The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-01-04

30 AZ" a'ualtHehesS W any oi the magazines issued.
| ne aim Of tho Editor 10 high one He rspudiat,s
tho long prevalent system Of basing has work pnon
tho reputation OF contributors whoso articles no mai.
Tor what thoy haze done, arc, too many instances
below mediocrily.
Nothing gains admission into the pages Of this Ma
game winch Is not excellent IN itself The source
from which an article come. is ndary-its merits
| always primary. Such rule, strictly carried out
must give character TO any work Ii has given Gar
thurs Magazine character already aosnov lodged
Ia all respectable quarters where il has been received
Among he inenhaustbe sources that open 90 To the
hands OF literary caterer German and French Lite
nature offer awide field for seoc ion. Into th. egi,n
with an admirable corps Of L we are steadily
penetrating asonished at every step by the riches we
meet Especially is this the case in Literature Al
ready we have gwen some splendid articles from the
German, bnm full Of pure trdths and foreible illus
trations OF The power of goodness. Silent owe .
The Governor and his successors "rhe INK nown
Patient, +" "The Russian Prince [" ''The Privy Coun.
sellor, Nc &c, all Who have read will remember
with delight. .
From tho French We have also given many fret
rate articles The PsrpeIed Loyet." from Mad
ame de Genhs, also, The Lesson of Misfortune /"
and = The Error Of Good Father" from Marmo nte
with foe tale. from Dumas, Lacr5rx, Nodier, Bsllae
| and oiher authors of celebrity.
N seeating from the French, our translators are
guided by strict regard 10 PURIFY and excellence.
None know better than they do how much that is
Objectionable abounds Ia the light eralure of this
people but, howing along by the side of this impure
current, Is another, as lucid and clear as crystal
From this they dip up the bright waters and present
them 10 our lips.
AT this fountain, shal continue TO let our read
ers drink. But, in doing 90, We shall not neglect
the eIeelleneies OF our own native literature.
This would be the wolst OF folly Yet in doing
this, We shall make parade OF names. The public
are getting 10 understand pretty clearly how fnucb
this Ia worth, aud to discover that excellence. is not
always to be found in the fugitive productions Of
writers who have done we'll in books. Our country
Is teemlng with young genius, too often oyershadow-
ed and hidden by the successful, who possess not
hall their intrinsic worth, and whose writings exert
not hall so healthy an influence. They are crowded
from the path in which they are fitted to walk and
Their merits kept out Of sight by few who have
gained the public and eye, and who are kept be-
Tote the public, not so much account Of the sups.
rlor excellence OF what they are giving forth, as on
account Of Uhai they haze done.
To merit, wherever We find IT, we will Qvs the
right hand Of fellowship. We would not ACCEPT A
poor article from the most celebrated writer ia the
country but good one, let II come from where it
will, shall find welcome.
In all sources, at home and abroad, We shall seek
the good, the true and the beautiful For some Tine
and with too much jusiness in the allegation, our
Magazines have been charged with being too light
and trashy. This fault We have from the first stead-
| ly avoided. "ABTHUR'S MAGAZINE" will
continue to sustain high character for excellence in
| all It's department.. Something more than mere love
tales will be given. Its stories while full of deep
aud absorbing interest or, sparkling with wit and hap
goodness and truth. Reviews, essays and sketches,
with poetry that shall be truly called such, will be
| blended with them IN just proportion
Thus much in regard to the literary department Of
our Magazine. Another matter claims our attention
that OF Pictorial Embellishments Custom nd taste
| l. - =. Il.
Ike ours We shall not stand to argue the matter
with custom and taste but proceed to open up our in
tentions on this head. First then, we have deter
mined to present the subscribers 20 " ARTHUR'S
| MAGAZINE during the year, with a novelty,
OF highly attractive character. No less than a
series Of Six Female Characters from Shakespeare
engraved on steel IN a highly finished style. This
| Shakespeare Gallery of Beauty will present imboded
to the eye, some Of the noble bard's most beautiful
creations Of the mind, well as or two cecbra-
ted characters in history, around whom his magic
pen has thrown a new charm. What lover Of the
Poets immortal creations will not be eager 10
| this Splendid SERIES OF ENGRAVINGS2-
Not one, surely Every possessor ofa copy of Shaks-
peare, and whose library does not contain his works
will have at mee nominal cost SIX exquisite iustra-
| lions, not TO be obtained in any other way. This is
great de.derstum. But besides these beau
| lies from Shakespeare, we are making arrangements
TO procure series of female figures, far surprising in
loneliness of form and face, and exquisite finish, any
thing that has yet appeared in any American Maya
zine. Celebrated Views, this and other countries will
also he leading feature III work For the Janu-
| airy number we shall give highly wrought view of
| the Bridge of Doom, over which Tam O'Shanter fed
in such hot haste from the kirk and the witches. This
splendid steel plate will accompany the first of our
| Shakespeare beauties and will make that number of
work highly attractive one. No less will be
that for February Nor shall there he any falling of
| N the style Of establishment, or in the character OF
the literary contents of the work. From the first,
we have aimed a, gradual improvement. We do
not issue one or two good numbers, and then after
our list of subscribers is filled up, fall of But we
endeavor To make every number better than the
that preceded It, Excellence we have b. fore said
| sour aim.
But bss des our Shakespeare Gallery, our Gallery of
Female Beauty, our Celebrated Views, we shall in
roduce ou time to time other attractions in the way
| of embellishments.
In addition TO the foregoing, there is yet another
feature, no less than American Novel, from
| the pen of the Editor, which will be commenced in
the January number, and continued until completed
This will be within the year, that all who sub
scribe for the Magazine during lsi5, will receive
Ibis new work. Those who have read Bell Mar
| TN" Fanny Dale characterization, ;" "SI Nights
with The Wa.hinetonians," "Sweehearts and
Wives &c. &c. from the pen of Mr.. Arthur, need
not be told that this feature will be leading one.
In addition to this, Mr.. Arthur will also continue
to furnish for it's pages, his shorter stories, those
loned moral essays, told with much skill, beauty,
and power The attractions of the Editors own pen,
will, in fact, form feature of peculiar interest to
| our work, which other magazine can possess
While TO one other periodicals he furnishes
| story occasionally, each number of his own maya
ri Ne will contain many pages Of his inimitable wri
| tIngs, and the whole work bear the impress Of his
pure tate, and sound judgment.
The style in which Auhur's Magazine is to be
issued, will be "a beautiful as clear new type, fine
white paper and highly Illuminated cover (proo,-
nounced the chasest design that has yet appeared)
can make it. ........
Take it altogether, the publishers feel confident
that in regard to the quality Of literary matter, style
of embellishments appearance, and mechanical exc
cuion, Arthur's Magazine will be unsurpassed by
any other similar publication.
This is not mere idle boast and vain pretension.-