University of Virginia Library

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.