A Chapter on Autography and An Appendix of Autographs — Poe, 1841–1842 — reading text

and then a twirl, like the tail of a pig, which gives to the whole MS. an indescribably quizzical appearance, and one alto- gether in ¢onsonance with the general notion respect- ing the quondam Major, and present J udge , than whom | no man has more friends or fewer enemies. His MS. shows a total deficiency in the sense of the beautiful. It has great pretension — great strain- ing after effect; but is altogether one of the most miserable MSS. in the world — forceless, graceless, tawdry, vacillating and unpicturesque. The signa- ture conveys but a faint idea of its extravagance. However much we may admire the mere knowledge of the man who writes thus, it will not do to place any dependence upon his wisdom or upon his taste. This article will be concluded in our next number, and will embrace the autograph of every writer of note in America. t m of 2 e j 3 : j 4 * 4 Ky i The ¥ Me Graham’s Magazine — 1841-12 [Source scan page 21] A CHAPTER ON BY [In this, our second ‘Chapter on Autography,’’ we conclude the article and the year together. When we say that so complete a collection has never been published before, we assert only that which is obvi- ous; and we are pleased to see that our exertions upon this head have been well received, As we claim only the sorry merit of the compiler, we shall be permitted to say that.no Magazine paper has ever excited greater interest than the one now concluded. To all readers it has seemed to be welcome — but es- F, W. Tuomas, who began his literary career, at the | early age of seventeen, by a poetical lampoon upon certain Baltimore fops, has since more particularly distinguished himself as a novelist. His “ Clinton ‘ Bradshawe”’ is perhaps better known than any of his later fictions. It is remarkable for a frank, unscru- pulous portraiture of men and things, in high life and low, and by unusual discrimination and observation in respect to character. Since its publication he has produced ‘‘ East and West” and ‘‘ Howard Pinck- ney,” neither of which seem to have been so popular as his first essay ; although both have merit. Kast and West,” published in 1836, was an attempt to portray the every-day events occurring to a fallen family emigrating from the East to the West. In it, AUTOGRAPHY. pecially so to those who themselves dabble in the waters of Helicon: —to those and their innumerable friends. The diligence required in getting together these autographs has heen a matter of no little mo- ment, and the expense of the whole undertaking will be at once comprehended ; but we intend the article merely as an earnest of what we shall do next year. Our aim shall be to furnish our friends with variety, originality, and piyuancy, without any regard to la- bor or to cost. ] as in ‘Clinton Bradshawe,”’ most of the characters are drawn from life. ‘‘ Howard Pinckney?’ was pub- lished in 1840. 3 7 Mr. Thomas was, at one period, the editor of the Cincinnati ‘‘ Commercial. Advertiser.”’ He is also well known as a public lecturer on a variety of topics. His conversational powers are very great. Asa poet, he has also distinguished himself. His ‘‘ Emigrant ” will be read with pleasure by every person of taste. His MS.is more like that of Mr. Benjamin than that of any other literary person of our acquaintance. It has even more than the occasional nervousness of Mr. B.’s, and, as in the case of the editor of the ‘New World,” indicates the passionate sensibility of the man. Tuomas G. SPEAR is the author of various poetical pieces which have appeared from time to time in our Magazines and other periodicals. His productions have been much admired, and are distinguished for pathos, and grace. His MS. is well shown in the signature, It is too clerky for our taste. 12. it J wes f | a é | = i i | is ‘ t * , . ~ [Source scan page 22] > O74 AUTOGRAPHY. Mr. Morris ranks, we believe, as the first of our Philadelphia poets, since the death of Willis Gaylord Clark. His compositions, like those of his late la- mented friend, are characterised by sweetness rather than strength of versification, and by tenderness and delicacy rather than by vigor or originality of thought. A late notice of him in the ‘ Boston No- tion,” from the pen of Rufus W. Griswold, did his high qualities no more than justice. As a prose Ezra Ho pen has written much, not only for. his paper, ‘‘ The Saturday Courier,” but for our periodi- cals generally, and stands high in the public estima- tion, as a sound thinker, and still more particularly as a fearless expresser of his thoughts. Mr. Martrutas is principally known by his edito- rial conduct of the “‘ Saturday Chronicle” of Phila- delphia, to which he has furnished much entertaining Mr. GranHam is known to the literary world as the editor and proprietor of ‘‘Graham’s Magazine,” the most popular periodical in America, and also of the ‘Saturday Evening Post,” of Philadelphia. For both of these journals he has written much and well. writer, he is chiefly known by his editorial contribu- tions to the Philadelphia “ Inquirer,” and by occa- sional essays for the Magazines, His chirography is usually very illegible, although at times sufficiently distinct. It has no marked cha- racteristics, and like that of almost every editor in the country, has been so modified by the circum- stances of his position, as to afford no certain indi- cation of the mental features. His MS. (which we are constrained to say is a shockingly bad one, and whose general features may be seen in his signature,) indicates the frank and naive manner of his literary style —a style which not un. frequently flies off into whimsicalities, ~ and instructive matter. His MS. would be generally termed a fine one, but it affords little indication of mental character. His MS. generally, is very bad, or at least very illegible. At times it is sufficiently distinct, and has force and picturesqueness, speaking plainly of the energy which particularly distinguishes him as a man. The signature above is more scratchy than usual. Colonel Stone, the editor of the New York “‘Com-| ference which exists between the apparent public mercial Ad vertiser,” is remarkable for the great dif- | opinion respecting his abilities, and the real estima” 4 a SS if | ia 4 5 4 : % 4 adres re y i & 4 4 J be i | [Source scan page 23] AUTOGRAPHY. 275 tion in which he is privately held. Through his pa- per, and a bustling activity always prone to thrust itself forward, he has attained an unusual degree of influence in New York, and, not only this, but what appears to be areputation fortalent. But this talent we do not remember ever to have heard assigned him by any honest man’s private opinion. We place him among our literati, because he has published certain The labors of Mr. Sparks, Professor of History at Harvard, are well known and justly appreciated. His MS. has an unusually odd appearance. The charac- ters are large, round, black, irregular, and perpen- dicular —the signature, as above, being an excellent specimen of his chirography in general. In all his letters now before us, the lines are as close together as possible, giving the idea of irretrievable confu- sion; still none of them are illegible upon close in- ZZ The name of H. S. Leaare is written without an accent on the final e, yet is pronounced, as if this let- ter were accented, —Legray. He contributed many articles of high merit to the “ Southern Review,’ and has a wide reputation for scholarship and talent. His Mr. Griswotp has written much, but chiefly in the editorial way, whether for the papers, or in books. He is a gentleman of fine taste and sound judgment. His knowledge of American literature, in all its de- tails, is not exceeded by that of any man among us. He is not only a polished prose-writer, but a poet of Mr. Grorce Lunt, of Newburyport, Massachu- setts, is known as a poet of much vigor of style and massiveness of thought. He delights in the grand, rather than in the beautiful, and is not unfrequently (] books. Perhaps the best of these are his “‘ Life of Brandt,” and ‘‘ Life and Times of Red Jacket.” Of the rest, his story called ‘‘ Ups and Downs,” his de- fence of Animal Magnetism, and his pamphlets con- cerning Maria Monk, are scarcely the most absurd. His MS. is heavy and sprawling, resembling his men- tal character in a species of utter unmeaningness, which lies, like the nightmare, upon his autograph. spection. We can form no guess in regard to any mental peculiarities from Mr. Sparks’ MS., which has been no doubt modified by the hurrying and in- tricate nature of his researches. We might imagine such epistles as these to have been written in ex- treme haste by a man exceedingly busy among great piles of books and papers, huddled up around him like the chaotic tomes of Magliabechi. The paper used in all our epistles is uncommonly fine. MS, resembles that of Mr. Palfrey, of the North American Review, and their mental features appear to us nearly identical. What we have said in regard to the chirography of Mr. Palfrey will apply with equal force to that of the present Secretary. no ordinary power ; although, as yet, he has not put himself much in the way of the public admiration. His MS. is by no means a good one. It appears un- formed, and vacillates in a singular manner ; so that nothing can be predicated from it, except a certain unsteadiness of purpose. turgid, but never feeble. The traits here described, impress themselves with remarkable distinctness upon his chirography, of which the signature gives a perfect idea. Mr. CHANDLER’s reputation as the editor of one of | finest belles lettres scholars, is deservedly high. He the best daily papers in the country, and as one of our | is well known through his numerous addresses, es- y } 4 | | | * te | mise . i ms ; Tit : 4 ’ if [Source scan page 24] 4 * ed r ‘ Se i 4 ty 4 : i 4 ies tie ‘ ) if : 4 3 } ty 4) 5 ut be 4 hd ¥ Bie 276 says, miscellaneous sketches, and prose tales. Some of these latter evince imaginative powers of a supe- rior order. His MS. is not fairly shown i in. his signature, the latter being much more open and bold than his gene- ral chirography. His hand-writing must be included in the editorial category —it seems to have been ru- ined by habitual hurry. “ Count L. Firzceratp Tasistro has distinguished himself by many contributions to the periodical lite- rature of the day, and by his editorial conduct of the Expositor,” —a critical journal of high merit in many respects, although somewhat given to verbiage. H. T. Tuckerman has written one or two books consisting of ‘Sketches of Travel.” His “ Isabel”? is, perhaps, better known than any of his productions, but was never a popular work. He is a correct writer so far as mere English is concerned, but an insuffera- bly tedious and dull one. He has contributed much Mr. Bryan has written some very excellent poe- try, and is appreciated by all admirers of ‘the good old Goldsmith school.”’ He is, at present, postmaster at Alexandria, and has held the offiee for many years, with all the good fortune of a Vicar of Bray. Mr. Gopey is only known to the literary world as editor and publisher of ‘‘ The Lady’s Book ;” but his celebrity in this regard entitles him to a place in this collection. His MS. is remarkably distinct and graceful ; the signature affording an excellent idea of His MS. i8 remarkable for a scratchy diminutive- ness, and is by no means legible. We are not sufli- ciently cognizant of his literary character, to draw any parallel between it-and his chirography. His signature 1s certainly : a most remarkable one. 2 of late days to the ‘‘ Southern Literary Messenger,” with which journal, perhaps, the legibility of his MS. has been an‘important, if not the principal recom- mendation. His chirography is neat and distinct, and has some grace, but no force — evincing, in a re- markable degree, the idiosyncrasies of the writer. His MS. is a free, sloping, and regular one, with more boldness than force, and not ungraceful.