The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-04-19
Bayard Taylor I'm the New York
Mercury. t..


! Mercury. tt f4
The exclusive engagement, by the propri-
etors of the New York Mercury, of the tall
ented American tourist and author, Bayard
Taylor, ESQ.,, is among the most brilliant OF
the many journalistic enterprises of this
journalistic age. The announcement of this
arrangement has been greeted with trore
of mingled surprise and admiration on the
part of the public, and not only has the lit
erary world been aroused to decided pitch
of excitement, but all other circles have
likewise been brought to the gun vire of ex-
pectation and interest.
The variety and piquaucy Of Mr.. Taylor's
! adventures-the romantic and interesting
scenes the thrilling incidents = among
which his path has lain, and the fresh,
sprightly, and strictly conscientious style of
mis- writings, will render them peculiarly APP
propriate to the columns of paper that
aims TO be, and is, at once brilliant and
chaste in tone. The general title chosen for
these contributions, is "Stray Chapters of
Life and Travel "a simple but expressive
head, under which, not only the characters
and customs of other lands will be portray
ed, but the voyagers own personal adven-
lures, vicissitudcs, and fortunes, sad and
merry, tragic snd comic, also.
The first OF these Chapters" which has
just appeard in the Mercury for April 3Oth,
is entitled "The First Journey | Ever
Made and is all that could possibly be de-
sired, for facinating interest, instruction,
aud amusement. The author considers
this first journey to have been, perhaps
the most interesting of any, and he has
certainly mode glorious hit in his de-
scription of it,
The recent engagement of our great Anne.
rican artist, Felix o. G. Darley, was mas
ter stroke of enterprise on the part of the
Mercury, and indicated what their second
coup d etat corroborates-that the proprie-
tors intend to imploy the very best talent,
In order to make the very best paper. Dar-
| Ley is universally acknowledged to be the
most talanted artist now living, whose
works are engraved upon wood. England
has her Gilbert and Leech France has her
| Gavarni and Cham, but our own barley
| combines the best qualities Of .all--the pic
turesque appreciation Gilbert--the humor of
Leech-the masterly effects of rendition of
character that signalize Gavarni-the love of
fun and satire that have made the Paris
ChariUdri what it is-all are under the con-
troll OF barley; aud when two such instru-
ments as his pencil and Bayard Taylor's pen
are brought together, to enrich the columns
OF family paper, we may Indeed wonder
at the progress of weekly literature, and the
enterprise of publishers.
The proprietors of the Mercury deserve
great credit for having made this acquisition
to their already brilliant corps of contribu-
tors, and although the expense has unques-
tionably been enormous, there is not parti.
Gle OF doubt that the reading public will
most gladly second their efforts to give addi-
tional Iustre and solidity TO home reading
As might naturally be expected, the de-
mand for the Mercury of April 30th, con;
tainiug the tirst of Bayard raylor's journeys
is entirely unparalleled in newspaper history
and the rush tor il ut ail the book stores and
news depotS tlirous hout the country, plainI
attests the immense popularity OF the tai
ented traveller. A further proof in the sam,
direction, il further proof were desired, may
be found ia the fact that the description;
received by Messrs. CauldwelL Southworth
and Whitney, the proprietors of the Mercu
ry, since the announcement of Bayard Tay
lor's engagement, amount rs we are credib.y
informed, to over fpe hundred dollars day
in addition to the enormous sales of book
sellers aud news agents.
but this is, perhaps, hardly to be wonder.
ed at either, when We econsider that the New
York Mercury is acknowledged to be the
largest, cheapest and best literary journal il
America, being large quarto sheet, iillet
with purely original matter from first to last
for which only two dollars per annum i
charged, with as liberal reduction to club
as is made by other papers of half its siz
and less than half its merit