A few more thoughts...

- Can John’s hiring of Julius as a coachman be seen as example of cultural preservation, or is the very act an attempt at industrial transformation?

- Julius’ portrayal can be said to exemplify a stereotype of African-American stereotype common to whites of the era. How you think the author’s portrayal of Julius is intended? Could his portrayal be less literal and more so to represent white perspectives of African-American culture at the time? Is the portrayal a literal act, used to reap specific benefits, as John seems to believe? Also notice that it appears as though John culturally categorizes Julius’ skill in acquiring physical benefits through his stories, by describing him as having “a shrewdness”, “which was not altogether African” (Chesnutt 3).

- While the Journal’s authors seem to have a great admiration for the preservation of folk-culture as a memory or contained object, they seem to rule out actual preservation of the culture and promote at least some degree of cultural (even racial) superiority. The destruction of non-white folk-lore seems to be presented as less of tragedy for the non-white culture, as it is for those who are to obtain and study it. This is best exemplified in the authors’ argument for collecting Native American folk-lore, “For the sake of the Indians themselves, it is necessary that they should be allowed opportunities for civilization; for our sake and for the future, it is desirable that a complete history should remain of what they have been” (6).

- Conservationism, a movement to preserve nature from industrialisation's threat, emerged in the second half of the 19th century in America. To what degree could it have influenced the founders of the Journal?