Text: Edgar Allan Poe (?), Literary, Broadway Journal (New York), August 30, 1845, vol. 2, no. 8, p. ???, col. ?

[page 121, column 1, continued:]

Simms’ Magazine,

For August, is capital. It contains several of the finest kind of Magazine papers, and is as ably edited as any journal of its species in America — if not more ably edited than any. We invite attention to several Sonnets (anonymous,) and to the articles entitled “ The Epochs and Events of American History, as suited to the Purposes of Art in Fiction;” “The Subaltern's Yarn;” “ Bayard the Chevalier;” and “A Foreigner's First Glimpses of Georgia.”

As a matter of course we find Mr. Simms agreeing with [column 2:] ourselves, “The Democratic Review,” and in fact with all the unprejudiced critics of the country, in condemning, nearly altogether, the very mediocres poems of Mr. Lord. We quote a sentence or two of Mr. Simms’ critique.

Metaphysical poetry requires deep sedateness of mood, habitual contemplation, and much of that quieting sort of thought which a rare experience of the world alone can give. Wanting all this, the poems of Mr. Lord, which aim at this character, are vague, wordy, purposeless; without those leading views of his topic which alone can justify the author in attempting it. We see the fruits of his reading, not of his genius, in the poem called “Worship.” Here is a little of Bryant, and here something more of Coleridge. Phrases from these and other poets are conspicuous upon every page — some of these strangely obtrusive, as at p. 8, the “temple-hunting martlets” of Shakspeare. The ode “To an American Statesman,” strikes us as a very decided imitation of that to the American flag, by Drake, and faint efforts in the way of Tennyson and Longfellow, are evident as we turn his pages.

That Mr. LORD can think, and may, by severe training, and sometimes scourging, be made to think, we have proof in this little volume. We see here and there the head or tail of an idea, the wing or the pen-feathers of a fancy, which elaboration might have rendered legitimately his own. That he has a spiritual mood at work is apparent also. But there is no one piece in the collection, no, nor no one paragraph of any length, which may be considered tolerably perfect, and fit for selection.

Simms’ Magazine is published in Charleston, by Burges & James.