University of Virginia Library

MAGAZINES, ETC.
PRINTED IN BOSTON BEFORE THE REVOLUTION.

The Boston Weekly Magazine.

This production made its first appearance March 2, 1743,
on a half sheet, octavo. No. 1 contained some extracts
from the magazines published in London: a Poem to a
political lady, an Ode by Mr. Addison, two short domestic
articles of intelligence from the Boston newspapers,
and the entries at the custom house for the week. The
day of publication was Wednesday. It was continued only
four weeks, and was printed by Rogers & Fowle.

The Christian History.

No. 1 of this periodical work was published on Saturday,
March 5th, 1743, on a large half sheet of fine medium
in octavo, printed on a new small pica type. After the
contents is a quotation from the Psalms: "That I may
publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy
wondrous works."—Psal. xxvi, 7. The imprint: "Boston,
N. E. Printed by Kneeland & Green, 1743, for Thomas
Prince, Jun. A.B." The price was two shillings new tenor
per quarter, and six pence more new tenor per Quarter
covered, sealed, and directed." The editor and publisher
was the son of the Reverend Thomas Prince, of Boston,
author of The New England Chronology.

The Christian History was regularly published, in numbers
of eight pages each, every Saturday, for two years;
each year making a volume, to which was prefixed a title
page, and an index. The title page to the first volume
reads thus: "The Christian History, containing Accounts
of the Revival and propagation of Religion in Great
Britain and America. For the year 1743."

The editor gave the general contents as follows: "1.
Authentic Accounts from Ministers, and other creditable
Persons, of the Revival of Religion in the several Parts of
New England. 2. Extracts of the most remarkable Pieces
in the Weekly Histories of religion, and other accounts,
printed both in England and Scotland. 3. Extracts of
written Letters, both from England, Scotland, New-York,
New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Georgia,
of a Religious Nature, as they have been sent hither from
creditable Persons and communicated to us. 4. Remarkable
Passages, Historical and Doctrinal, out of the most
famous old writers both of the Church of England and
Scotland from the Reformation, as also the first Settlers of
New-England and their Children; that we may see how
far their pious Principles and Spirit are at this Day revived;
and may guard against all Extreams."

The American Magazine and Historical Chronicle.

The first number of this Magazine, for September, 1743,[39]
was published on the 20th of the following October. It
was printed on a fine medium paper in 8vo. Each number
contained fifty pages; and was published, monthly, by
"Samuel Eliot, in Cornhill, and Joshua Blanchard in Dock-Square,"
booksellers; and printed by Rogers & Fowle, "in

"Prison Lane," who were also concerned in the publication,
and, after the first year, were sole proprietors of it.
Jeremy Gridley, Esq., who had edited the Rehearsal, it has
been said, was also the editor of this magazine.

The following is an extract from the prospectus, viz: It
will contain "1. A summary Rehearsal of the proceedings
and debates in the British Parliament. 2. A View of
the weekly and monthly Dissertations, Essays, &c., selected
from the publick Papers and Pamphlets published in London
and the Plantations, viz: Political State, Transactions
of the Royal Society, &c., with Extracts from new Books.
3. Dissertations, Letters and Essays, moral, civil, political,
humorous and polemical. 4. Select Pieces, relating to the
Arts and Sciences. 5. Governour's Speeches, with the
Proceedings of the Assembly, and an Abridgment of the
Laws enacted in the respective Provinces and Colonies.
6. Poetical Essays on various Subjects. 7. Monthly Chronologer,
containing an Account of the most remarkable
Events, Foreign and Domestick. 8. Price Current. 9.
Births and Deaths. 10. A Catalogue of New Books. The
Magazine will be continued of the same Size, that so the
Twelve Months may be bound in the same Volume at the
Year's end with a compleat Index, which shall be added to
the Month of December."

This Magazine imitated The London Magazine in its appearance;
a large cut of the town of Boston, in the title
page, answered to a similar cut of the city of London in
the title page of the London Magazine. Its pages were
like those of that publication in size, two columus in a
page, divided by the capital letters, A B C D E and F, at
a distance from each other, and not by a line, or as printers
term it, by rules. The imprint, "Boston: Printed by
Rogers & Fowle, and Sold by S. Eliot & J. Blanchard, in
Boston; B. Franklin, in Philadelphia; J. Parker, in NewYork;
J. Pomroy, in New Haven; C. Campbell, Post-Master,

New Port. Price Three Shillings, New Tenor, a Quarter,"
equal to half a dollar. It was well printed, on a long primer
type, and was not inferior to the London and other
magazines, then published in that city; but the extensive
plan marked out in its prospectus could not be brought
within the number of pages allowed to the work. In the
general title page for the year, the before-mentioned view
of the town of Boston, was impressed from a copperplate
engraving; both the cut and the plate were as well executed
as things of the kind generally were for the English
magazines.

This work was issued three years and four months, and
then discontinued. It has no cuts or plates excepting those
for the title pages.

The New-England Magazine.

This work is without date, either in the title, in the imprint,
or in any of its numbers. No. 1 was published
August 31, 1758. The title page is as follows: The NewEngland
Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure. In the centre
of the page is a small cut, the device a hand holding a
bouquet, or bunch of flowers, with the motto, "Prodesse et
Delectare e pluribus unum." One-half of this motto is on
the left of the cut, and the other half on the right; underneath
the device is this couplet:

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? Every good Tree
bringeth forth good Fruit, but a corrupt Tree bringeth

forth evil Fruit. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil
Fruit, neither can a corrupt Tree bring forth good Fruit."

"Printed by Benjamin Mecom, and sold at his shop under
the New-Printing-Office, near the Court-House, on Corn-hill
in Boston.

Each number of this Magazine contained sixty pages
12mo. Its publication was intended to have been monthly,
but it came from the press irregularly, and was printed
from types of various sizes. Some pieces were, both in
prose and verse, on pica, and some on long primer; the
pages were not in columns. Its contents were a collection
of small fugitive pieces from magazines, newspapers, &c.
These were not arranged under general heads, excepting
poetry, which was headed "Poetical Entertainment;" and
we make one more exception for a head of "Queer Notions."
The price was eight pence for each number.

Mecom, the publisher of this Magazine, gave the following
poetical description of its contents in an advertisement,
viz:

This work found very few purchasers. Three or four
numbers were published in the course of six or seven
months, and it was then discontinued.

The Censor.

The Censor was altogether a political publication. The
first number appeared November 23, 1771. It was printed
in a small sheet, foolscap, folio, on an English type, by
Ezekiel Russell, in Boston, and published on Saturdays.

It made its appearance without any formal introduction.
A dissertation in the Massachusetts Spy, under the signature
of Mucius Scævola, probably occasioned the attempt
to establish this paper. Mucius Scævola had attacked
Governor Hutchinson with a boldness and severity before
unknown in the political disputes of this country. The
piece excited great warmth among those who supported
the measures of the British administration, and they immediately
commenced the publication of the Censor; in which
the governor and the British administration were defended.
Lieutenant Governor Oliver was the reputed author of
several numbers of the Censor, under the signature of A
Freeman, and these were thought to be better written
than any other communications to that paper. Several
other politicians were engaged as writers for the Censor,[41]
but they gained no proselytes to their cause; and, although
numbers of the first characters on the side of government
came forward with literary and pecuinary aid, yet the circulation
of the paper was confined to a few of their own
party. As the Censor languished, its printer made an
effort to convert it into a newspaper; and, with this view,

some of its last numbers were accompanied with a separate
half sheet, containing a few articles of news and some
advertisements. But neither its writers nor its printer
could give it a general circulation, and it was discontinued
before the revolution of a year from its first publication.

The Royal American Magazine.

A Prospectus of this work appeared many months before
the magazine; but the disordered state of public affairs,
and the difficulties which individuals experienced from
them, prevented it from being sooner put to press; and
after a few numbers had been published, the distress occasioned
to the inhabitants of Boston by shutting up and
blockading their port, obliged its editor to suspend the
publication.

The first number for January, 1774, was published at
the close of that month. It was printed on a large medium
paper in octavo, on a new handsome type. Each number
contained three sheets of letter press, and two copperplate
engravings. The title was, The Royal American Magazine,
or Universal Repository of Instruction and Amusement. The
type metal cut in the title page, represented, by an aboriginal,
America seated on the ground; at her feet lay a
quiver, and near her a bow on which her right hand rested;
in her left hand she held the calumet of peace, which she
appeared to offer to the Genius of Knowledge standing
before her dispensing instruction. Imprint, "Boston:
Printed by and for Isaiah Thomas, near the Market." Then
follow the names of several printers on the continent who
sold the work.

The editor, after having been at considerable trouble and
expense in bringing the work before the public, published
it six months, and then was obliged, first to suspend, and

afterwards to relinquish it; but Joseph Greenleaf continued
the publication until April following, when the war put
a period to the magazine.

This was the last periodical work established in Boston
before the revolution. It had a considerable list of subscribers.