Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/51

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Literary Messenger
39

tale, "The Duc De L'Omelette" (which gives rise to some criticism); a poem, "The Valley Nis," a prose sketch of Palestine, and a number of critical notices, of which there are 32 pages. But of these, Judge Beverly Tucker was probably the author of the splendid article on Chief Justice Marshall, in review of three orations in honor of that great jurist, by Horace Binney in Philadelphia; Dr. Joseph Story, in Boston, and Edgar Snowden, in Alexandria, D. C.

Mr. Poe transfixes Mr. Morris Mattson, of Philadelphia, author of "Paul Ulric; or the Adventures of an Enthusiast" He says: "When we called 'Norman Leslie' the silliest book in the world we had certainly never seen 'Paul Ulric.' * * * Of Mr. Mattson's style the less we say the better. It is quite good enough for Mr. Mattson's matter," etc. Yet he gives this silly book a review (with extracts) of seven pages. He lets off with a kind word, "Rose Hill, a Tale of the Old Dominion," by a Virginian, an unpretending duodecimo of about 200 pages.

There are discriminating but favorable reviews of Martin's Gazetteer of Virginia; "The Confessions of Emilia Harrington," by Lambert A. Wilmer, of Baltimore;" Lieut. Alexander Slidell's "American in England;" H. F. Chorby's "Conti, the Discarded, with other tales and fancies;" "Noble Deeds of Woman," two vol--