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Volume III, January, 1837, opens with "A visit to My Native Village, after an Absence of Thirty Years," by Hon. James K. Paulding, to which succeeds "A Ballad," by E. A. Poe. Shortly after, he commences his serial sea story of "Arthur Gordon Pym." Then, he has a "Sonnet, to Zante." But, at the bottom of page 72, the reader is startled at the following curt announcement: "Mr. Poe's attention being called in another direction, he will decline, with the present number, the editorial duties of the Messenger. His critical notices for this month end with Prof. Anthon's 'Cicero'—what follows is from another hand. With the best wishes to the Magazine, and to its few foes as well as many friends, he is now desirous of bidding all parties a peaceable farewell." He had, however, furnished for this large number of 96 pages much more material than has been enumerated. At its close, Mr. White informs his patrons that "Mr. Poe, who has filled the editorial department for the last 12 months with so much ability, retired from that station, on the 3rd inst, and the entire