University of Virginia Library

Simms's First Magazine: The Album
by
John C. Guilds, Jr.

When the Southern Patriot and Commercial Advertiser of June 9, 1825, announced that "a Society of Young Gentlemen" was planning to publish by subscription "a Weekly Literary Miscellany to be termed The Album," probably few Charlestonians raised their eyebrows. Magazines and newspapers came and went in Charleston, and the appearance of a prospectus was old news to the citizens of the old city. Hardly a handful of readers could have known that included among the "young gentlemen" editors was a nineteen-year-old litterateur named William G. Simms, Jr.; and certainly those informed few found their knowledge no reason for excitement. Gilmore Simms in 1825 was to them yet a nonentity; and the magazine he was to help edit attracted so little attention that its name was never mentioned by the Charleston press after the few encouraging comments inspired by its prospectus.

Perhaps this early lack of interest in the Album helps to account for its strange "disappearance" for more than a century and a quarter. Simms's biographer, W.P. Trent, apparently knew nothing of its existence; Guy A. Cardwell, in an unpublished study of Charleston periodicals, dismissed it as follows: "No copies located; or, projected but probably did not appear";[1] and William Stanley Hoole, the one writer to associate Simms's name with the Album before its recent "discovery" by Alexander S. Salley, also concluded that it "failed to materialize, perhaps because of the lack of guaranteeing subscribers"[2] —a natural assumption since no mention of its actual appearance was made by the contemporary newspapers. Not, then, until the publication of the first volume of Simms's Letters was the existence of

the Album established—by the owner of its only extant file, Mr. Salley.[3] For the past decade and a half Mr. Salley has had in his Simms Collection an inconspicuous little half-leather-bound volume made up of the first twenty-six numbers of the Album—the first and perhaps the only volume of an early Charleston literary journal that has waited long and patiently for its first review.

But, since the title-page of the Album does not list its editor or editors and since the contributions are either unsigned or signed with initials or pseudonyms, the fact that Simms was associated with the Album is not nearly so evident as the fact that the Album did exist. Included in the magazine's 210 pages, however, are at least twenty-six poems that later appeared in volumes of Simms's poetry, and in addition there are at least thirty-one other contributions, discussed below, which may be added to a list of his writings. That Simms's connection with the Album was closer than that of a mere contributor is indicated by his statement in a letter to James Lawson, October 15, 1841: "Prior to this [the editorship of the Charleston City Gazette, 1830-1832] however, I had more than once been engaged in editing Literary Journals. My editorial career (in letters) commenced when I was yet quite short of eighteen."[4] One wishes, however, that Simms's correspondence of 1825 were extant: none of the later letters mention by name the "Literary Journal" that he first edited. Thus, although one has proof that Simms at an early age edited a Charleston literary journal called the Album, one still is faced with the problem of showing that the magazine which Simms edited was the same magazine to which he contributed so heavily. Since external evidence is not conclusive, one must

look at the Album itself for confirmation of Simms's editorial connection with it.

Although evidence derived from an examination of the Album is not sufficient to prove that Simms was the only editor, it can be clearly demonstrated that he was at least one of the editorial board. In the Album for October 29, 1825, appears an essay, labelled simply "For the Album" and signed "Numpo," that obviously is the work of the editor or editors. Dreaming that he is a mouse in the "Communication Box" of the Album, "Numpo" discloses information about contributors that could be known only to someone actually engaged in reading manuscripts for the magazine. "Numpo" reveals, for instance, that "Almirez," "Wilton," "Sydney," and "Triptolemus Twig" are pseudonyms for the same person; and since poems signed "Almirez" and "Wilton" were later published under Simms's name, it cannot be doubted that the "Poet" described in the following paragraphs is Simms:

The picture of Simms as one holding "some seat of consequence in the wigwam" lends irrefutable support to the belief that he was active in the editorial management of the Album.

One might even hazard a guess that young Gilmore was the only editor, posing as the "Society of Young Gentlemen" in an effort to hide his identity

and to win supporters for what seemed a community project.[7] Nevertheless, whether Simms was the magazine's only editor or not, the fact that he had a part in making policy and in setting standards means that any study of the Album is certain to throw light on his early development as an editor.

Perhaps the best way to understand the aims of the Album is to allow its editors to speak for themselves. In the prospectus already referred to, the "Society of Young Gentlemen" self-consciously announced that "this is our first sin, our debut in the Literary world":

That some Charlestonians were sympathetic and quick to encourage the efforts of these literary-minded young men is indicated by two letters that appeared in the Southern Patriot and the Courier, respectively, almost immediately after the publication of the prospectus. Addressing himself to the editor of the Patriot, "Candidus" remarked, "I have long thought that for the credit of our city, and the improvement of taste, particularly of the younger part of our community, a publication like the one announced was much to be desired."[9]

A few days later an urgent appeal for the public support of the Album appeared in the Courier, again in the form of a letter to the editor. The writer, who styled himself "A.B.C.," asserted that "If anything were wanting to induce us to patronize the work in question, the sole consideration of those to whom its superintendance [sic] is committed, would prompt us to

promote their ends." Because the Album's editors were "young Charlestonians, not excited by any sordid or pecuniary view, but urged by the laudable and honorable motive" of establishing in their native city a literary periodical which "will be of an advantage to the rising generation," the "liberal public" owed the projected work its support. "A.B.C." emphasized that the Album would be devoted largely to "such original matter, as may be sent to their [sic] columns by those at home," and added that he had "every reason to believe" that the journal would be "well-conducted."[10]

The writer of this long letter seems so thoroughly familiar with the aims and plans of the yet unpublished Album that one wonders if "A.B.C." was not somebody among the "Society of Young Gentlemen"—perhaps Simms.[11] At any rate, in view of the publicity the Album received before publication, it is strange that apparently not a word was written in notice of the first number, issued on Saturday, July 2, 1825. Even if it was published without the "100 subscribers" asked for in the prospectus, the new journal obviously had at least limited backing; and in the October 22 number its editors (assuming that there was more than one) assured it readers that "our form will, at the commencement of the second volume, be considerably enlarged and otherwise materially improved"[12] —a statement which suggests high hopes if not prosperity. An announcement in the issue for August 27, however, had indicated that some subscribers had been "neglectful" in the "prompt payment of their subscriptions"[13] —a bad omen. Nevertheless, with the completion of the first volume, the editors, "grateful for the encouragement" their journal had received, again proposed to issue it "in a more enlarged form."[14] If the second volume ever materialized, however, it has escaped notice.[15]

II

It has been noted that the Album was "with a few trifling exceptions, [to] be totally devoted to Original matter," and that it was to be "open

to every department of Science, and Literary information." As "A.B.C." had predicted, this small miscellany, unlike most of the literary journals of its day, did not depend upon translations or excerpts from foreign authors to fill its pages; it apparently relied upon "original matter" written by local citizens exclusively for the Album. The common practice of using pen names or initials makes the identification of contributors difficult, but "Caroliniensis," "Juan," "Mortimer," and "Florio," for instance, appear in the Charleston newspapers as well as in the Album. Simms, like other contributors to his magazine, also found time to write for the newspapers; a check through the Courier alone revealed some ten or twelve poems signed by his pseudonyms.[16]

In make-up the twenty-six issues of the Album do not vary much. The "eight large octavo pages" of each number usually contain an installment of a continued story, one or two essays or sketches in the Spectator tradition, four or five short poems, and perhaps a book review and a complete story, more often than not with an "exotic" setting. Although the prospectus claimed scientific as well as literary interests, the Album is actually entirely literary, there being not a truly "scientific" article in the volume.[17] In this respect—and in the even more surprising respect that it completely ignores politics—the Album is a rarity among early Southern periodicals.

"A.B.C." had "surmised" that the Album would be modeled upon the "Ladies' Literary Gazette, of New-York"[18] —by which he unquestionably meant the New-York Mirror, and Ladies' Literary Gazette, then edited and published by George Pope Morris. And once again that conjecture proved to be remarkably accurate: both the Mirror and the Album were eight-page weeklies "of a very miscellaneous nature,"[19] although the Mirror's pages were of quarto size. Both emphasized the American character of their work; both scorned everything political; and both made a definite bid for women readers. The Album (as its name suggests) was in many ways a "ladies' gazette"—its pages abound with "Epistles to the Ladies" and with sentimental poems, stories, and essays designed to make the female heart flutter. In rejecting a contribution by "Malvina" in the third number, the editors made a statement implying that the Album's reading audience was composed largely of women: ". . . however we may ourselves

wish to oblige the Ladies, we must still remember that we serve the Ladies."[20] Another indication of the importance of women in the eyes of the editors is the relatively large amount of space given to a controversy over woman's station in life.[21]

A periodical of exclusively literary interests nearly always experiences financial difficulty; the young editors' statement that they expected no "pecuniary recompense" indicates their realization of this truth and underlines the sincerity of their "desire of furthering the Literary character" of their state. Exactly how much the Album was able to accomplish was of course restricted to the amount of interest and support given it by the city of its origin. And in view of the fact that the Album was admittedly a literary miscellany in a political-minded section, was edited by inexperienced hands, and lacked even the attraction of European reprints or translations,[22] it seems surprising that it survived for as long as six months.

The editors evidently had an overabundance of material for their opening number,[23] and in the second they tried to establish a criterion for contributors in a notice "To Correspondents." "Orlando," for example, was told that he "is too trite" and that the "want of interest in his communication prevents its insertion." Another correspondent, "M.G.A.," was found "inadmissible" because he "has not been sufficiently careful" in the exercise of judgment; ". . . a laxity on our part," the editors concluded, "would only tend to make him more careless."[24]

Apparently the editorial staff of the Album recognized the importance of maintaining critical standards, for such comments as these appear rather frequently in the early numbers. On one occasion, after making some cynical remarks about the "rage for Poetry," the audacious young editors tactlessly offered advice to potential writers of poetry for the Album. "Let the example he [the would-be poet] takes as a model," the editorial reads, "be a great one—and let him follow, not imitate. Never be content with the bare symphony of sweet sound, but even sacrifice ear to nerve. . . ." In conclusion the editors stated that these "remarks are intended for a considerable number of our metrical correspondents, who are particularly

averse as well to reason as rule, and are satisfied by merely stringing rhymes together. . . ."[25]

Such cocksureness did not endear the journal to all its correspondents. In an editorial entitled "Ourselves" in the August 20, 1825, number, the editors disclosed that their policy was bitterly resented by some of the authors whose offerings had been rejected:

The "Young Gentlemen" then took to task one "Vernon," a correspondent who evidently had belligerently protested when his contribution had been refused. "If, in the rejection of his verses of which he so virulently complains," the editors wrote, "he concieves [sic] that we have acted with any discriminate favor, he is at liberty to submit his effusion to the public eye through any other vehicle; it shall not disgrace ours."[26]

After this untactful blast at vain would-be contributors, the Album apparently was willing to let its case rest, usually refraining from editorial comment in the later numbers. Perhaps this reduction in criticism of rejected articles simply means a decrease in the number of contributions; certainly it does not indicate a significant change in policy, for the editors on occasion still ridiculed the attempts of certain of their correspondents. In the November 19 issue, for instance, a brief critical notice—seemingly an imitation of Jeffrey's "slashing" humor—reads in part: ". . . we cannot publish EVERY THING; we are conscious already of having admitted much more, than our sober judgment could recommend or approve."[27]

Even the admission that too many inferior pieces had already been accepted confirms the belief that the Album had not (intentionally, at least) lowered its standards. One reason, perhaps, why the editors could afford to use some kind of measuring stick on the offerings of their correspondents is that they filled a large portion of their periodical with their own writings. Depending as it did upon untried editors and correspondents, the Album of course contains little of real literary worth, but there is no decline in general

merit in the later issues. The truth seems to be that the "Young Gentlemen" remained steadfast in their efforts to encourage the best literary efforts of their fellow South Carolinians, and when these efforts were particularly futile, they did not scruple to reject them, even at the cost of writing last-minute fillers themselves.

III

The student of American literature is interested in the Album primarily because it contains some of the first published writings of an important literary figure. Most of Simms's contributions are no better than what would be expected from the pen of an inexperienced young author steeped in Scott and Byron; but occasionally there is a flash of vigor and gusto that anticipates the work of the mature Simms. Already apparent are his ability to tell a story and his diffuse style. It is impossible to determine exactly how much of the Album is Simms's handiwork, but probably he wrote considerably more than the fifty-six items that can be definitely ascribed to him. These contributions consist of forty-four poems, four reviews, and eight works of fiction of varying length. There can be little doubt as to Simms's authorship of the forty-four poems: all are signed with pseudonyms proved to be his and (as has been stated) twenty-five were later republished in volumes of his poetry. The four book reviews and a series of three "sketches" appear under common pen names of Simms—"G." and "S.," respectively. The other fictional items—at least two of which are best classified as novelettes—bear five different noms de plume: "E—," "P.," "Sydney," and "Triptolemus Twig."[28]

The poems by Simms in the Album are signed with six pseudonyms: "Almirez," "Wilton," "Florio," "S.G.W.," "M.E.S.," "T.G.," and "G." As a whole, these selections are not distinguished poetry, but they represent the best to appear in the Album, and several of them ("The Captive," "The Miniature," "Shadows," "Come seek the ocean's depths with me," and "Ruins") are almost as good as any that Simms ever wrote. It is perhaps significant that Simms republished all but three of the poems signed "Almirez," which at the time was apparently his favorite nom de plume.

The book reviews are notable chiefly for their independence and fairmindedness;[29] the young critic seems already to have realized that if his

opinions were to be of value they must be independently formed, and that if his critical writings were to possess merit, they must attempt to analyze both virtues and defects, without compromising his own standards of excellence and without regard to the author's reputation or popularity. Although the five reviews are largely devoted to synopses of the books involved, either in his introductory or in his closing remarks Simms attempted an estimate of the book as a piece of literature. Perhaps the best of the reviews is "The Christian Indian," which combines a pleasing style with some critical acumen.

The three "Sketches,"[30] which in reality are a connected series of brief tales, are marred by the sentimentality and the gloomy sensationalism that mark the excesses of the Romantic movement. They are good examples of the misguided zeal of the inexperienced writer under the spell of Byron and the Gothic novelists. Simms was later to learn that his forte was the "realistic" depiction of the historical events of his own state, not the portrayal of strange scenes in foreign or nameless lands. The best that can be said for these sketches is that they make easy, pleasant reading in the popular fashion of their day.[31]

Two other of Simms's contributions to the Album, "Country Comforts" and "The Return," might also best be labelled "sketches" rather than short stories. Each revolves about a single humorous incident. Although the intended humor of "Country Comforts" is not altogether successful, the piece is an interesting attempt to record the manners, the dialect, and the customs observed at a country inn. "The Return" has to do with the oversolicitous gentleman who is given a tweak of the nose as reward for his efforts to rescue his young lover-friend from the kisses of a beautiful maiden.[32]

Simms's authorship of "The Vision," a fanciful short story of the pursuit of happiness, is established by "Numpo" in the article already referred to. "Numpo's" essay not only gives clear evidence that Simms was one of the editors of the Album; it also establishes several new pen names for Simms and—more important—reveals that his contributions were both varied and prolific. Although no names are given, as has been already demonstrated the essay is helpful in that it lumps together unsigned articles and articles

signed with various pseudonyms as coming from the same person. For example, the following paragraph identifies the author of "The Corsair," signed "G.," and the author of "The Vision," signed "T.G.," as one and the same: Since "G." is an established nom de plume of Simms, "T.G." can be added to the long list of his pseudonyms, and "The Vision" and a poem entitled "Lafayette's Farewel[l] Stanzas" added to his canon.

"Numpo" also confirms Simms's authorship of the two novelettes published serially, "The Robber—an Eastern Tale" and "Moonshine." "The Robber," signed "Sydney," appeared as the featured work of fiction in the first seven numbers of the Album; it is another Gothic tale of terror, equipped with a villainous protagonist, an innocent heroine, gloomy caves with secret passages, a flesh-devouring ghoul, and fierce voracious birds. It anticipates in a way "The Confessions of a Murderer," which in turn became the basis for Martin Faber (1833).[34]

The second short story or novelette, "Moonshine," appearing under the pseudonym "Triptolemus Twig," begins in the number before "The Robber" terminates, and continues through twelve more installments. Even without "Numpo's" confirmation, there is enough internal evidence to convince one of Simms's authorship. Although the tale lacks unity, and its author changes his design after it is well under way,[35] "Moonshine" appears almost unmistakably to be a forerunner of the first of Simms's "Revolutionary Romances," The Partisan (1835). "Moonshine" is laid in South Carolina just before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War and, like the novel, has as one of its leading characters a Colonel Walton, who is a British sympathizer at the beginning of the "rebellion" and the widowed father of the beautiful and charming heroine—Charlotte in "Moonshine," Katherine in The Partisan. In each case the heroine has a sympathetic maiden aunt and—more important—loves a partisan leader in General Marion's army. To carry the striking similarities even further, in both the story and the novel a decisive battle is fought near Colonel Walton's plantation.

"Numpo's" awe at the number and the variety of contributions pulled from the pockets of the productive "Poet" tempts speculation as to what other "dishes of Literature" may have been written by Simms. The quotation immediately preceding Chapter IX of "Moonshine" offers a clue:

The signature "Myself" immediately arouses curiosity: could Simms be quoting himself? Perhaps Simms, like Scott, made up quotations for mottoes when he could not find anything suitable in the works of other poets. There is a poem in the Album signed "Myself," but the quotation is not from it. Included also are four essays by "Myself," one of which reads very much like the work of an editor of the Album: Admittedly, these five pieces cannot be safely assigned to Simms on the basis of this slight evidence; since it has been demonstrated, however, that he contributed heavily to the Album, even faint clues should not be overlooked.

And if one accepts internal or circumstantial evidence, at least nine other works (excluding "Numpo's" essay) can be added to the list of probable contributions by Simms. These nine pieces consist of two brief poems and an essay by "M."; two poems by "Edwin"; a "tale" by "Amirald"; a sketch by "Jeremiah Birdeye"; and two unsigned editorials. "M." is thought to be Simms because he used that pseudonym in 1828-1829 and again in 1845;[37] one of the poems by "Edwin," "Song" (beginning "Ah! say not, say not, love is sweet"), is similar to "Say'st Thou That Love is Sweet?" included in Areytos; or, Songs of the South (1846); "Zamor and Zuelieme—An Arabiam [sic] Tale" by "Amirald," written in a style characteristic of Simms, has the exotic setting, the beautiful heroine, and the dashing hero favored by him at this early period. It is also worth noting that "Zuelieme" (with a slightly modified spelling) appears again in Simms's work as the heroine in The Cassique of Kiawah (1859). "Not At Home"

by "Jeremiah Birdeye," a sketch consisting of the conversations among members of the "club of Choice Spirits" in Charleston, is an attempt at the Spectator and Blackwood's "Noctes Ambrosianae" idea that he was to try again in the Cosmopolitan (1833) and to think of trying in the Southern and Western Monthly Magazine and Review (1845).[38] "Not At Home" contains some of the salty humor and vigor characteristic of Simms at his best. The two unsigned editorials, almost unmistakably by Simms, are mentioned elsewhere.[39] For want of evidence one cannot say definitely, but the possibility exists that most of the Album was written by Simms.

In summary, then—whether or not one accepts the doubtful assignments mentioned above—it has been shown that Simms actively engaged in writing for the Album as well as in directing its editorial policy. Though crude in themselves, his contributions represent the spade work for some of his best poems and for at least one of his major novels. The experience of serving as an editor of the Album must have been invaluable to him, for it gave him not only an organ for the publication of his own juvenilia (and one suspects that this was not a minor attraction to the young editor), but also an opportunity to formulate a policy for his future, larger-scale editorial ventures. Already he had learned to strike out boldly and fearlessly as a critic; and already he had hit what was to be the keynote of his career as a magazine editor: the advancement of Southern literature.

Appendix SIMMS'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ALBUM

I. Poetry

Almirez
• "By Almirez" (Come seek the ocean's depths with me), 96. (L&OP; PDDLC)[1]
• "By Almirez" (Well then we part—and now I feel), 150-151. (L&OP)
• "Camp-Meeting," 8. (L&OP)

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• "Captive, The," 103-104. (L&OP; PDDLC)
• "Greek Warrior to his Countrymen, at the Straits of Thermopylae, The," 56.
• "Lonely Tree, The," 16.
• "Memory's Page—Written for a Lady's Scrapbook," 12. (L&OP)
• "Miniature, The," 161-162. (L&OP; SLG, I, 89; SWMMR, II, 86)
• "One Song, The," 194. (L&OP)
• "Pyramid of Mind, The," 48. (EL)
• "Rebel Flower, The," 40. (L&OP)
• "Shadows," 71. (L&OP)
• "Sketch, A" (Regardless of the storm . . .), 142-143. (L&OP)
• "Song" (O, think not memory lives in vain), 201. (L&OP)
• "Stanzas" (Tis evening! oe'r the western sky), 24. (L&OP)
• "To ****" (And dost thou too smile . . .), 30. (L&OP)
• "To an Unfortunate Friend," 112.
• "To the Evening Star," 63-64. (L&OP)
• "Where Art Thou?" 79. (L&OP; PDDLC)
• Florio[2]
  • "For the Album," 135-136.
  • "Memory," 88.
  • "Song" (Gone, Gone are the hopes . . .), 191. (SWMMR, I, 108; cf. Areytos, 43)
  • "Song" (Lights of my soul . . .), 185.
  • "To ---," 127-128.
  • "War Song," 146.
G.
• "Corsair, The," 21-22.
• "Epigram, on Reading a Fourth July Address to Freedom," 77. (EL)
• "Sonnet to ---, in her Scrap-book," 15. (L&OP; Poems)
M.E.S.
• "For the Album," 194.
• "Imitation of Old English Poetry," 185-186.
• "Song" (Those orbs of light, those orbs of light), 199. (EL)
• "Song—To Emma," 134-135.
S.G.W.
• "Extempore—To ****," 50-51.
• "Ruins," 201-202; 209. (L&OP)
T.G.
• "Lafayette's Farewel[l] Stanzas," 139-140.
Wilton
• "Congaree Boat-Horn, The," 151-152.
• "Sonnet" (Maid of the dark blue eye!), 80.
• "Sonnet to Despair," 106. (L&OP)
• "Sonnets—To Grief" [2], 88. (L&OP; EL)
• "Sonnet, to the Past," 120. (L&OP; PDDLC)
• "Stanzas, to the Breeze," 135. (SP&P)
• "To Anna, with a Mocking Bird," 173.
• "To ****, on her Smiling asking me the cause of my sullenness," 122.

II. Prose

E---
• "Country Comforts," 195-198.

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G.
• "Review—The Christian Indian," 65-68.
• "Review—The Leper of Aost," 58-60.
• "Review—National Tales," 165-167; 171-172.
• "Review—The Pleasures of Friendship," 89-91.
P.
• "The Return," 44-45.
S.
• "Sketches—No. 1. First Love," 19-21.
• "Sketches—No. 2. The Queen of May," 31-32.
• "Sketches—No. 3," 36-37.
Sydney
• "The Robber—an Eastern Tale," 6-7; 9-10; 17-18; 25-26; 33-34; 41-42; 49-50.
T.G.
• "The Vision," 105-106; 116-117; 122-123.
Triptolemus Twig
• "Moonshine," 46-47; 57-58; 73-75; 85-87; 100-102; 106-108; 123-125; 140-142; 160-161; 174-176; 180-182; 189-191; 206-208.

III. Other Contributions Probably by Simms

A. Poetry

Edwin
• "Song" (Ah! say not, say not, love is sweet), 75. (cf. Areytos, 97)
M.
• "Answer to the Charade in the last Album," 15. Ibid., 128.
Myself
• "To My Mistress' Tongue," 118.[3]

B. Prose[4]

Amirald
• "Zamor and Zuelieme—An Arabiam [sic] Tale," 191-194.
Jeremiah Birdeye
• "Not At Home," 203-205.
M.
• "Out of Countenance," 199-201.
Myself
• "Myself," 156-158.
• "Reflection," 98-99.
• "To the Reader," 121-122.
• "'Whom the Coat Fits, Let Him Wear It,'" 145-146.
Numpo
• "For the Album," 129-131; 137-139.
Unsigned
• "Editorial Comforts," 177-178; 182-185.
• "Ourselves," 61-62.

Notes