The Stylus , originally intended to be named The Penn , was a would-be periodical owned and edited by Edgar Allan Poe . It had long been a dream of Poe to establish an American journal with very high standards in order to elevate the literature of the time. Despite attempts at signing up subscribers and finding financial backers and contributors, the journal never came to be.
31-549: Though Poe thought of creating the journal as early as 1834, he first announced his prospectus in June 1840 immediately after leaving Burton's Gentleman's Magazine . Originally, Poe intended to call the journal The Penn , as it would have been based in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . In the June 6, 1840, issue of Philadelphia's Saturday Evening Post , Poe purchased advertising space for his prospectus: "PROSPECTUS OF THE PENN MAGAZINE,
62-624: A Magazine." Even so, he never saw his dream come true despite having several published solicitations for subscribers. He came close, however, when he became the owner and editor of the Broadway Journal in October 1845. It ceased publication shortly thereafter when its final edition appeared on January 3, 1846. In a letter to Sarah Josepha Hale in January 1846, Poe wrote that, "The B. Journal had fulfilled its destiny... I had never regarded it as more than
93-460: A Monthly Literary Journal, to be Edited and Published in the city of Philadelphia, by Edgar A. Poe." Many were looking forward to the magazine, including Connecticut-born journalist Jesse Erskine Dow, editor of the Index , who wrote: "We trust that he will soon come out with his Penn Magazine, a work which, if carried out as he designs it, will do away with the monopoly of puffing and break the fetters which
124-555: A book, its author, publisher, printer or illustrator which is not available elsewhere. David Butcher. British private press prospectuses 1891–2001 . Risbury: Whittington Press, 2001. John P. Feather. Book prospectuses before 1801 in the John Johnson Collection: a catalogue with microfiches . Oxford: Bodleian Library, 1976. John P. Feather. Book prospectuses before 1801 in the Gough Collection, Bodleian Library, Oxford:
155-402: A catalogue with microfiches . Oxford: Bodleian Library, 1980. George Rex Graham George Rex Graham (January 18, 1813 – July 13, 1894) was an American magazine editor and publisher from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . He founded the journal Graham's Magazine at the age of 27 after buying Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and Atkinson's Casket . His journal became very popular and it
186-457: A corps of pensioned blockheads have bound so long around the brows of young intellects who are too proud to pay a literary pimp for a favorable notice in a mammoth six penny or a good word with the fathers of the Row, who drink wine out of the skulls of authors and grow fat upon the geese that feed upon the grass that waves over their early tomb stones". Poe soon realized he needed to "endeavor to support
217-440: A fund raiser: We understand that the purpose of Poe's lectures is to raise the necessary capital for the establishment of a magazine, which he proposes to call "The Stylus." They who like literature without trammels, and criticism without gloves, should sent in their names forthwith as subscribers. If there be in the world a born anatomist of thought, it is Mr. Poe... The severe difficulties with which Mr. Poe has been visited within
248-593: A good working relationship. Poe was paid $ 800 per year while Graham boasted $ 25,000 in profits. Poe originally called this salary "liberal" but later referred to it as "nambypamby" when compared to Graham's profits. Graham's Magazine was the first to publish many of Poe's works, including " The Murders in the Rue Morgue " and " The Colloquy of Monos and Una ". Poe left the magazine in April 1842. Graham would hire Rufus Wilmot Griswold , Poe's rival, as his next editor. Griswold
279-583: A lecture titled "On The Cosmography of the Universe" (later printed as Eureka: A Prose Poem ) at the Society Library in New York. Poe had hoped the profits from the lecture would raise significant funds for The Stylus . He had expected an audience of hundreds; only 60 people attended and, of those, most were confused by the topic. One newspaper reviewed the lecture very favorably and acknowledged its importance as
310-486: A major selling point of Graham's , left to found his own journal, Sartain's Union Magazine . By 1850, Graham was able to buy back his interest in Graham's Magazine with the help of friends who sympathized with his financial woes. However, competition with Harper's New Monthly Magazine caused significant drops in subscriptions, as did the lack of an international copyright. Charles Godfrey Leland took over when Graham left
341-410: A temporary adjunct to other design." That great design, Poe said, was to continue his plans for the establishment of his own magazine. By August 1846, he called The Stylus "the one great purpose of my literary life." He prophetically added, "Undoubtedly (unless I die) I will accomplish it." Poe was not able to support the founding of his magazine out of pocket, in part because of the after-effects of
SECTION 10
#1733085365181372-509: A time when most monthly publications were re-using old plates from other magazines. He also paid his freelance writers very well. In fact, in later years, a "Graham page" was the new standard of payment for magazine work. Edgar Allan Poe was hired as an editor and writer in February 1841. Graham agreed to help Poe with his planned journal The Penn if Poe worked for him for six months. By all accounts, Poe and Graham got along very well and had
403-481: Is a printed description of or advertisement for that book, usually issued before publication in an attempt to generate interest and advance orders. The word derives from Latin, meaning literally something which gives a view or prospect (in this case of a book). Some prospectuses are lavishly produced, especially for private press books. Printed advertisements for and catalogues of books were produced in Europe as early as
434-551: The Saturday Evening Post and later became the proprietor of Atkinson's Casket. At the age of 27, Graham combined the fledgling publication with Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in December 1840. The acquired publication had 3,500 subscribers, bringing his total list to 5,000. In its first year, that number jumped to 25,000. Success was partially owed by Graham's willingness to include brand new engravings and illustrations at
465-633: The Panic of 1837 , and sought out investors. On January 17, 1840, Poe wrote a letter to friend and fellow writer John Pendleton Kennedy asking for his help in funding the magazine: "Since you gave me my first start in the literary world... you will not feel surprised that I look anxiously to you for encouragement in this new enterprise", he wrote. George Rex Graham offered financial support and hired Poe as an editor for his magazine, suggesting he would help with The Penn after six months. After Poe began work on Graham's Magazine , Graham published an announcement in
496-476: The Saturday Evening Post that The Penn was to be "suspended". Another possible financial backer was fellow poet Thomas Holley Chivers , a wealthy friend of Poe who would later defend Poe's posthumous reputation. Chivers at the time believed Poe was under-appreciated, especially for his work with Graham's Magazine , but was concerned with his harsh literary criticism. Chivers may also have been offered
527-410: The 1470s, although very few survive and what we recognize today as prospectuses (containing information on the text, physical nature, price and availability of a forthcoming book) did not develop until the seventeenth century, when they were generally issued for books published by subscription . Prospectuses are of great interest to the historian and bibliographer because they often give information about
558-556: The 19th century. Graham was raised by his namesake and maternal uncle, George Rex, a farmer from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania . At age 19, Graham became an apprentice for a cabinet-maker before deciding to study law. After being admitted to the bar in 1839, Graham became interested in publishing at a time when Philadelphia was equal with New York City as a leader of the book and periodical publishing industry in America. Graham first began his publishing work with an editorial position with
589-523: The Late Edgar Allan Poe." Graham and his magazine worked with many other notable authors including William Cullen Bryant , James Fenimore Cooper , Nathaniel Hawthorne , James Russell Lowell and others. Graham invested in copper, a decision that left him in severe financial difficulty. In 1848, he sold his magazine to Samuel Dewee Patterson, though he retained the title of editor. A year later, artist John Sartain , whose engravings had become
620-488: The end of its second year. "There is no earthly reason why," he said, "such a Magazine may not, eventually, reach a circulation as great as that of Graham's at present - viz 50,000". He also anticipated having correspondents in Berlin and Paris . James Russell Lowell offered a poem and also convinced Nathaniel Hawthorne to contribute a short story to the first issue in 1843. Prospectus (book) A book prospectus
651-742: The general interests of the republic of letters, without reference to particular regions — regarding the world at large as the true audience of the author". Georgia poet Thomas Holley Chivers claimed he suggested it to Poe. It was renamed The Stylus , a pun on the word "Penn" (" pen ") and specifically "the Pen with which the Greeks used to write". F. O. C. Darley signed a contract on January 31, 1843, to create original illustrations for The Stylus . The contract requested at least three illustrations per month, "on wood or paper as required," but no more than five. Darley would have earned $ 7 per illustration. The contract
SECTION 20
#1733085365181682-668: The journal before Poe's death. A list of potential subscribers he kept included Nathan C. Brooks , William Cullen Bryant , Sarah Josepha Hale , Charles Fenno Hoffman , John Pendleton Kennedy, George Lippard , James Russell Lowell , Anna Cora Mowatt , Frances Sargent Osgood , James Kirke Paulding , Thomas Mayne Reid , Jeremiah N. Reynolds , and Nathaniel Parker Willis . Several student societies also were interested in subscribing, including ones located at Dickinson College , Hampden-Sydney College , Jefferson College , Lafayette College , Marshall College , St. John's College , and St. Mary's College of Maryland . Poe had lofty plans for
713-481: The kind of journal America needed: How dreadful is the present condition of our Literature! To what are things heading? We want... a well-founded Monthly Journal, of sufficient ability, circulation and character, to control, and to give tone to, our Letters. It should be, externally, a specimen of high, but not too refined Taste:-I mean, it should be boldly printed, on excellent paper, in single column, and be illustrated, not merely embellished, by spirited wood designs in
744-492: The last year, have left him in a position to devote himself, self-sacrificingly, to his new task... he will doubtless give it that most complete attention which alone can make such an enterprise successful. Poe had a fair amount of support for The Stylus in the literary world. William Gilmore Simms wrote in June 1843, "Mr. Poe is well calculated to conduct a literary magazine. He is acknowledged as one of our best writers and critics." Several people and organizations subscribed to
775-430: The make-up of the magazine. He was planning on setting standards very high, anticipating finer quality paper, superior woodcuts , sharper criticism, and bolder original fiction . These higher standards would be reflected in a higher than usual annual subscription price of $ 5. Early in its planning stages, he promised financial backers that he would start with 500 subscribers - a number which he expected to be 5,000 before
806-414: The poem. Graham made it up to Poe a short while later by publishing the essay " The Philosophy of Composition " in which Poe tells of his inspiration for his famous poem and the technique of writing well. After Poe's death, Graham defended him against critics like Griswold. In March 1850, he published in his magazine "Defense of Poe" and, four years later in February 1854, "The Genius and Characteristics of
837-705: The position of co-editor. He turned down the proposition because of the distraction caused by the death of his three-year-old daughter. In early 1843, Poe contacted Thomas C. Clarke, publisher of Philadelphia's Saturday Museum . A contract was signed on January 31, 1843, with the agreement that the first issue would be issued on July 1. They considered purchasing the subscription list of the Southern Literary Messenger around February. By May of that year, Clarke withdrew his support in part because of difficulties with his own magazine and in part because of concerns over Poe's drinking. In February 1848, Poe presented
868-502: The style of Grandville. Its chief aims should be Independence, Truth, Originality. It should be a journal of some 120 pp. and furnished at $ 5. It should have nothing to do with Agents or Agencies. Such a Magazine might be made to exercise a prodigious influence, and would be a source of wealth to its proprietors. Poe wrote a letter to his cousin Neilson Poe on August 8, 1845, in which he stated very confidently, "In January I shall establish
899-422: Was known for its generous payment to contributors. Graham worked with many notable literary figures including Edgar Allan Poe and Rufus Wilmot Griswold , and possibly sparked the enmity between the two. After Poe's death, Graham defended him from Griswold's accusations and character assassination . Graham was born on January 18, 1813; his father was a shipping merchant who had lost much of his money early in
930-416: Was paid a salary of $ 1000 per year, more than he had paid Poe, lending some additional venom to the animosity between the two men. To his credit, Griswold was able to contract with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to write for Graham's exclusively for a time. Allegedly, Poe had offered first publication of " The Raven " to Graham, who refused. He may have given $ 15 to Poe as a friendly charity, but did not like
961-467: Was through July 1, 1844. Shortly after this contract was put in place, Darley illustrated Poe's tale " The Gold-Bug ". On February 25, 1843, another announcement for The Stylus was made which took up an entire page. In it, Poe's status as a poet was emphasized and it included the first published image of Poe; Poe wrote of it, "I am ugly enough God knows, but not quite so bad as that." In a letter to James Russell Lowell dated March 30, 1844, Poe outlined