Text: Edgar Allan Poe (?), Literary, Broadway Journal (New York), August 16, 1845, vol. 2, no. 6, p. ???, col. ?

[page 93, column 2, continued:]

Editorial Miscellany.

MISREPRESENTATION is not only one of the commonest but one of the most despicable tricks resorted to, for its own purposes, by the more depraved portion of the press. From this more depraved portion we look for it — all honest men look for it as a matter of course — and, when here observed, it is seldom by any one, and never by us, considered as meriting or requiring reply. “The Evening Gazette,” then, will give us credit for very sincerely respecting it, (or at least the personal character of its editors) since we put ourselves to the trouble of taking it to task for some words of sheer misrepresentation which appeared in one of its late numbers, under the heading of “The Knickerbocker and The American Review.” In alluding to an article, by ourselves, contained in the latter Magazine, the Gazette says, in substance: “Mr. Poe, however, is one of those who can never find anything to admire in anything written by Mr. Longfellow.”

Now this is doing us the grossest injustice — and this no one better knows than the inditer of the accusation. For every one paragraph written by any one person in America, commending Mr. Longfellow, we can point to ten similar paragraphs of our own. From Mr. L.'s first appearance in the literary world until the present moment, we have been, if not his warmest admirer and most steadfast defender, at least one of his warmest and most steadfast. We even so far committed ourselves in a late public Lecture, as to place him (without sufficient consideration) at the very head of American poets. Yet, because we are not so childish as to suppose that every book is thoroughly good or thoroughly bad — because we are not so absurd as to adopt the common practice of wholesale and indiscriminate abuse or commendation — because upon several occasions we have thought proper to demonstrate the sins, while displaying the virtues of Professor Longfellow, is it just, or proper, or even courteous on the part of “The Gazette” to accuse us, in round terms, of uncompromising hostility to this poet? [page 94:]

We make use of the word “demonstrate” — for it has always been a point with us to sustain as far as possible, by evidence or argument, whatever propositions we put forth. But has “The Gazette,” in the present instance, been equally careful? Do we understand it as inclined to dispute the accuracy of any statement, or the validity of any deduction, embodied in the critique to which it has referred? If so, we are prepared to try the case upon its merits. If, however, it is the simple opinion of “The Gazette” which is thus pitted against our own — we are by far too modest to say another word upon the subject — and must submit to the stern necessity of letting the whole matter remain precisely where it is.

For the frank admission that our criticism is “worth reading” we very cordially return thanks — but we have been considering whether any temptation (short of a copy of “Isabel”) could induce us to make any similar acknowledgement in regard to any criticisms of “The Evening Gazette.”

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THE VERY just observations which follow are from the pen of one of the most distinguished of American novelists — William Gilmore Simms.

The original “Library” of Wiley and Putnam was meant to be composed of European writings chiefly. As an offset and parallel scheme to this, the same publishers have conceived the idea of an American collection on a similar plan. It is for the American public to determine, whether this latter, and highly patriotic purpose, shall receive their countenance. The American series necessarily labors under a disadvantage to which the English is not subject. The works constituting the latter collection, are, not only obtained by the publishers for nothing, but they are at liberty to choose the very best pro-ductions of the London market and the quality and character of these works are indicated, to their hands, by the imprimatur of the foreign, and, if need be, the domestic critic. In procuring the works of the American series, the case is very different. In the first place, the native author requires pay for his writings. — As he has no English public among which to secure his copyright, the home market is required to do for him all that it can, by way of giving him compensation for his labor. This is a charge on the pocket and patriotism of the publisher; and, when it is remembered that he can procure from the British press, a hundred times as many books as he has capital to print, all saleable, and many good, — some credit is certainly due to him for this disinterested and generous proceeding in behalf of native literature; and we may reasonably hope that the public will not suffer its patriotism to be outdone by that of its publisher. He risks his thousands, where, if seconded by the public, each citizen will expend a trifle only. Nor is it in the cost of copyright merely, that the difference exists between the English and American copy. In the former, he prints from a clear type, in the latter from an imperfect manuscript; — in the former, he prints from a book that has already obtained the European verdict of English criticism; in the latter, he has this criticism to encounter, and may be purchasing and publishing an inferior production, when his earnest wish is for the very best. This statement beiefly displays the several difficulties under which the business of the domestic publisher labors; and, in his case, as in that of the author, demands all the indulgence that the patriotism of the citizen, solicitous of the establishment of a native literature, should be ready to accord. Influenced necessarily by these considerations, and by reasonable apprehensions of loss, the publisher hesitates to pay largely for any native manuscript. Suppose a work offered him by an author, hitherto unknown, but one of the most unquestionable excellence and originality, he has been engaged upon this work, without intermission. He has elaborated it with care. The labor limae has not been withheld; and when he conceives it perfect he presents it to the publisher, from whom he demands one thousand dollars for the copyright. This sum, stated as the charge for one year of clerk hire, would not perhaps be considered extravagant in the instance of a clerk of first rate ability; yet such a charge for a book, the preparation of which consumed all that time, would stagger the liberality even of the most patriotic publisher, particularly in the case of an experiment, undertaken purely for love of country, and with funds that might otherwise be invested with equal safety and much greater profit in English publications. This is [column 2:] a simple statement of the case to which we solicit the attention of the citizen. We trust that there will be a class of the American people, sufficiently large, who will propose it to themselves, as a duty which they owe the country, to second the attempt of these publishers, in behalf of a native literature, by buying regularly the volumes of this series, as they severally make their appearance. They may sometimes buy an inferior book, but we guarantee that they will never get a bad one. The works generally may be of less value than the picked publications of the British series, but they will be native, they will possess a character of their own, and they may be at the foundation of future publications which shall vie with the best of foreign origin. Thus far the issue of the “Library of American Books,” will scarcely shrink from comparison with the other. The letters of Headley from Italy, form a fresh and delightful volume, worthy of the same shelves with “Eothen” and “The Crescent and the Cross.” The “Journal of an African Cruiser,” and the Tales of Edgar A. Poe, forming the second and third works in this series, shall receive our notice hereafter. We rejoice to learn that these publications find a ready sale and circulation, and sincerely trust that the praiseworthy scheme of the publishrs will be sustained by the people.

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Samuel Colman, of Boston, has in preparation a Selection from the works of American Poets. The book, we believe, is to be somewhat on the plan of Kettel's “Specimens.”

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THE KING of Prussia has again tendered the well-known Lieber a desirable Professorship at Berlin.

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IN OUR NOTICE, last week, of “The Medici Series of Italian Prose” we spoke, inadvertently, thus: — “The present enterprise extends, we believe, no farther than to the Italian Romance.” Here we were mistaken. The design is far more comprehensive. It will include many historical and other works of value.

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WE FIND it stated, that “The Southern Literary Messenger” published in Morgan county, Georgia, bears aloft the flag:

For President in 1848,

Henry Clay.”

Is there such a paper as “The Southern Literary Messenger” published in Georgia? If so, is not the title a shameful spoliation?

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THERE IS quite a revival in the American poetical world. Besides the collection of Specimens of which we have already spoken, we shall have in the fall, from Clark and Austen, a volume by Mrs. Osgood, one by Alfred B. Street, and one by H. T. Tuckerman — from J. S. Redfield a volume by Mrs. Seba Smith — and from some other publisher a volume by Emerson. One or two other collections are in posse — by poets whose names we have no authority to mention.

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THE TRIBUNE says:

We learn from a private letter that Miss Martineau is building a cottage at Faxhow, a mile from Wordsworth's residence. Our Bryant was about visiting her. Wordsworth, hearing of Bryant's arrival, welcomed him to his home with great hospitality. Wordsworth, though 76 years old, is hale and vigorous. Miss Martineau continues perfectly well, and is extending the benefit of Magnetic treatment to other sufferers.

We refer our readers to the “London Lancet” (for June we believe) for a very interesting exposé of the circumstances attending Miss Martineau's Magnetics. We have firm faith in Mesmerism — but not in all that Miss Martineau dreams of it.

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THE “ALBANY Evening Journal” states on the faith of a private letter from Dublin, that Henry Russell the vocalist, is there passing himself oft as an American. Why not? The Americans should feel flattered — and no doubt they do. [page 95:]

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“THE ARISTIDEAN,” suspended for a brief period for political reasons, will be immediately resumed — under the conduct, of course, of its spirited editor, Thomas Dunn English.

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MRS. SIGOURNEY, we regret to learn, is still seriously ill at Hartford.

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WE ANNOUNCED in our last, that Mr. T. S. Arthur was preparing an Annual to be published by E. Ferret & Co. — but were not then informed of its title. It is to be called “The Snow-Flake and Gift for Innocence and Beauty.”

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THE PROOF-READER of the August number of Godey has made us say of Mr. Lowell's “Conversations” what indeed we should be very sorry to say, viz:

By the omission of a dash, this paragraph was made part and parcel of our commentary on Mr. Lowell — to whom it had no reference whatever.