Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/77

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Literary Messenger
65

tion delivered at Yorktown, on October 19th, by the Hon. John Tyler. There are also some original letters by Mr. Jefferson. There are, too, some reviews which show that Mr. Poe was not the only critic who could use the scalpel, and one of Wordsworth, which rejoices that the tide of appreciation had turned in his favor.

Who, if anybody, was the chief editor after Mr. Poe is not known; but Mr. White must have had assistance. Mr. Heath and other literary friends were in Richmond and Mr. Minor was practicing law at Louisa C. H. near by. One high authority has asserted that Judge Henry St. Geo. Tucker was for a while the editor of the Messenger, but his duties as president of the Supreme Court of Virginia rendered it impossible for him to hold that position. Mr. Fergusson says that material aid was afforded by the Rev. E. H. Chapin, who came frequently to the office, and a Mr. Sparhawk, to whom he often carried proofs and MSS. He was employed in one of the offices in the basement of the Capitol. Mr. Chapin came to Richmond about 1836 and preached for a congregalion of Universalists and Unitarians, on Mayo street. He was born in New York, but received his collegiate education in Vermont, he was young, but had decided literary tastes and aspirations. In 1840, he went to Massachusetts and finally got to New York City, where a