The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-12-03
DEAD MAGAZINES.
Periodicals Of Note Which Proved 10
Be Failures Financially.
RcstOn's Ventures-Nevv Yorkss Tena.
porary Successes 50 Periodicals
Which Brought Inadequate
Returns 10 Publishers.
Boston Herald. ]

LAO ~AIAhObtN,A OA 4A0 t@Oub4uS4Gs IAo hA1ASsehN
zine which Judge Albion Tourgee has for
two years persistently endeavored to estab-
hsh, draws attention to number of failures
of like enterprises that have preceded it.
With the exception of The North American
Review, which has been removed from the
place Of its nativity, and Is published in q
modified form in New York, and The Lady's
Book, the Philadelphia fashion-plat period
ical, there is now no American magazine
published which was in existence at the time
Harper's Magazine first appeared.
Boston, though long the literary center OF
the country, has not been prolific in period
icals. There are men now living who remem-
Der that curious little affair, The Polyanthus,
which Joseph F. Buckingham edited. James
Russell Lowell in early life started The BoS-
ston Miscellany, which was good enough, with
contributions from Emerson, LongfeIlow,
Hawthorne and its editor, to merit much
longer life than the very brief one it at
tanned. There was The DIAL too, of the
Trancendentalists. These are all the maga-
zines worthy of note published in our city
until The Atlantic Monthly appeared.
New York had earlier II creditable periodi-
cal which obtained much more Of the ele-
ment Of permanency. II was The Knicker-
booker, established considerably over half
century ago, and for a long time, with the
exception, perhaps, of Graham's Magazine of
Philadelphia, the only literary magazine
which published first-class matter in the
country. Graham's Magazine was a fashion
periodical, but Bayard Taylor at one time
edited it, and it had contributions from
Longfellow, Cooper, Poe and other eminent
writers 1t died long ago. The Knicl1er-
booker was edited successfully by the
brothers Willis and Gaylord Clark,
the former writer of refined poeti-
cal temperament, the latter with a
taste for humor and possessing good et-
itorial Judgment Irving, Hawthorne, and
nearly all the newer literati who appeared
were among its contributors. 1t published
three serial novels which had great popular
ity, from John Z. Irving, q now almost for
gotten brother Of Washington Irving, and
another serial tale from Rev. DIR. Bellows,
then young man. Its publishers were
Boston firm at one time though it was issued
in New York, and it was very handsomely
printed. 1t was looked upon as perma-
nency until Harper's, Putnam's and The At
lantic appeared. Than it gradually fell of
in circulation until it ceased to be profitable,
and was bought by James R. Gilmore CAEd-
mund Kirke'D, who united it with The Con-
tinental Magazine in 1851. This periodical
lived about four years afterward.
Harper's Magazine appeared in 1850. 1t
was followed three years later by Putnam's
magazine, the first volume of which was is
sued in 1883. This was, perhaps, the most
promising of all the periodicals that have
been failures financially. 1t had remark
ably able list of contributors. Mr.. Charles
F. Briggs was its real editor, but George
William Curtis took great interest in the en-
terprise. and was identified close with it. He
wrote his "Prue and |" papers for its pages,
and many other articles. Parke Goodwin was
another of the New York writers who did
much for it. It enlisted Lowell and Longfel-
2ow from Boston, and it may be said to
have had every writer OF note that it de-
sired, for Harper's was then publishing
chiefly selections from English magazines
Putnam's sensational article. "Have We
Bourbon Among Us2" appeared in its second
number. There are those who date its down
fall from this point. , It is more probable,
however, that it died partly from lack of
capital, partly from want of business skill
in its publication, and perhaps somewhat,
too because the country was not ready for
strictly literary periodical of so high a tone.
1t ceased publication in December, 1857 In
1868, little more than ten years later it
was revived; but it then lived only two
years. i. .r.f. a. 4af,. ~. 2gitagt
Hours at Home was the next periodical of
Importance started. It came from the house
of Charles Scribner & Co. in 1855. 1t was
semi-rehgious magazine, very careful of the
moral tone of it's articles Hours at Home
never had much popularity, but there was
ample capital to continue it had its publish
ers been so disposed. 1t is now chiefly re-
membered as the precursor of Scribner's
Magazine, which is so widely known by its
later name, The Century Jas
The Galaxy followed In 1866. This peri
odical was almost as high in its literary tone
as was Putnam's Magazine, and it was con
siderably more popular in the character of
its matter. We doubt if there has ever been
a more readable publication than was The
Galaxy. 1t was very skillfullY edited, being
mostly original in its contents, yet intro
ducing some capital English novels to its
recders. Mrs. Annie Edwards delightful
novel, sArchie Lowell" first appeared in this
country in the pages of the Galaxy. Justin
Mccarthy wrote his admirable sketches of
English public men for it. 1t ought to have
lived indefinitely; it did continue twelve
years. The competition ef the illustrations
of Rarper's and Scribners was too much for
it, and 1t died in 1878 ''t.5li 81 9-
Appleton's Joul nal was established as
weekly literary journal in 1869. 1t continued
in this form till 1876, when it became a
monthly. 1t was an expensive illustrated
periodical Of considerable merit, but it did
not hit the popular taste. Victor Hugo's
"The Man Who Laughs" was its first serial
1t tried several others and struck out special
ties to attract readern All was of no avail,
and the publishers, Il red cf their outlay with
out adequate return, abandoned it's publica-
ton at the close of the year 1850.