colonial period the unsigned
political polemics of Bland, Carter, Camm, and perhaps a dozen