EDITOR'S TABLE. The present number completes the first volume of our Magazine. Whether we have come short of our true aim, the elevation of our current literature, is left for our readers to determine. This thing we are sure of, that our efforts both to please and to profit, have been unremitted, and we trust not wholly unsuccessful. Our literary labors have been pleasant, though somewhat burdensome, but the burden has been alleviated by the encouraging aid of distinguished divines and scholars, in each of the learned professions. Nor the less have we been cheered by the warm wishes and chaste contributions of ladies of refined taste and elegant scholarship. We would invoke the mild and benignant spirit of female genius, to continue to smile upon our enterprize, and thereby to commend it to the generous patronage of the other sex. "Call upon our wives and daughters, and show them the work; if they desire it, we will most cheerfully pay for it," has been the language of many gentlemen to whom our agents have presented the Magazine for subscriptions. We would most respectfully solicit from these ladies an affirmative reply to the question, "Would you like to have this work placed upon your table for the ensuing year?" on such conditions. We would not wish you to lay aside Graham, Godey, or the Union Magazine, each beautiful in their kind, for our sakes, but we would ask for the American Literary, some vacant corner upon your table at least, for one year, on trial. If it should make an awkward appearance there, like an awkward gentleman, we should heartily desire to have it ushered forth from your presence, till it acquired traits of character suited to refined circles. We address the ladies with greater confidence, believing that the day of sweet things and shallow things, in literary productions is, or ought to be passing away, and that both ladies and gentlemen have been long enough fed with milk and honey, to have acquired sufficient growth to enable them to endure strong meat. In the future progress of the work, we shall aim at greater variety, and a higher tone of excellence in the character of its articles. Some of them may seem too long for many of our readers, but not for the nature of the subject treated of, or to suit the taste of the majority. The memoir of the great American philologist, Noah Webster, now preparing by Prof Goodrich, of Yale College, for the January number, will occupy, perhaps, a large space in its pages. Dr. Webster was one of those characters whose history must necessarily cover considerable ground, in order to give a clear view of a life so crowded with useful incident. Yet we can assure our readers, that the whole space will be radiant with light, which may cheer and encourage others to a career of distinguished usefulness. The Magazine rests, for its support, mainly upon the liberality of its patrons. We acknowledge their kindness, and shall, in return for their favor, labor diligently to render an equivalent. Some have feared for our success, and have thereby withheld the true means which would guaranty it unto us. Those who would see us prosper, can contribute to our prosperity most affectually by patronizing the Magazine. For our part we feel secure, and this security, as intimated above, rests with a generous people ever ready to countonance "good works." We will not say, as was proclaimed a short time since by the editor of a short lived work in the city of New York, "it shall succeed,” but we do say that we intend to persevere till we accomplish our purpose in giving an extensive circulation to the work, and thereby securing general confidence in its permanency and ability. The sad intelligence has just reached us of the death of George H. Colton, and we cannot lay aside our pen without a passing tribute to the memory of one who occupied so high a place in the republic of letters. A star of uncommon brilliancy has suddenly fallen. We mingle our sympathies with those whom death hath deprived of a brother of such unusually amiable and endearing qualities. We deeply regret that American literature must suffer the loss of the polished strokes of his ripening genius; that the ably conducted Review, which owes its origin to his vigorous talent and enterprise, can no more be adorned by his refined criticism and highly cultivated taste. Mr. Colton occupied a large space in the affections of all who were acquainted with him, whetl er personally or politically. In public controversies, he was manly and dignified; in energy of character and perseverance, he was a model. We forbear further detail of his character, not doubting that it will be ably and faithfully exhibited by other pens. THE AMERICAN LITERARY MAGAZINE, -MONTHLY BY T. DWIGHT SPRAGUE. VOL. II. ALBANY: PRINTED BY JOEL MUNSELL. 1848. Buonarotti, Michael Angelo, the Last Judgment of; by L'A.,. Classic Vagaries, No. 5-Christians in Rome,. 43 34 Europe, the Present State of; by C. M. N.,...... 312 Evangeline; by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,... 172 Exhibition, a visit to Madame Tussaud's, London,. 124 Florence The Appenines-Bologna; by the Author of Christmas Legends of 1689-90-Foot-prints in the snow; by Miss Goddard,.. 308 Letter from the Author of Classic Vagaries,...... Letter to Mr. Leon Bruys D'Ouilly; by Lamartine,. Liberty, the Tree of; by G. F. Yates,. Life, the True Story of my,.. Literary Notices,..... .... Louisburg, the Siege of, in 1745; by Erasmus D. North, M. D.,.... 91 Poetry, Destinies of, from the French of Lamartine; by L'A.,..... 116 215 354 112 56 ........ 65, 130, 193, 263, 323, 387 |