A Literary Adventure of the Early Republic

ON July 2, 1811, Boston's Anthology Society assembled for last time, presumably in its regular quarters, the attick story of Minot's house in Court Street. What happened at meeting is unknown, for George Ticknor, secretary, entered just one word in Society's Journal, Finis. But, one assumes, Anthologists followed a happy precedent set at earlier meeting and attended to business, except eating, drinking, and smoking... .' In truth, there was no longer any business to attend to. Their demise was not unexpected, and fitting preparations had already been made, including composition of a valedictory for final issue of their publication, The Monthly Anthology and Boston Review, Containing Sketches and Reports of Philosophy, Religion, History, Arts, and Manners. Only ritual of final supper remained. When this was concluded and Anthologists had finished their claret, fruit, and cigars, they must have parted with as much relief as sorrow. For about six years they had pursued enterprise in magazine-making so clumsy and uncertain that its perpetuation, they had come to feel, could only be explained by the elasticity of hope, or force of vanity.2 Their recompense for enduring numerous tribulations had consisted solely of certain intangible rewards: as one of them said, an occasional smile from public, amusement of their task, and pleasure of their social meetings.3 These simple compensations-in themselves gratifying to Bos

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