The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-03
in the very frst-class Of similar publica-
tons In our country.

uons IN our country.
BOUGHT BY uscr.
During whites Illness. AID for a few
months after his deatn' me M.Sseh-.i
was conducted by iri-nd In August
1873. ne retired, the magazine ndNilS DttH
purchased by Benjamin u. Minor: i.lch
IN youth, In the DencAts derived iIoii a
iong college career, ahu III iS.n.i5 III ar.
nections, Minor, VINO was a lawyer ny
profession, planned TO Improve the Mes
senger in all points Summoning Ms per-
sonal friends and otners ~ IL pages, nc
announced that he proposed 10 nave learn,
ing ana genius In the publication. ana
would spend money TO that end. lie Was
Bratfied that not as many suO5criDers
withdrew as he had expecte'i, Dut ne can
didly told his readers that II they ue-
sired TO see the productions or northern
writer's. who were professional authors
and worked for pay, the necessary money
would have TO be Forthcoming. Minor
!nept a sharp LOOKOUT over the iieli. alld
LETT no stone upturned 10 bring his maya
zine more and more TO the fore feahZ-
ing the Importance OF criticism, ne ar
ranged with Poe for monthly contIiDu-
tons in that line. though the relations OF
the two did not long remain the same
not however, through any iault OF Minor
White had opened his pages to the IT
glnia Historical and Philosophical Socl 'l,
Ihat organization was IN a sta.e "a i,'ir'
when Minor appeared, ana ne trlcu Nlsoii
Cusly 10 revive IL. Article after aIticle
was published, together Win letters r ,ICt'
John Tyler. /. X. Tent, j. komeyhu D ~,
head, George y. Moore, conway isopiin
son, Charles Campbell, and George LUCK
er. His efforts were Successful lo' ~
the sJring OF 1871 the society was re-
organized, with William 9. hlEes PitSs
dent; John Mcdowell, william II. 1890
lani. James r. Heath, vice-presidents'
William Maxwell, coIreSi onu..,s CON
tary: GeOrg. l.. johnson, ueasufsl Soi',
way Robinson Socrates Maup'i,; -,i,s,,, -
a. Myers. Thomas 4. ult,S' N1innr and
Chittenden, Benjamin u. Mino,, a., ~
Thomas H. Ellis, Executive Nyiiiiir .- -
Minor was also one OF tne sisl.siio ~
the stirring address 10 inc P'vpie -
virginia from the Education ConFtiton
nj ~ he Ms vice-president OF the Menu
phis Convention Of that year. alLu W.
prominent in the movements OF various
kinds for the material ana llt tis'
advancement OF the Comihoi'Wca ,,i Tho
Agents were appointed 70 hdi1 Dt ~
magazine in Charleston, New orleans
Alexandria, Washington BaitlnoIs' m
adelphia, Boston, New orH' anu 49,
cities. Prizes were oHeIeu loi ca
kinds of contributions, ana one % S
wa- awarded to the author OF an csSds
on Longfellow. The offer FOR the Dess
poem was withdrawn because noiie %
the poems submitted was ute.ieu ia,,o
be for publication. william Maxldl 49, 10
became In February, 13i5, the puDlisiiel Va
The magazine and his name sOOii III 80 -
nectiOn with that Of fergusso" ,,i,,s
on the cover until lsvi. MINOR Isb,T ttSS
failure of the Magnolia in 1874 aiueu ma
terial from South Carolina, ana III btC ~,
her the enterprising young editor " Is ause
10 unite with the Messenger me ooo re !,
and Western Magazine anu ~ ne c..',SrIeston
had lived for about year IN CAss. les ~ ~.
under the editOrSnip OF p.is...ttS,.aI
Smms. and he was reta.ne9 LOT o -, I'd
and other writing for the SouIiiy - u 80
Western Literary Messenger anu heNleMs
the new name adopted 10 express nlore
definitely the tendencies or me MessSiis
ITor two years IL bore its rather top,nedgy
title Then. in January, l5o' smS ~ tbe
was resumed. John r. Thompson, Wy
new editor and proprietor thous"' TIC
combination too cumbrOus.
rHonrsoS's HIGH AIN.
He bought the magazine in OctooeI, ~ ~
Minor. with a very gallant reistshSS ~
his successor, leaving TO accept the pIi.-
cipalsnip OF the Virginia teinale llls, ..,,
at stanton Thompson was So.i i IL
hampered by the withdra"sl 81 80, al
ers either from dlstrust OF ne ne" e.i-
tor or from a feeling or lndiIere,,ce ~. 70
ward the cause Of southern nteraluIe, o.
ne Enthusiastically expressed II. ne ~ ~
ed 10 have much or tne san, ne Spy.1t,ince
White. and announced that the yrOsiiitSe
~ The magazine would be 10 re2aIi lne
rentblfc of letters as an indlss9IuDie oolI-
federacv. recognizing no LANDMARKS OF
barriers of division, Dut u IL, the SIENNA
a. a literary brotherhood by the - lii,a
thies of a kindred nature anu a. conl-
munity OF tastes. sentiments ana pur-
suits" H.. 7t,o..d
tho magazine for nearly fourteen years
and undoubtedly widened us milushSs,
though he may not have ihcreds.I -
financial value. Its readers ~cIc - ~
found from New Lnfland 70 sn5 in the
European capitals. Z. A. DuychlicN, ~
the literary World, urged eastern men
10 encourage it. and keith * W ooIss VI
St Louis; j. ii. CogDiil, OF nsHi o,don
were some Of its agents, ana heNspa 49,,
and magazines were quoting laIe a'O'' "a,
IL. sometimes without the con- tSSs -, -,
giving credit, a pracuce l""' i''0''i
Leaving his work IN charge OF SoNi,
Esten Cooke, in 1874, Thompson ildic d
trim TO Europe, and sent PACK mes III
,srestfno CORRESPONDENCE. that was one
90 me Elements contributing 10 the Wldsr
popularity OF his undertaklns' but III -, ~
next wear he believed that II Woulu colilc
to an end unless us niiaHt - he
voung Harpers had already I'VE niiles as
many subscribers south Of the Potomac
as the Messenger, ana Una. even "a
mans, though abolition III loie' .iea
large circulation among SitNe-noiul' ~ ~
Nacfarlane * Ferguson nad pecoHic hal.
ovners with him, and by arIdilstih.iit
with them he determined 10 con ill., - ~
publication for twelve months lonsoi -. a.
L. . = NN.
r,duced sixteen additional ones W.
added TO each number, and the Vo' ui M.
became semi-annual instead OF yearly.
The experiment succeeded, nut lnoiil.'I5oi.
wtthirew in May, lSln, 10 20 idltlVi
c,nfb 10 work on the Field ana flIeslIe;
ms; before his departure ne ISL.5'i ~, ~
that the desire Of TIE Messenger Lap D.Sit
10 sustain the credit of the south IN tns
dnn,ain OF letters. 10 supply an agency VI
r,ental culture, ana to defend southei u
civilization in the intellectual forum Oh
the world.
DR.. BAGBY's HARD TSsA-
DR.. George W. Bagby who followed nm nm
as editor. the publishers haNlnB gSSo, ny
full owners was "A JOurnallst % 49, a.
nufe. and had recognized posllloh IN al
literature Not only was he unsurpdsseu
as a delineator Of life in his SECTION, put
"a All rhe editors OF the MesseuSvI hc
seemed Ia have the keenest a9preci"eloi.
OF the character Of original WINE &c, &c
should be produced by MS remove - -
the great opportunities LOT y. ard he
time he had been cOhtllDrtV., his
asceuied the tripod at a crisis IN lne ..S
tory of this country. He reaiLed Ia .
he was devoted TO his state, 70 Aei PyOPt,'
and To her Institutions D.llDeldeSls ~, ~
threw the influence Of the Messehsel my
the southern scale. IL Was sne ot 80 q
the notifications IN Virginia 10 aps 49,
distinctly and forcihly measures lhat We
sdcrted nv the Commonwealth nine OF
ten months later This acuon was a.
ccunaniei 10y a change OF pOHe! III all
other respect hoa been N
embellish the magazine Occasioiid"s ~ -.
drawings and cngrayings, the ruie, se ie.'.
Violated had been TO use no ILLUSTRATIONS
THOMPSON had published cuts Wy a.
ticles upon Simms and lAeoer, OUT ~,
Bag5y announced taat ne pi tbeiy avn