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THE MAGAZINES.
THE DEMOCRATIC REVIEW for January, contains, as we have already noticed, an admirable paper on the social inequalities of our condition, under the head of “What is the Reason?” which the editor felt himself called upon to assure his readers, in a note, contained some things which did not exactly correspond with his own views. In that case, he should either have stricken them out or made a more particular allusion to them, that his readers might know what his own views on an important topic are. There are, besides, a long paper on the Sheik of Alexandria and his slaves, translated by Mr. Spring, the author of Giafar Al Barmeki, from the German of Hauff; and a short paper on periodical reading, by Mrs. Clavers, which is the least readable of all her writings that we have seen. It appears to have been written for the express purpose of introducing the pun contained in the following paragraph:
“If we have misunderstood this matter — if we have been conjuring up bugbears and spectres, let it be shown by argument and examples. If this be fairly proved, we shall be quite willing to see the ghosts of our imagination laid, like other unreal mockeries — in the Read-Sea.”
The other papers, consisting of the Ghost of New-York by Cornelius Matthews, New England Philosophy, by H. T. Tuckerman. Family Flattery, by the Author of a Marriage of Convenience, and a Biography of Henry A. Muhlenburg, we have not found time to read.
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THE COLUMBIAN MAGAZINE for February, Vol. III. No. 2. We have only time to glance at the illustrations of Mr. Post's magazine; two of them are from pictures by Chapman, and are much more effective as engravings than as paintings. The first is a view of the birth-place of Washington, engraved by Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Smilie; and the other the Desertion of Sergeant Champ, by R. Hinshelwood. They are both exceedingly fine engravings, and would show well by the side of many which are imported from abroad as chef d’ oeuvres in English illustrated works.
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The AMERICAN REVIEW, a whig Journal of politics, Literature and Science, No 1, January 1845.
We think that the proprietor of this New Monthly Magazine [column 2:] made a very capital mistake in giving it a partisan name. It must have the tendency to array against it in the outset of its career the very persons whom its object should have been to conciliate, namely, its political opponents. It might have been as thoroughly and decidedly whig in its principles as it pleased to be without making any formal announcement of the fact. It may by this means gain a small degree of support from the party whose organ it professes to be, but then it can make no converts from the opposite party because they will never touch it. The papers are all fairly written, and we have no doubt that the known talents of the Editor will secure for it a profitable circulation. But we think that the political part of it requires a little more nerve to make it of efficient service to the party. The two portraits with which it is ornamented are the very finest specimens of that kind of Art that we have ever seen in any American work. That of Mr. Clay is the only good portrait of him that we have ever seen.
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HUNT’S MERCHANT’S MAGAZINE, No. 67, FOR JANUARY. — The age of this Magazine tells the whole story of its excellence. Nothing short of real merit could have kept it in existence more than a year; for it is chiefly patronized by those who are best able to judge of its value, and who are habitually used to laying out their money with a view to getting its full worth. The contents of the present number consist of six original articles — a monthly commercial chronicle, Mercantile Law department, and a number of valuable statistical tables.
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The GOLDEN RULE, a weekly gazette, devoted to odd fellowship, literature and general intelligence. Vol. 1, No. 1, new series — New York, Saturday, January 4, 1845. Published every Saturday morning, by Houel and Macoy, 128 Fulton st., Sun Buildings. A very neat paper, nearly the size of our own.
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WILEY & PUTNAM’S NEWS LETTER for January. — This admirable Literary Gazette, in miniature, is one of the most useful of our monthly periodicals; and what is better. the cheapest paper ever published. It can be had for the asking. Some periodidals [[periodicals]] would be dear at the same rate. The News Letter is of great service to all classes who have any thing to do with books, whether as readers, writers, or teachers; besides containing a good many iuteresting [[interesting]] scraps for people in general. If a price were put upon it, we have no doubt that its circulation would be greatly increased. The publishers should remember the case of the man who stood all day on old London Bridge, trying to sell a guinea for a sixpence, without finding a purchaser. Dr. Johnson said, a good while ago, in reference to giving away books, that people were very apt to consider things as good for nothing which cost nothing.
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Notes:
This review was specifically rejected as being by Poe by W. D. Hull.
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[S:0 - BJ, 1845] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Criticism - Literary (Briggs ?, 1845)