Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1859-04-21
BAYARD TAYLOR IN THE N Y MERCURY

BAYARD TAYLOR IN THE N. Y. MERCURY
The exclusive engagement, by the proprietors of
the Ne,c York Mercnry, of the talented American
tourist and author, Bayard Taylor, Esq, is among
the most brilliant of the many journalistic enter
prises of this journalistic age. The announcement
of this arrangement has been greeted with farore
of mingled surprise and admir- alton, on the part of
the public, and not only has the literary world been
aroused to a decided pitch of excitement, but an
other circles have likewise been brought to the qui
uive of expectation and interest. i
The variety and piquancy of Mr.. Taylor's adven-
tures-the romantic and interesting scenes-the
thrilling incidents-anong which his path has lain,
and the fresh, sprighy, strictly eeascistious style
of his writings, will render them peculiarly appro
pirate 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
s'STRAY CHAPTERS OF LIFE AND TRAvEL"-a SIM
pie but expressive head, under which, not only the
characters and customs of other lands will be por-
trayed, but the voyagcrs own personal adventures,
vicissitudes, and fortunes, sad and merry, tragic
and comic, also.
The first of these e@Chapters,' which has just APP
peared in the MERCURY for April 10th, isnentitled
s'THE FIRST JOURNEY EVER MADE,'' and is all
that could possibly be desired, for fascinatin in
terest, instruction and amusement The author
considers this first journey to have been perhaps,
the most interesting of any, and he has certainly
made glorious hit in describing it. -
The recent engagement of our great American
artist, Felix O. C. barley, was master stroke of
enterprise on the part of the MERCURY, and ind-
Gated what their second coup-d'etat corroborates-
that the Propretors intend to employ the very best
talent in order to make the very best paperg OAR
ley is universally acknowledged to be the most tai
ented 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 of -Gilbert-the humor of
Leeeh-the mastery effects and rendition of char
acter that signalize Gavarni-the love of fun and
satire that have made the Paris Charivari what it
is-all are under the control of barley; and when
two such instruments his pencil and Bayard
Taylor's pen are brought together, to enrich the
columns of a family paper, we may indeed wonder
at the progress of weekly literature, and the enter
prise of publishers.
The Proprietors of the Mercury deserve great
credit for having made this acquisition to their al
ready brilliant corps of contributors, and although
the expense mas unqueStlOnally Deen enormous,
there is not particle of doubt that the reading pub
lie will most gladly second their efforts to give ad-
ditional lustre and solidity to home reading.
As might naturally be expected, the demand for
the MERCURY of April 3Oth, containing the first Of
Bayard Taylors journeys, is entirely unparalleled
in Newspaper history, and the rush for it at all the
book stores and news depots throughout the coun-
try, plainly attests the immense popularity of the
talented traveller. further proof in the same di
rection, if further proof were desired may be found
in the fact, that the subscriptions received by
Messrs. caldwell, Southworth and Whitney, the
proprietors of the MERCURY, since the announce
ment of Bayard Taylor's engagement. amount a.
we credibly informed, to over .Fsve Ha,dree
Dollars a Day, in addition to the enormous sales o
booksellers and news agents!
But this, perhaps, is hardly to be wondered a
either, when we consider that the New York MER
Curry is acknowledged to be the largest, cheapest
and best literary journal in America, being larg
quarto sheet, filled with purely original matter from
first to last, for which only two dollars per anmun
is charged, with as liberal deduction to clubs
is made by other papers of half its size and less thai
half its merit!