The Southern literary messenger

29
Montholon's Captivity of Napoleon, reviewed. 39 Steam-Navigation to China. By Lieut. M. F. Maury. 246
Moonlight Scene from Church Hill, A.
451 Sterling, John. By H. T. Tuckerman.

587
Morning in Summer. By Sidney Dyer.
387 Strangers, the

717
Morto at Rome, A

65

T.
Mr. Wintrysides, A Character.

383
Music, By H. H. Clements,

Tale of Heligoland, A. By Miss Mary E. Lee.
88

281
Musings of an Octogenarian over the Memory of

Theory of the Toilet, the.

555
his first Child lost in Infancy.

Three Days of July, the
11

Three Hoots from a Hornéd Owl.
My First Serenade.
481

185
To a Billow. By Susan.

95
N.
To Cupid.

16
Napoleon's Captivity.
39 To Elia. By Alton.

105
National Observatory. Discussed in a Letter to the To Mary F. F-

475
Hon. John Quincy Adams. By Lieut. M. To-Morrow. By Mrs. L. H. Sigourney.

457
F. Maury, U. S. N., Superintendent.
4 To My Sister Mary. By Win. H. Rhodes.

33
National School of Historical Painting, on the Re- To Pyrrha. Horace 1-5.

506
sites for the Formation of

727 To Susan. Author of Fire-Light Musings. By Alton. 280
New Pythagorean, the
751 To Susan. By W. Gardner Biackwood.

454
Noontide.
533 To the North Wind Rudely Blowing in May.

400
Noted Firm, the. A Tale. By Nasus.
111 Trees.

10
Notices of New Works. 59. 123-190-261-329-388-454-517- Troubadour's Song, the

528
575-636-700-760 Two Affectations, the

245
0.

Two Country Houses, the. By P. P. Cooke. 307-349-436
Ogilvie, James, Earl of Finlater. Recollections of 534

Two Tears, the

325
Old Iron Poker, the. By Sidney Dyer.

183
Two Years Ago. By A. B. Meek.

28
Old Magazines.
366 Tucker, Judge Henry St. George.

699
Old Virginia.

635

V.
One Day of a Foot Tour in Connecticut.
384 Vae Tibi Ridenti.

7413
Ophelia.

502 View from Griswold Hill on Staten Island, N. Y. 3
Oration, Dr. Bushnell's, Phi Beta Kappa.

753 Virginia, Her Ancient Title to the North-Western
P.

Territory and her rights on the Ohio River
Passages in the Virginia Legislature.
387 Vindicated. By Geo. W. Thompson.

193
Poe, Edgar A. His Literary Merits Considered. 34 Virginia Historical Society, 1st Annual Meeting. 52
Poets' Art, the. By Möina.
212 Voyager, the. By H. H. Clements.

337
Police of Paris, the

175
Potatoes and Prophecy.

453

Wanderer, the. From the German of Goethe. 420
Pythagorean, the New.

751
Whence Come Ye?

727
R.
Where is She? A Tale.

436
Rationale of Verse. By Edgar A. Poe.

576 673 Wilde, Richard Henry, Death of. By A. B. Meek. 26
Recollections of James Ogilvie, Earl of Finlater. 534 | Wordiness in Legislation.

12
Rector's Daughter, the
688 Working Man, the. By Rev. R. W. Bailey.

592
Remembrance, A. By H. H. Clements.

657 | Worthington, Jane Tayloe. By Mrs. E. J. Eames. 167
Reminiscences of a Traveller. No. 7.

572' Wrillen on Hearing of the Baule of Buena Vista. 655

PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM-JNO. R. THOMPSON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.

When lo! a monstrous form appear'd!
Haggard and grim-with dust besmear'd,
Striding along with giant strength,
Wielding a dart of fearful length.
Whilst clanging against his bony side, .
A sheaf of kindred darts was tied,

A cloud o'ercast the beaminy skies!
The wild birds ceased their sportive cries;
The rippling waters changed their tone.
And seem'd in sympathy to moan.

Young Cupid writhed, as if in pain,
Bot be turo'd him over, and slept again;
The monster gasp'd as be laid him down,
And looked on love with a ghastly frown.
The boy's fresh cheek grew wan and pale,
And he dreamily utter'd a feeble wail;
All might have judged from his labor'd breath,
That the moonster who lay by his side was Death,
Their scalier'd darts commingl'd lay
And sound was the slumber of Death that day-
The restless boy at length awoke
And fear drops from his forehead broke,
Yet he sprang to his feet and seized bis bow,
As if in act a dart to throw.
And catching the arrows, with speed he fed
With a shout that might have roused the dead.
And soon Love tested his bow anew,
And found his weapon both strong and true;
But strange was the issue, and sad to tell,
Not Love, but Death, on those young hearts fell !

It is a custom of the season, sanctioned by immemorial usage, to exchange gratulations among friends at the happy advent of another year. Accordingly, we come forward, gentle reader, to greet you with many assurances of sincere good-will and many wishes for a prosperous future. Your Christmas, we trust, has passed “righte merrily" and your New-Year dawns with bright anguries of prospective success. How delightfully does this genial season come round in the cycle of time to recreate the mind and body, wearied with the engrossing pursuits of life-a pleasing interlude to the toils and cares of a hum-dram world-when the “light of other days" throws a cheering reflection upon the festivities of the present hour and swelling memories rise up to enhance ils enjoyment. Long may it remain a period, consecrated to the finest emotions of the heart, long may its domestic re-unions be celebrated with joyous rite, though the days of the “yole log” and “ wassail bowl” have passed away, and the bell of the mas. quer and the pomp of Twelfth Night are numbered with the faded and forgotten pageantries of the olden time.

But the recurrence of a New-Year is calculated to awaken other and sadder feelings. Mankind are so little disposed to meditation, that it is only at stated intervals, with the return of some anniversary in their calendar, or the completion of one of those spaces by which we estimate the flight of time, that they can be brought to think seriously on the past. Then it is that they are duly con

Grim Death now rose from his sleep profound,
And caught up the weapons that strew'd the ground.
The monster growlid as he slowly awoke-
* Full many are waiting my final stroke.”
He aim'd at the old man, with pain oppressid,
And a soft flame wakes in his wither'd breast;
His wan lips quiver'd with feeble sighs,

VOL. XIV-1'

scious of the transitory nature of existence and" gladsome light" of letters, to forget not the Maginwardly indulge the unavailing regret of the poet, azine, which has occupied in former times so hon

ored a place in their affections. We appeal to the " Eheu fugaces, Postume, Postume,

large number of educated men, who now bury in Labuntur anni."

ignoble obscurity talents that should illustrate the

literature of America, to withhold no longer their The birth-day is one of these occasions for sober favor, but leaving the frivolous incidents of a day thought with the individual, but the New-Year is and looking rather to that enlarged dominion of the general birth-day of the human race. It is a knowledge which must, sooner or later, overspread proper time for universal introspection-a station our land, to become efficient co-workers in so en. where the train stops for an instant on the great nobling a cause. Finally, we address ourselves to railway of life, and we scan the distance we have the just sense of sectional pride which animates every traversed and the country beyond a point where true Southron, and beg that an union of effort the heart, between the closing and the coming may enable us to exhibit to our northern brethren years, like the head of Janus, looks forward and worthy and enduring manifestations of mind,—10 behind. “No one," says Charles Lamb, “ever show them that Southern learning can think for regarded the first of January with indifference. itself and that we have among us intellects of glorious It is that from which all date their time, and count mould, and hearts that are “pregnant with celestial upon what is lelt.” But we wish not to play the fire." moralist. If we go on in this strain, our "sang"! We see clearly the difficalties and responsibilimay at last turn out a “sermon," and some good ties of our position. We know that there is work Horatiu will remind us, that it were indeed “to before us, that calls for untiring energy and devoconsider too curiously to consider so."

tedness of purpose. But we are assured by the With the Messenger, the first of January, as in- liberal encouragement extended to our predecesdicating the commencement of a new volume, is sors and shall toil on, looking forward to the of course a landmark in its mission, a time for the “ exceeding great reward" of seeing at last the balancing of old accounts and the formation of new rays of science and polite learning diffused throughplans. We should therefore say something to you, out the wide borders of our Southern land, with kind patrons, with regard to the intercourse so the proud consciousness of having been an humpleasantly begun between us. And first, let us ble instrument in effecting that splendid result. tender our warmest thanks for the kindness and For we have an abiding faith, that even in our own consideration we have met with, thus far in our ca- day, our people will direct their thoughts to obreer. We have been greatly encouraged by thejects far nobler than the mere arts of trade, and friendly notices of the press and the incitements of that Belles-Lettres, with its correlative branches, many generous correspondents. Be assured that will flourish in all the pristine beauty of its Athewhile we appreciate your favorable regard, we nian existence. shall do all in our power to deserve its continuance. We must be permitted, before concluding these and endeavor by untiring exertions in our arduous remarks, as an act of simple justice to ourselves, duties, to “ win golden opinions from all sorts of to call attention to the large amount now due us people." The Messenger is now fairly “in its for unpaid subscriptions. Our monthly expenditeens.” It has done much in its past history, how ture is heavy, and we submit to those indebted to much we need not remind you; we are determined us, that we should not be embarrassed on account it shall do more, with your assistance and support. I of their remissness. We say this in no vain-glorious spirit. What the

A word with regard to another topic and we Messenger shall be the good it may be able to have done. It will be perceived that we have accomplish the softening influence it may exer- gone back to the old title of our magazine-the cise on faction-will not be our work. To our con. SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER." This change tributors rather let the credit be assigned, through is not to be ascribed to any dislike for the prefix whose instrumentality we hope to make it always

of “ Western." So far from it, we are proud of useful and acceptable, lo preserve in its maturer

our extended circulation in the West and trust that age the lumen purpureum juventæ, to render moral

our beginnings in editorial life are approved there. beauty ever fresh and radiant to the perception and

But the recent name of our work was cumbrous. to present

Besides, we have a weakness for old things, and

we are induced to think that, of all others, that “ Truth severe in fairy fiction dressed."

name will be most liked which is associated with

the very inception of the work, with the early trials We invoke in our behalf the literary intelligence of its founder and with so much of its well-earned of the entire South. We ask all who have ever renown. turned, as a relaxation, from severer duties to the! And now, gentle reader, A Happy New Year!

Boeken

The Southern literary messenger, Volume 14