Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1857-04-16
RUSSELL'S MAGAZINE.

Our absence from duty, last week, prevented
notice of the appearance of this Southern Monthly,
at the proper time In accordance with the an
nouncemcnt, it is issued under the auspices Of
RUSSELL and JONES, from the press Of WALKER,
EXAMS g. Co.; and as specimen of good printing
it would comnare admirably with any periodical of
our day. The lctter-press presents the following
list:-
The Edinburg Reviewer Reviewed; The Tress
of Hair: Estcourt, or the Memoirs of Virginia
Gentleman; The Music Girl of the Rue de Ia
Harpe; A Character; Sonnct-To My Wife; Ber-
anger; The Arctic Voyager; Ione-A Song; Sab
bath Morning April, 1854; Arthur Gordon Pym,
&C., by E. A. Poe-A Review; The Skaptar Yokul
"A Tale ofIceland; Woman's Warnng-An Allie
CORY; A Few Thoughts upon Eating; To Celc
brated Actress; Feliniana, Being q Chapter on
Cats; A Philadelphia Lawyers View Of the Con-
stitution; A Wine Song; Oriental Lyrics; Edi-
tors Table; Literary Notices.
As first effort never affords reliable criterion
by which to judge of its real merit or the proba-
blities of success, we do not feel inclined to dis
cuss this number before US in manner commen-
surate with our interest, in the success Of this
praise worthy enterprise. 1t does not reach the
Standard we had marked out but we recognize
in every page the spirit and the power which, well
directed, will attain position far beyond our best
hopes As an index of future effort, the Magazine
promises everything, and We greet its appearance
with hope and confidence which we have not
before cherished in any effort in behalf Of South
ern Literature.
The leading paper is critical and exceedingly
forcible examination of Mr.. HURLBURTs article
in the Edinburg Review dcnunciatory of Southern
institutions 1t emanated, We learn, from the
trcnchant and effective pen of Mr.. GRAYsoN, and
is in the style of his best eforts-bold, searching
and overwhelming The "AIusic Girl is q mer-
maid-ish, half-and-half sort of q story the first
.moiety very happily conceived, andtol in capital
style, and the remainder plotted.out il manner
exceedingly provoking, and unworthy of the Doc
tors clever pen. A good story should have some
purpose; it ought to mean something it may
| with proplcty DC senslpic' anu ~ outS"' ~ Ill
means to have about it the air at least of posi-
bility. The difference between a pretty woman
and piece of 'Sal Ammoniac" is slight; so, also,
is the step from the sublime to the rediculous.-
! Mr.. CALDWELL contributes chastc and scholar
| like article on BERANGER's poems, which we read
with much pleasure. In style, at once erudite
and elegant, it pronounces opinions. which deserve
more general acceptation in these days of poeti-
cal affectation and silly transcendentalism' The
argument sustains the claims Of Lyrical poetry,
with an effect which, We think, would apply equal
ly to all true poetry. Why not? 'Estcourt' is
the beginning of novelette,, illustrative of life
/ in the Old Dominion, from the fine pen OF JOHN
i EsrEN Cooke. Mr.. COOKE is among the most
promising novelists of our country, and in secur-
ing his services the publishers Of Russell are pc
culiarly fortunate. Within the last five years, no
! American works of fiction have displayed higher
order of talent than Mr.. CooKE's. "Estcourt'
opens finely, and, we predict, will prove to be Of
absorbing interest.
But not to falsify our position, We must leave