Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/75

 Rh more delicate imagination than Young. In regard to his proper rank among American poets there should be no question whatever. Few—at least few who are fairly before the public, have more than very shallow claims to a rivalry with the author of Thanatopsis" What did he mean by those words, "few who are fairly before the public"? Was he yet to be there?

In his review of "Geo. Balcombe" he discloses the fact that Judge Beverly Tucker was its author. But Judge Tucker had also written "The Partizan Leader" and immediately after Mr. Poe's resignation comes a full review of this work by Judge Abel P. Upshur, an exceedingly able man and a very fine writer. There is also a critical review of Bulwer's new play: "The Duchess de la Vallière;" so that the Messenger had other reviewers besides Mr. Poe.

This initial number of a third volume is a great one. The next number for February is reduced to the usual 64 pages and goes through without any assistance from Mr. Poe, except a second part of his sea story, "Author Gordon Pym." It closes without any evidence of editorial supervision, except some notes "To our readers." Some of the leading features of this number are the Address of Hon. Thos. W. Gilmer before the Virginia Historical Society; "Notes and Anecdotes, Political and Miscellaneous, drawn from