The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-13
The History Of American Magazines.


The New York correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Commercial, in a recent letter, gives the
following interesting sketch Of our American
magazine hterature:-
The history of magazine literature in America
comedies exactly with that Of the century. The
colonies possessed few short-lived magazines,
mere limitations of feeble originals in England.
The first-ard one of the most brilliant and in
fluental-ot the early American beles-lettres
magazines was Dennte'S Portfolio, established in
1900, by Joseph Dennie and Asbury Dickens, at
Philadelphia, and continued until 1927. Next came
the Monthly anthology and Boston Re0le,c, con-
Quoted at Boston by school-teacher, one MIR.
Phineas Adams, for seven years, beginning No
vember, 1903. In May, 1876 Mr.. William Tudor,
brother OF the man who invented trading in
ice, started the North american ReUieU, which
was al first a bi-monthly of light literature, bat
in 1878 became the weighty quarterly which it
still is. The AnalecttC Magazine, at Philadelphia
came next, based on previous experiment
called Seect Reoie,cs The AaaIectic was quite a
famous affair in its day, and during its first two
years CS13-14) was edited by Washington Irving,
who contributed to 1t an interesting series of
biographies of the naval commanders of the war
of 1872, and other papers. The experiment.
however, sickened him etfectually OF editing,
and from 1914 70 1920, when it stopped, Others
conducted it. Our next magazine period may
be reckoned that during which the Rnickef-
booker tbegan, in 1888 by Charles Fenno
Hotfman) and GrdhGms Magazine were
the leading literary monthles. The former
is perhaps most identified with the repu-
tation of Lewis Gaylord Clark, who edited it for
quarter of century, aud stil survives it; and
the period of both of them is the era OF past
| literary generation-of Edgar A. Poe, Frances s.
| OsgOod, Anne G. Lynch, and their contempo-
raries. The next, or present era OF American
magazines, began with the appearance of Hdr-
peT5s, in 1850. Three years later came Putnana's
| Monthly, claiming higher literary rank, and
which certainly has never been surpassed in the
United States for literary force, hnish, signid-
canoe, and success. Its discontinuance in 1857
| lett New York without first-class beles-lettres
| magazine, and the field was promptly and ably
occupied by the Atlantic, at first edited by the
brilliant writer, James Russell Lowell, and still
| in full life and prosperity.
In May last the GALAXY appeared, occupying
| once more the New York place in the line of
| periodicals, and marked by several features OF
| decided originality. 1t appears fortnightly; 1t
| discards the fancy of anonymousness and pro-
! claims in iull the names of all its writers.
! 1t seeks TO give free field for the
| expression of all opinions within its chosen
! arena, instead of pushing exclusively any single
| view or doctrine. And it claims to allow i'm
partial speech alike to known and unknown
writer's, u only they say well something worth
saying. Thus 1t acts not only as vehicle, but
| as training school and fosterer OF the freest
American thought. Thus far this policy has
had the effect to elicit many new writers OF real
ability, who are encouraged TO trust their efforts
to literary tribunal which is so fair and gene
rOus, and it has contributed to give to the
! GGldIy that charm OF freshness and variety
| which has so far distinguished the magazine
The fOrtnightly issue of the GALAXY Is a new
! idea in this country, but so far, we believe it
has been received with great favor. 1t certainly
serves to give another distinctive feature to the
magazine, and enables it to keep pace with cur
rent events. Moreover, to readers OF serial
stories half-montbly magazine presents de-
cided advantages, which the GALAXY will not be
| slow to improve.
AS a whole, our magazine literature, like
| American literature at large has always inn
proved, In tone and reach Of thought, in libe-
rality OF view, In power of conception, and In
TO the list, the GdlorH is a further step in the
! same direction,