''Orion'' was an American literary magazine founded by
William Carey Richards
William Carey Richards (November 24, 1818 – May 19, 1892) was an American magazine editor, author, and Baptist minister, known for his contributions to literature and magazines of the Southern United States during the 19th century.
Early ...
in March 1842.
History
Richards started ''Orion'' while living in
Penfield, Georgia
Penfield, Georgia, United States was established shortly after 1829 in Greene County, Georgia, Greene County, and named in honor of Josiah Penfield (1785–1828), a Savannah, Georgia, Savannah merchant and silversmith from Fairfield, Connecticut, ...
, with the intention of fostering the growth of literature produced in the South. He distinguished the magazine from one merely dedicated to
Southern literature
Southern United States literature consists of American literature written about the Southern United States or by writers from the region. Literature written about the American South first began during the colonial era, and developed significan ...
, explaining:
It was named for the
Orion constellation
Orion is a prominent set of stars visible during winter in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is one of the 88 modern constellations; it was among the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd-century astronomer Ptolemy. It is named after a hun ...
at the suggestion of
William Tappan Thompson, later an editor. The first issue of the magazine, published in March 1842, resembled the typography and appearance of the ''
Knickerbocker'', published around the same time, though Richards denied any intentional emulation.
The magazine, not affiliated with any particular denomination or religious group, aimed to uplift literary standards in the South. Within its sixty-four pages it featured a diversity of literary works, with contributions from prominent writers hailing from both the South and North, such as
William Gilmore Simms. Richards' family, including his wife
Cornelia Richards, his brother
Thomas Addison Richards, and his sister, also contributed to the magazine.
Richards took on various roles in addition to being editor, contributing literary criticism, essays, humour and poetry.
Seeking to expand the magazine's reach and influence, he relocated the magazine to
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
in early 1844. However, despite these efforts, the magazine ceased publication after just six months there, ending in August 1844.
Legacy
Although criticized by some contemporaries, ''Orion'' overall received praise for its
typographic
Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable and appealing when displayed. The arrangement of type involves selecting typefaces, point sizes, line lengths, line spacing, letter spacin ...
quality, content, and Richard's contributions. Its significance lied in Richards's efforts to foster literature in the South and being the first of his contributions in that vein, such as his later magazine ventures the ''
Southern Literary Gazette'' and the ''
Schoolfellow''.
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
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External links
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26 issues of the ''Orion'' at the Internet Archive
{{Authority control
Defunct magazines published in the United States
Magazines established in 1842
Magazines disestablished in 1844
Magazines published in Georgia (U.S. state)
Magazines published in South Carolina