Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-14
IN THE MAGAZINES

records the rounding out of a maga-
II zine existence of fifty years. The
current issue is a jubilee number in which
are reviewed briefly and in the staid At
lantic manner the half century achieve
ments of the most conservative of Ameri-
can periodicals. Always dignified. the
Atlantic announces it's fiftieth anniversary
with no fanfare of trumpets, but with
modest pride that it has, during all this
period, represented in large measure the
best literature, the best thought and the
finest achievements of the national literary
| life.
| In this modern day of profuse illustra-
ton and ephemeral fiction the Atlantic,
holding ever to the admirable traditions
of its founders has become sort Of
literary caviare to the general. No Amer
lean magazine, however. has more loyal
clientele and none better deserves sue
cess. In circulation 1t is exceeded by
score or more of monthly publications
that were unborn long after it had at
tanned it's majority; but in point of ex-
cellence it is surpassed by none.
The Atlantic has had, all told, seven
| editors-in-chief. James Russell Lowell
brought out the first number in Novem-
| ber, 1857. Mr.. Fields assumed "the seat OF
| the scorner" for the ten years beginning
| 1861. 1.-THE preliminary bows and courte-
PAAAeN|~NN
were now over, and the venture was an
established institution. On Mr.. Fields re-
| tirement in 1871, William Dean Howells,
who had been his assistant since 1866, sue
ceeded him. Mr.. Aldrich, who died last
spring, followed in 1881 for another ten
years reign in the Atlantic office. On his
| leaving in 1890 the magazine passed into
the hands of Horace z. Scudder, who con-
Quoted it until 1897. being followed for a
period of two years by Walter H Page.
i In 1885, Bliss Perry, the present editor,
took charge of the famous periodical.
Contributors to the first issue included
| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph
/ Waldo Emerson, John Greenleaf Whittier.
James Russell Lowell, John Lothrop Mot
ley Harriet Beecher Stowe, Charles Eliot
Norton, Oliver Wendell Holmes, John T.
Trowbridge, James Hannay, Rose Terry,
lC. c. Hazewell, c. w. Phileo and Parke
Goodwin. OF these only Charles Eliot
Norton survives.
The contributions to this first number
were unsigned, yet shrewd guesses found
utterance here and there: as this, "No
reader of this number will fail to detect
the hand of Emerson and Lowell and
Whittier; and we think we may venture
to whisper o. w. Holmes, ]. Lothrop
Motley and Mrs Sowe." The
leader was an essay on the English
humorist- editor, Douglas Jerrold by
James Hannay. Longfellow's Santa Flo
mena" for the first time saw light, as
likewise the opening paper of the auto
crat." Among others, Lowell contributed
a poem and two essaysj Emerson several
poem and "Illusions;" j. T. Trowbridge a
story called "Pendlam." Parke Godwin's $
Financial FURRY" appeared as very
timely criticism of contemporary troubles.
Thus was launched the Atlantic Month
ly. Underneath the title ran the legend:
"a Magazine of Literature, Art and
Politics.
In October, 1866, Science was included
in the list The unique position of the
Atlantic among periodic publications IS
| due wholly to its broad hospitality and
| to it's simple adherence to an attitude of
accepting and printing the best work it
could secure, regardless of sect or faction.
1t is known by it's editors. but not be-
| cause of them.
The Pacific Monthly begins in the No
| vember issue serial which promises TO
be an important and popular feature of
that publication. The story is published
under the title, 1.-THE Last Stand of the
Argonauts," and is by John Fleming VIII
son. 1t is well illustrated by Lutte Pease,
| whose excellent work is familiar to Pa
ciflc readers. AS is usual with this maga-
zine the descriptive articles, illustrated
from photographs are very well done;
while the fiction is up to the usual stand.
ard. The new department, Western Az
fairs at Washington" is continued, and
| William Winter. dean of American the
atrical lcritics, has another Of his vala-
able articles on the Dramatic Season In
New York"
The November issue of Western Field
opens with a clever series of parodies on
Omar Khayyam, printed under the cap
ton, 'grhe Rubaiyat of Omar the Hun
ter" written by Thos. Maitland Marshall.
In the Coast Shooting" series the pres
ent article has to do with wildcats. There
| is brief description OF the spotted sting