Text: Edgar Allan Poe, “Burton's Gentleman's Magazine,” Alexander's Weekly Messenger, vol. 4, no. 14, April 1, 1840, p. 2, col. 5


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[page 2, column 5:]

BURTON’S GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE.

This racy Magazine is out this month with another magnificent plate by Sartain. The design is by S. E. Jones — the subject a rotund little gentleman “done brown.” He is keeping a sham appointment under a garden wall, while two arch damsels observe him from above in high glee. The engraving is in Sartain's best style, and is, consequently, admirable — equal to “The Pets.” The literary contents of the number are unusually good. First and best, we have an article called “The April Fool,” by the senior editor, in illustration of the frontispiece just mentioned. The hero is Mister Robert Muggridge, and a very droll hero he is — this is a glorious story, gloriously told. There is no better narrator of such things as these than W. E. Burton.

The “Miami Valley” is concluded, and every one will regret that it is — the last words of the writer are deeply affecting. Mr. Poe has a clever Sonnet. “The Philospher's Stone,” by S. J. Burr, is — not so good as it might be. “Columbus” is mere twaddle. By the bye, we do think it somewhat odd that while the writer of this poem puffs it pertinaciously in all the New York papers to which he has access, he never thinks of acknowledging its origin in the “Gentleman's Magazine.” Does he know that that journal honors him by the insertion of his articles?

The “Journal of Julius Rodman” progresses beautifully. The travellers are far on their way, and will soon enter a tract of country hitherto undescribed. A fine engraving illustrates this chapter. “The Log of Old Ironsides” concludes, and Mr. Jesse Erskine Dow avows himself (somewhat vauntingly) the author. The Log, however, has been a good thing.

“The Hollenthal, a tale of Suabia,” will arrest attention — it is a vivid sketch, and strongly evinces Mr. Burton's versatility of talent, as well as his extraordinary industry. The “Review of New Books” this month strikes us as being entirely from his pen, and is unusually good. By way of appendix, are some forcible observations upon the Copy Right Question.

 


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Notes:

This notice was first attributed to Poe by Clarence S. Brigham in Edgar Allan Poe's Contributions to Alexander's Weekly Messenger, 1943, pp. 66-67.

 

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[S:1 - AWM, 1840] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Criticism - Burton's Gentleman's Magazine