Posted on 07/07/2012 11:51:43 AM PDT by nickcarraway
At the height of the holiday shopping season of 1860, a bookseller in Richmond, Va., placed a telling advertisement in The Daily Dispatch promoting a selection of "Elegant Books for Christmas and New Year's Presents." Notably, the list of two dozen "choice books, suitable for Holiday Gifts" included five works by the late Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott in "various beautiful bindings."
Sir Walter Scott not only dominated gift book lists on the eve of the Civil War but also dominated Southern literary taste throughout the conflict. His highly idealized depiction of the age of chivalry allowed Southern readers and writers to find positive meaning in war's horrors, hardships and innumerable deaths. And his works inspired countless wartime imitators, who drew upon his romantic conception of combat.
In 1814 Scott had begun his ascension to the heights of literary stardom with the publication of the historical romance "Waverley," which was soon followed by other novels in the so-called Waverley series. The works were an immediate and immense success in Great Britain and America. Over the course of many volumes, Scott glamorized the Middle Ages, at once shaping and popularizing what we now consider the classic tale of chivalry. As one enamored 19th-century reader explained, each of Scott's romances focused upon the "manners and habits of the most interesting and chivalrous periods of Scottish [and] British history."
Among Scott's most famous works was "Ivanhoe," published in 1820. The romance, set in the 12th century, presents a tale of intrigue, love and valor. The plot traces the fortunes of young Wilfred of Ivanhoe as he strives, despite his father's opposition, to gain the hand of the beautiful Lady Rowena. In the course of Ivanhoe's adventures, Richard the Lionheart and Robin Hood appear, and Ivanhoe performs many a remarkable feat.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com ...
It was working very well until Lincoln, with the permission of the Republican controlled Congress, started a war to protect the financial interests of the Northeast.
Could not agree more.
Except that it was the southron fire-eaters that started the war.
“Do you think the former slaves would have been MORE ready for freedom after another hundred years of slavery - or less?”
I don’t think that is the question.
Since slavery was peacefully eradicated in the Western hemisphere by 1888 (Brazil), the real question is, “Was it worth over one million American lives to end it twenty three years earlier?”
(snicker) Sure chief.
Was it worth over one million American lives to attempt to keep practicing slavery for another twenty three years?
Every word is true. I do not know what your particular fantasy is about that era and area or where it comes from but I know how that in general comes about.
It is not my fault that the economic system of the slavers was obsolete and inconsistent with the American spirit, Freedom, and the rest of the modern world. Hell, even Brazil and Russia had gotten rid of it by 1860.
No one should be surprised that the justifications used by the Slavers would only work on the most ignorant or interested parties in the South.
There were NO rights threatened by Lincoln’s election. Historical advance definitely threatened the Slavers though.
LoL no wonder you believe the crap you believe. Hell, there would be volunteers signing up for such a plantation life.
Where those slave “readers” of Harpers those who learned to read in spite of the LAWS passed FORBIDDING whites from teaching slaves to read? Can you imagine a law actually FORBIDDING the teaching of reading? Wow.
Why were freed slaves or those who escaped the Land of the Whip and the Lash to the North able to be ready for freedom but not Blacks in the South?
Was it because the Blacks of the South were forbidden education by LAW? Because they were forbidden to learn to read and write by LAW? Was it because of the systematic abuse of the Slave by LAW?
Obviously you know NOTHING of the reality of the REAL role of the slave in that economy or you would have to admit that MOST of the skilled and/or mechanical jobs in the South were performed by slaves not by the ridiculous ruling class which owned them. Mostly helpless parasites. The slaves were the Labor class producing the wealth of the South but are not capable of living in freedom? Utterly ridiculous.
Those without survival skills were the decrepit and degenerate ruling class of the South.
Why Mammy went to the city with Scarlett and don’t forget Big Sam left Tara too. Of course, you cannot understand that the system under discussion was evil not all the people trapped in it. Many were stupid and immoral but not all however it is difficult to remain pure when in a cesspool.
Your delusion is apparently based on the erroneous idea that the constitution can be amended by processes not within the constitution.
Perhaps you need a refresher as to how the Constitution of the United States is to be amended. Article V tells you the only way how it could be done.
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention...?
Did that occur? Of course not.
Firing on federal property is ok? Firing on federal soldiers is ok?
Lincoln had no choice but to defend federal property and personnel.
WHAT “was working well”?
Oh I get it. My ancestors in Roanoke, who owned no slaves, just layed around and drank mint julips not "producing wealth".
Them whitey's don't work do's they...
You know who they were, don’t you? (insert maybe not snicker)
Actually, nothing in that post is true, except the evidence of your bias.
Whatever economic system in place at the time was not obsolete, but the real threat to the states remaining in the Union after the secession. That threat was the underpinning of Lincoln’s invasion of the South.
By the way, Brazil ended slavery in 1888. See your error.
And regarding your comments on Lincoln’s election, you should spend more time reading about the Republican party’s platform. The threats were numerous from the uncontrolled Republican party.
Blockading a Southern port is ok?
Occupying state property while training guns on the unarmed citizenry is ok?
Interrupting peaceful commerce in free ports is ok?
Sending secret armed missions to Southern ports to force entry is ok?
You are the product of a very limited educational system.
But you did well learning your biases.
He has no idea about life, or the working system, of the time.
It seems as if it is all about the bad people taking advantage of the good people to him.
Can you imagine the limits of knowledge of the person. Like has been said, some do not know what they do not know.
And this guy hasn't a clue.
It seems as if it is all about the bad people taking advantage of the good people to him.
Can you imagine the limits of knowledge of the person. Like has been said, some do not know what they do not know. And this guy hasn't a clue.
If you think somebody named Cynthia is a guy you've got major problems yourself.
And why is everybody a Marxist all of a sudden? It was Mark Twain who -- half tongue in cheek -- blamed Sir Walter Scott for the Civil War. I thought everybody knew that. And Twain certainly was familiar with the antebellum South.
It doesn't look to me like they're talking about good and bad people, but about romanticism, flowery languages and florid sentiment. Whether he was right or wrong about Walter Scott, Twain was talking about the evolution of very different cultures in the North and the South. He was right about that, though nineteenth century options were pretty confining: it was a hard life for many people, whether you dressed it up with pretty language or talked about its harshness in brutal language.
I wasn't talking about Cynthia, nor the literary style, or anything you said.
Go back to the cold fusion threads and post your know-nothings there.
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