The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-03
LITERARY MESSENGER.
THE LEADING MACHINE OF DINE
BEFORE THE VAR,
With Varying Fortunes 1t Was Issued for
Thirty Years-The War Killed 1t.
Sketch of It's Career.


! fortunes the magazine was issued for
thirty years. The war killed it.
| 1t was mirror of its times. Southern
| in name and I'm it's purpose to cultivate
| the literary instincts of its section, IL
| was thoroughly American In the breadth
| OF its views, In the desire to have writers
| OF all parts of the country represented
| among It's contributors and IN the eX-
| tent or its circulation. Without material
| drawn from the pages OF the volumes
| that have bcecn preserved any treatment
| of the life or literature of the old South
| would be incomplete.
When White determined to start the
magazine, the prospect OF success was ~
no means encourasing. Not unti ioiO ulu
ne regard IL as established. and then ne
wrote. When nearly SIX years ago the
| plan Of the Messenger was formed, now
| few of its friends believed that II WOULD
live TO this day. How early did they
ITCSage not only a speedy dcatn 10 the
work, biit ruin TO the undertaken. In
truth, itseemcd rash ana peilious en-
terprise. The EDITORS all, Of fortune ana
credit, was embarked
Impediments were. indeed, many. Rich
mOnd where naturally the basis or CIR
cUlatiOn was 10 exist. had white popu-
lation Of less than 1900. Means OF com
municatiOn were scant. Experiments
with periodicals in the South had failed
But few years before the Southern Re
view, of Charleston, had closed Its briei
career I'm spite OF the ability brought 70
of his friends. and cheered by feW,
among whom James f. Heath and Bev-
ery Tucker were foremost, White per-
sisted in his design He proved tnat en-
ergy and perseverance could discount
apathy and the apparent logic OF expert
cnce.
The first number Of the magazine was
given a warm reception To the proprle-
tor came many promises OF assistance,
professional and literary men rendered the
products of their pens. and the list OF
subscribers heightened. Tho thirteen
numbers OF the first volume, which closed
in September, 1873. with a52 pages, show
that a hearty response had been given
TO Whites invitation. In the mean time
the magazine had attracted one man
whose influence, cxerted actively for a
few months, did not soon pass away.
Announcement was made In the tnrd
number that arrangements had DesA
made for editorial management. SIX
months later a change occurred, Dut lle
new literary assistant did not remain
long at his desk. But through the gooa
offices of John p. Kennedy, early in DO.
Edgar Allan Poe had been brought mo
communication with White. The young
man wrote frequently for the magazine,
and in the first number OF the second
volume. which appeared in December, MS
work as editor began 10 tell. According
to contemporary notices. the Messenger
Immediately took an advanced position In
the field Of criticism at time When
candid criticism was needed IN rapldiy
White had previously intimated that MS
venture had been received more cordially
in the East and North than IN the south,
but with the advent of Poe came nooG
of complimentary notices and editorial
encouragement from all sections. NO
reasonable person can attribute this prom
inence TO anything but the vgor or zoe
and his faith in the power o. adNertlse-
ment. even though doubt exist Of the
strict accuracy of his subsequent state
ment, not without spleen, that he had
increased the circulation OF the puDilca,
ton from 200 10 500. paying an annual
profit of $1,000 during the fourteen or
fifteen months of his editorship.
WHITE IS EDITOR
After Poe's departure White, who had
appeared as printer and publisher be-
came editor and proprietor lie GER
tainly did not undertake the whole en-
torjai duty, but the magazine was held TO
the line originally laid down Tor IL.
Whatever Poes estimate may nave Deen'
the founder considered II I'm 1888 still an
experiment Competitors were coming 10
the front. and some of his subscribers
were in arrears. STILL the friendly words
of newspaper acquaintance were reifgsli-
ing The National lntelligencer SAID that
Whites Industry and perseverance en-
titled him "tO the admiration and thanks
of the friends, not only of southern lteia,
ture, but OF American literature, anu
the Raleigh Register conclude1 VIZ J,s
fatterine editorial with the words Like
Washington and jefferson and Marsnaii,
the Messenger is the honored child OF
Virginia. but, like them, too, us woe
spreading influence and high reputation
have become the common property OF me
whole land There is no magazine IN the
whole country that brings into its pages
the labors OF a greater nunS'er Ol
writers than does the Messenger"
Grateful fer such commentator, w hte
did not lose sight OF enc Of the aims OF
the magazine, but he made distinction
between sectional partalities' ana the
attI NnfffDHFn
terests and rights. He took MS redGtIs
into his confidence, indicating from une
to time the fluctuations OF ms loIluhss
In opening his eighth volume Tor IN
stance. ne said that the circulation was
81 large. that two weeks were occupied IN
mailing the edition, and tnat the haha-
ling o. manuscripts alone was enough ~
keen one person constantly busy. ne
vas however not content with existing
conditions. and at the suggestion Of
friend he offered in December ls2. 2
silver cup or medal Tor lhe Dest poe ~, 20
not less than seventy-hye lines or more
than one hundred and nfty, ana ne Sc
lected Thomas litchie, Or. Henry MyeIs'
DR. Augustus J.. Warner, NiilaIn -.
Chittenden, and James T.. Heath as
He did not live TO witness the award
of the prize in February to Evelyn II.
TAYLOR While on a visit TO New YORK III
the rrevious September he had been at
tackled hy paralysis, and he died on
January 10, 1913, at the age or nity-four
years He had seen his magazine grow
IN an annual volume Of eight hundred
pages, circulating in many states on
ho,b sides OF the Potomac, and ne haa
given il a standing when Wclh UouDl-
less have been sustained 10 this day had
not war interviewed. A friend who knew
him long md wei wrote at the time or
his death the following estimate OF his
character and attachments:
"He was. in truth. all things consid-
cred. a remarkable man. FROM MS chliu-
hood he had to struggle with adversely
and like Franklin, with no other than
self-taught education, he was thrown
INTO the same calling. that OF a printer
annrentice.. with that illustrious sage
Min no professions 10 literature as
classical or critical profession. he never
theless possessed a singular tact and dis
cernnnent which enabled him TO distin-
e1,ish the true and the beautiful from
vhat was false or deformed in taste or
,,icinus or defective in morals. With
STRANGE disinclination to write for MS
own nopular magazine he curiously COM
hined a happy facility and nervous en-
crgv I'm cpistolaIy Correspondence. Inc
v-,iter has seen and received many o. ms
letters. which aboundcd in vigorous
thoughts. clothed in elegant language, re
sembiing the unsophisticated strains IN
which Won,an-eVen uneducatcd woman
will often express her emotions without
regard TO the mere f0rmularies OF style
He wrote from the abundance OF SOUND
heart and generous feelings, ana nol
having the fear Of critical inspection be-
fore his eyes. he was, OF course. less the
colnpostor Of art than the interpreter OF
.Ent Mr.. Whites forte. perhaps. con-
sisted In an indomitaole energy ana per-
severance OF character. which ovcrcame
all obstacles in the pursuit OF an object
Al l. To. 49,