narrative of real experiences it was advertised to be
reprinted, but a discovery of its character, I believe, prevented such a
result. An attempt is made in it, by simplicity of style, minuteness of
nautical descriptions, and circumstantiality of narration, to give it
that air of truth which constitutes the principal attraction of Sir
Edward Seaward's narrative, and Robinson Cursoe; but it has none of the
pleasing interest of these tales; it is as full of wonders as Munchausen,
has as many atrocities as the Book of Pirates, and as liberal an array of
paining and revolting horrors as ever was invented by Anne Radcliffe or
George Walker. Thus far a tendency to extravagance had been the most
striking infirmity of his genius. He had been more anxious to be intense
than to be natural; and some of his _bizarreries_ had been mistaken for
satire, and admired for that quality. Afterward he was more judicious,
and if his outlines were incredible it was commonly forgotten in the
simplicity of his details and their cohesive cumulation.

[Footnote A: THE NARRATIVE OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM, OF NANTUCKET; comprising
the Details of a Mutiny and Atrocious Butchery on board the American Brig
Grampus, on her way to the South Seas--with an account of the Re-capture
of the Vessel by the Survivors; their Shipwreck, and subsequent Horrible
Sufferings from Famine; their Deliverance by means of the British
schooner Jane Gray; the brief Cruise of this latter Vessel in the
Antarctic ocean; her Capture, and the Massacre of the Crew among a Group
of Islands in the 84th parallel of southern latitude; together with the
incredible Adventures and Discoveries still further South, to which that
distressing calamity gave rise.--I vol. 12mo. pp. 198 New-York, Harper &
Brothers, 1838.]

Near the end of the year 1838 he settled in Philadelphia. He had no very
Definite purposes, but trusted for support to the chances of success as a
magazinist and newspaper correspondent. Mr. Burton, the comedian, had
recently established the "Gentleman's Magazine," and of this he became a
contributor, and in May, 1839, the chief editor, devoting to it, for ten
dollars a week, two hours every day, which left him abundant time for
more important labors. In the same month he agreed to furnish such
reviewals as he had written for the "Literary Messenger," for the
"Literary Examiner," a new magazine at Pittsburgh. But his more congenial
pursuit was tale-writing, and he produced a