the Newbern (North Carolina) Spectator is taken to task severely for its strictures. Its editor is charged with being aggrieved because his poor poetry had been rejected, and, after having his objections to the Messenger answered, is thus dismissed: "If the editor of this little paper does not behave himself we will positively publish his verses."
The Richmond papers were all friendly to the Messenger; but the Compiler particularly so. It was then edited by Gallagher and also had a correspondent, X. Y. Z., whose observations upon the Messenger were fair, discriminative and independent. They probably had some influence. I think X. Y. Z. was Judge John Robertson, the author of "Riego, or the Spanish Martyr."
To the August number Mr. Poe contributes two poems: "Israfel" and "The City of Sin;" some editorial matter and eighteen and one-half pages of critical notices. But he has numerous favorite assistants in filling his other columns. Several prose writers appear as poets: Mr. Paulding, Dr. Robert M. Bird, Mrs. Ellett, and W. Maxwell. Mr. Simms not only furnishes some stanzas, but has a poetical tribute paid to him. There is quite a long poem, by Omega, of Richmond, on "Marcus Curtius." Mrs. Sigourney opens the number and Mr. P. P. Cooke makes his début.
