Of the otherwise, nearly all that is intended for blank verse may serve as a specimen. It is singular that people will continue, in the face of good advice, to break up sober prose into unequal and most inharmonious lines, and then attempt to pass it off for verse, which it very remotely resembles. The following is extracted from an article which really contains poetry.
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"The story goes, that a Neglected girl (an orphan whom the world Frowned upon) once strayed thither, and 't was thought Did cast her in the stream." |
"An Address on Education," by Lucian Minor, is among the best articles in the Messenger. It were well if such a startling exhibition of facts, such an array Of cogent reasonings, were presented to every influential citizen of our vast Union.
"Extracts from my Mexican Journal" are judicious and replete with information. We remark that, since recent occurrences have rendered Mexico an object of interest in this country, the observations of tourists and men of business who have lately visited that country, are very liberally drawn upon by our Monthlies.
"The Wissahiccon," and its romantic scenery, is made the subject of enthusiastic description—by a Philadelphian, of course. Well, truth to say, there are some enchanting spots out of Philadelphia, to say nothing of those within it. If we could only bring her self-satisfied citizens to admit that a civilized person may while away a season in New York, without positive privation of all quiet, cleanliness, and comfort, why then we might in turn regard the Quaker capital as a very tolerable, inoffensive, well-behaved city. As it is, we must think of it, and hope that time will take the conceit out of her.
"Lionel Granby" is the title of a series of odd, pedantic, yet humorous and characteristic papers, which we are tempted to consider the best light reading in the Messenger. To an old-school Virginian, they must be delightful.
The critical department of the Messenger is managed with great candor, consideration and ability. We place the qualifications in this order, not that the ability is less prominent, but because it is perhaps of the three least enviable in a reviewer. The Editor examines with impartiality, judges with fairness, commends with evident pleasure, and condemns with moderation. May he live a thousand years!—or at least to have five thousand gratified, substantial and 'available' patrons.
From the Baltimore Gazette.
The Southern Literary Messenger.—A little more than a year has elapsed since Mr. White commenced, in Richmond, Virginia, the publication of a Monthly Literary Journal. At that time an experiment of the kind, south of Mason and Dixon's line, was considered a novel one, but the ability with which it has been conducted, and the wide circulation it has obtained, have fully demonstrated that it required but talent and persevering energy on the one part, and a liberal co-operation on the other, to impart to it a reputation equal to that enjoyed by any other of our Monthlies. We have now before us the first number of the second volume, whose pages we find diversified with a variety of entertaining and excellent matter. The publisher has secured the assistance of a gentleman of eminent literary talents, with whose aid it may fairly be inferred that the Messenger will not only sustain but increase its already extensive and deserved popularity. The literary notices contained in this number are written with great ability, but in our opinion rather too great a space has been devoted to this subject. The old adage—ne quid nimis—is applicable not less to a literary undertaking than to the general pursuits of life.