The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-01-19

This year he gives four elegant plates, new and
particularly neat cover and encloses the letterprcs.
IN an ornamental margin This is the most beau
tiful magazine in the United States and is unsurpass-
cd IN its list Of writer's except perhaps this month"; by
the " Ladies Companion" MIR. Cooley has become
independent and lives in excellent style with all the
luxurious equpage of wealth. MIR. Snowden has also
become rich. The income Of the Ladies' Companion,
TO the proprietor has been, for Two Or three years
past So, 600; and that of the Ladies Book 50 900 to
$4,000. This may appear incredible to those who
are not in the habit Of giving their attention to the
profits of literary enterprise. II requires capital
from $1,000 to $4,000 in the outset start maya
zine and the protector must expect no return for
this great outlay until the second year. After this
period, his profits will be sure and increasing, and
the issue will be independence
Graham's Magazine, now so popular and wide
" known, challenges public favor side by side with
Godey's Ladies Book of which it is powerful rival.
II is formed by union Of the old, familiar Casket,
and Burton's " Gentemans Magazine" These lite
rary nuptias took place less than two years ago. and
already the bantling, christened Grahams" has
become greater than its progenitors George X. Ora
ham, Esq, is the editor and proprietor of the new
magazine. On taking it, he threw into it large
amount of capital and, associatng with himself two
gentlemen Of acknowledged talents and ability, he
flung down his gauntlet to the world of magazine
readers and challenged its favor In an extraordina
y.brief period, by his interchangeable ambition and
firing exerons he has given his magazine popula-
rity fully equal to either Of its older contemporaries.
It is established firm basis, is ably edited and
conducted with discriminating taste and judgment
He is the rival Of Cooley, and each month the re-
spectiye editors vie with each other in producing the
best number. They both eXpend great deal upon
engrayngs; Cooley keeping from seven to eight and
Graham nearly as many constantly employed, am
told the engrayngs for number Of the Ladies
Book cost $500 There seems to be two great errors
in the conduct OF these manalnes one is to expend
much more upon engravings than upon the reading
matter if the public taste was superficial and was
better pleased with gorgeous pictures than ntellec
ual treatises: another error is in copying these
cravings (for American Magazines from English
prints instead of encouraging American artists and
making every engraving from an American subject
When the engravings for single monthly edition Of
one Of these magazines cost 500, (pad to engra-
yers the amount paid to the authors of the articles
is not more than one-thIrd, il more than one-quarter
that sum. There must be revolution in these mat
tiers before magazines can be properly called
E" American No wonder the English charge us
with having arts, or literature of our own when
they see our first magazines ornamented with en-
cravings copied from their own plates, and four
iiths of the literary newspapers, and some of the
magazines, made up Of reprints from their own
writers.
The Southern Literary Messenger holds rank by
itself, and high one it is. Ii unites the two charac-
tiers Of the above and those of the Arcturus and
Knickerbocker 1t is edited by Mr. White, as is well
known who is the originator Of it, and who has with
praseworthy efforts in the cause OF Southern tera-
ture built it up to be permanent monument to his
enterprise and talent 1t is the best review in the
country and puts forth of the ablest papers
written in the United States MIR. White writes little
none for it, 1t is sustained by the gentlemen of
Virginia, many Of whom are persons of science re-
nement and accomplished minds; and who take aprde
and pleasure in deyoting portion of their leisure to
sustain magazine which contributes so much to the
honor of their State 1t is to this sort of esprit d,t
corps the Southern Literary Messenger has ever
looked for support and which will continue to make
it one of the best reviews in the language. But
enough of magazines and reviews, for the present.
have given you these desultory remarks in the abb
sence of political news.
Yours, HupsoN