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THIRWALL’S GREECE. — The fifth number of this invaluable work has been just issued from the press of the Harpers. Eight numbers will complete it. Price 25 cents each.
WESTMINSTER REVIEW for December. — We have received from Leonard Scott & Co. Their republication of the Westminster Review for December. Among other able papers, we notice a critique on Miss Barrett's poems, awarding her high praise, of course, but condemning the “Drama of Exile,” as a whole. The criticism throughout is candid, discriminative, and just. [column 2:]
[[Items “Our January-May” and “Treasurer's Benefit” are not attributed to Poe.]]
THE BROADWAY JOURNAL, under the editorial guidance of Harry Franco, and supported by contributions from many of our most eminent literati, is gliding prosperously and swiftly into public favor. There is a freshness about the editorial papers, in especial, which cannot fail to create an impression. If keen wit, bold thought, and general raciness can make a paper, then the “Broadway Journal” is made.
THE SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER for January has been issued several days, and, in many respects, is creditable to its editor, and to the South. It has occasional papers of high merit — but a Magazine is neither made nor sustained by merely occasional papers, however good. We notice a remarkably spirited translation of one of Petrarch's sonnets, by Miss MARY G. WELLS.
Mr. Whittaker, at present editor of the Southern Review, and formerly of a Charleston monthly magazine which attained much celebrity, is now in this city, making arrangements “to secure contributors” — thus, at least, we, here in the North, must consider the compliment as marked as it is unusual. The Southerners often write for us — we seldom for them. [column 3:]
[[Items “From a Reliable Correspondent” and “Fireman's Fund Ball” are not attributed to Poe.]]
[[The item “A Slander which needs Immediate Contradiction” is attributed to Poe.]]
CRITICISM. — The Tribune of Tuesday morning is particularly rich in the matter of literary criticism, and we recognize the brilliant and thoughtful manner of one of our very best writers — Mr. Duyckink, formerly of “Arcturus.” If we are right, the Tribune is to be congratulated.
We observe, in a notice of the “Broadway Journal,” a new aspirant for public favor, that Mr. D. (Shall we take it for granted it is Mr. D.?) speaks of a Review of Miss Barrett's Poems as if it were condemnatory. We should be very sorry indeed, if any general disparagement were intended of the most extraordinary woman of her age — perhaps of any age. Our impression, however, is that the critic of the Broadway Journal meant only, by a few unimportant objections, to place her pre-eminent merits in the best light. But perhaps this is Mr. D.'s impression also, and we have misconceived him.
THE BRANDED HAND. — Proposals have been circulated for publishing, at Providence, a monthly journal to be called the “Branded Hand,” the avowed object being to excite Northern sympathy for abolitionists confined at the South for incendiary attempts. The title was suggested by the branded hand of Walker, now imprisoned in Florida. It is, perhaps, a sufficiently good name to begin with; but, after a week or two of existence, it may as well be changed to “The Burnt Fingers.”
THE NATIONAL PROTESTANT. — We have received the first number of the “National Protestant,” which is to be published monthly, under the editorial conduct of the Rev. C. Sparry, a gentleman who will not fail to make a magazine of merit and utility. “No peace with Rome” is the motto of the work, and indicates its purpose with full precision.
PETER PARLEY’S GEOGRAPHY FOR BEGINNERS. — Mess. Huntington and Savage 216 Pearl street, have issued a neat little work with the above title, and with 18 maps and 150 engravings.
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Notes:
All of these items were attributed to Poe by W. D. Hull. T. O. Mabbott also attributed these items to Poe, except the announcement of Thriwall's Greece, which Mabbott does not mention. For “Thirwall's Greece,” Hull says only “it may be Poe's.” For “The Westminster Review,” both Hull and Mabbott comment about Poe's review of E. B. Barrett's The Drama of Exile from The Broadway Journal. Mabbott's notes from the University of Iowa say, “This belongs to the Barrett series . . .,” while Hull states, “This review is probably Poe's. He had written a long review in two installments of Miss Barrett for the Broadway Journal earlier in the month, in which he had done just what he says ‘of course’ the Westminster criticism had done.” For the notices of The Broadway Journal, The Southern Literary Messenger, The Southern Review, The National Protestant and Parley's Geography, Mabbott says “all prob.” For the Southern Literary Messenger item, Mabbott has the additional note, “this sounds right” and “indeterminate” pointing to “The National Protestant” item. For “The Branded Hand,” Hull says, “This sound to me like Poe; probably it is his.” For the same item, Mabbott's notes at the University of Iowa says, “unlikely anyone else on Mirror would have made this, except the Southern Poe.” For the “Tribune of Tuesday,” Mabbott's notes say that it is a “reply to Duckinck on BJ crit. Of Miss Barrett which is Poe's”. Of the same item, Hull says, “There can be no doubt that this is Poe,” noting that the author's ulterior motive appears to be to correct a misinterpretation of his BJ review.
For the item about “The Tribune,” Poe meant to say the New York Morning News instead, as he pointed out in a correction in the Evening Mirror for January 18, 1845.
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[S:0 - NYEM, 1845] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Criticism - Announcements of Thirwall's Greece, etc. (E. A. Poe ?, 1845)