Supplement [pp. 133-140]

SOUTHERN I,[TERARY MESSENGER.
SUPPLEMENT
TO TH i
SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
PUBLISHER'S NOTICE.
We are very proud in being able to afford our fi'iends
so many and so great evidences of the Messenger's
popularity, as are contained in the following Notices.*
From all quarters we have received encouragemnent-in
the approval of our past labors, and in prophecies of our
future success. We desire to call the attention of all
who are interested in the advancement of Southern
Literature, to the matter, the manner, and the source,
especially, of the Extracts subjoined. VWe hazard little
in saying, that never before in Sinerica has any Jouirnal
called forth so unanimously, testimonials so entequivocally
flattering, as the First.Number of thIe Second Volumne of
our " Southern Literary Jlessenger."
From the Richmond W7ig.
The Literary Jlessenger.-Nothing is more
repulsive to our taste, than puffing-one of the
artifices of book-making and book-selling, reduced
in this our time, to a science. It is dishonest, for
its object is gain at the expense of truth, and its
means are imposition on those who are not familiar
with the tricks of trade. It is unjust, for modest
and unobtrusive merit is often compelled to languish, front the rival advantage given to mediocrity
or worthlessness, by the meretricious puff direct.
It is injurious and disgraceful to Literature, and
for ourselves, we feel a repugnance to whatever
we see puffed, by which we mean praise disproportioned to merit, and praise administered by the
shovel full, without the administerer being possibly
able or pretending lo assign a cause or to point out
a beauty to justify his rapture.
Mr. White's Literary Messenger is either the
most transcendantly able periodical in the United
States, or its proprietor has been most particularly
successful in eliciting the puff-for it attracts more
of the notice of the Press, and is more uniformly
admired and praised upon the appearance of its
successive numbers, than all the Literary Periodicals in the United States put together. The North
American, Quarterly, &c. are comparatively lost
sight of It is universally noticed-not only in the
newspaper press of the great towns aind cities, but
in the obscurest village sheet throughout the land
As Virginians and Sotithrons, solicitous for the
honor of Southern Literature, we are proud to
believe that this extensive favor bestowed upon the
Messenger, flows from its deserts, an opinion confirmed by our personal knowledge of its enterprising, esteemed and modest proprietor.
TIhe last No. of the Messenger (for December)
which commences the 2d volume, is most emthliatically admired anrid extensively complimented by
the American Press, and we have read portions of
it with much satisfaction Among the rest, our
friend Noah expresses his pleasure, and any dealer
in Literary wares may be happy to receive the
* The Notices here appended, are very far from all we have
received. Many are omitted for want of room. All those left
out, are unexceptionably flattering to ourselves.
countenance of so fine a genius as the Major. We
are no critics, and beg leave to adopt his review
with some qualification. We would praise the
Barbary Sketches more, for we really view them
as the very best specimens of History by any
American. We will not subscribe to the sentence
against" Eliza of Richmond;" and the Major must
look over the "Broken Heart" again, and the next
time wipe the moisture from his specs.
The Critical Notices are mnuch to our tastedecided in their character, correct (as we think)
in judgment, and lashing dullness, as it always
deserves to be lashed, with a cat-o'-nine-tails.
MaIjor Noah says "'he Southerit Literary Jlessenger for December. Richntondcl, [a.: 1T. W. White, Proprietor.
We have repeatedly called the attention of our
literarv fi-ieni(-s to this excellent )eriodlical, now
commencing the second volume, and sustaining its
dleservedly acquired reputation. It is not only the
neatest in typographical execution-in whiteness
of paper and elegance of type, of any Americatn
publication of the kind, but contains also a greater
amount of useful and entertaining original matter,
both in prose and poetry-especially the latter,
which, taken en masse, is quite different from the
namby-pamby trash that is spreading like an epidemic over the republic of letters -choking and
smothering with its noxious weeds those gems and
flowers of purer mnould, which are the off3spiing
and inspiration of nature and of genius.'I he
Sketches of the Barbary States," are written
by an able pen, and are full of valuable historical
letails. The lines to "October," by Eliza, of
Maine, possess the vein of true poetry; the tenderness and the luxuriant imagery of some of Mrs.
Hemans'. How rich the pageantry of some of
the author's thoughts when describing the gorgeous tints of an autumnal foliage:.
"And the rays of glorious sunshine there in saddening lustre
fall'Tis the funeral pageant of a king with his gold and crimson
pall."
The "Broken Heart," by Eliza, of Richmond,
is a failure. She must not attempt blank verse far
common-p)lace subjects. The verses on "Halley's
Comniet" are smooth and passable. The "Reminiscenices of Mexico" might as well le been
omitted. These diaries and guide ia re
stale, flat, and unprofitable." If t. a d
given us some insight into the mystl ins
and antiquities of' Mexico-its romantic traditions
-we would have thanked him. The theme is
exciting and absorbing, and would have l)een new,
and a glorious prize for immortality. Mr. Poe's
"Unpublished Drama" does not suit our taste.
Why eternally ring the changes on those everlasting and hackneyed Venetianr Doges and Italian
Counts- l itticed balconies, andl verandas-tinme
out of mind exhausted? The "Address on Education" is puerile, crude, and common-place. We
cannot discover its "brilliant eloquence" nior "impressive energy," spoken of in the critical notice.
The oblject of it was well enough. The " Wissahiccon," properly handled, might have been
wrought into a stirring historical p)ortrait. The
lines to "Memory," are pretty. Those entitled
" Macedoine," have much fire and power. But
"Lionel Granby," is a redeeming chapter wnorth
all the foregoing. Why not give one-third the
magazine to so accomplished a writer, so original
VOL. II. —1S
i 00 3