Text: Charles Frederick Briggs, “[Review of the American Review for February 1845],” Broadway Journal (New York, NY), vol. I, no. 6, February 8, 1845, pp. 93-94

[page 93, column 2, continued:]

THE AMERICAN REVIEW for this month is a decided improvement upon the first number. It contains many pleasant articles, and a poem by Mr. Poe, which is not ascribed to that gentleman, for what reason we are at a loss to conceive, for it is a piece of verse which the best of our poets would hardly wish to disown. The prefatory remarks of the Editor are rather mystifying, and seem to tend to the disparagement of the poem as principally recommended by its versification. — “The Literary Prospects of 1845, is a very agreeable and genial paper by Mr. Duyckinck, who is one of those rare men that devote their time and abundance to the cultivation of letters, not as a means [page 94:] of dissipating time and procuring a refined enjoyment, but as the means of doing good to others, and promoting social reform. The Review of Alison's History by Mr. Headley, is long and able, but too much in the massacrante style for the dignity of a review. It would be difficult to account for the popularity of Alison's History in this country, were it not that we make it a point to read everything that is popular in England; and that it is a passion with the English to read everything that is called history. “Words” by E. P. Whipple, is a very bright and sparkling essay. The article on Post Office reform, must be a commendable paper, since it advocates reform of some kind; but we widely differ with the writer in regard to the opening idea of his essay. “Of all the manifold devices supplied by the ingenuity of man to promote the progress of civilization, a National Post Office stands in the foremost ranks of importance.” Now we think that the very reverse is the truth. A National Post Office which puts a curb upon individual enterprise, is not only a drag upon civilization, but it will continue to be, what it has long been, one of the most prolific sources of political corruption in our system. Any modification of our present Post Office laws cannot be otherwise than beneficial; but any alterations short of abolishing the system entirely, will always leave something to be reformed. The American Review was established with the professed design of counteracting the influences of the Democratic Review, and it seems to be admirably adapted to that end. We have never seen two works so nearly alike. Extract from each the mere partisan slang which marks their political essays, and it would be difficult to decide which was which.