University of Virginia Library

MAGAZINES, &c.,
PUBLISHED IN PHILADELPHIA BEFORE THE REVOLUTION.

This was published monthly. No. 1 appeared in January,
1741. It has for a frontispiece, the prince of "Wales's coronet
and feather, with the motto, Ich Dien. It was published
only six months. Imprint, "Philadelphia: Printed and
sold by Benjamin Franklin." 12s. per annum. 12mo.

First published January, 1741. Foolscap 8vo., forty-eight
pages. 12s. per annum. Imprint, "Philadelphia:
Printed and sold by Andrew Bradford."

This work was edited by, and published for, John
Webbe, who having issued the prospectus from the
American Mercury of November 6, 1740, gave offence to
Benjamin Franklin, and produced a short, but smart paper
war between Franklin, Webbe, and Bradford. Webbe
had employed Bradford to print the work. Franklin
asserted that it had previously been engaged to him.
This was contradicted by Webbe; but he acknowledged
that he had conversed with Franklin on the subject, who
had given to him, in writing, the terms on which he would
print and publish it. The consequence was, that Franklin
began the magazine above mentioned, and published it a
month sooner than Webbe could bring his forward. I
cannot find that Bradford and Webbe printed more than
two numbers of this work.

This Magazine was first published in October, 1757.
Imprint, "Philadelphia: Printed by William Bradford."
Price 12s. per annum. It was discontinued soon after the
appearance of The New American Magazine, printed in
January, 1758, by Parker, and edited by Nevil, at Woodbridge.
I cannot find that Bradford published more than
three numbers.

This was a small work of a few pages 12 mo. published
for a short time by Benjamin Mecom, in 1769. I have
not seen a copy of it. His design was to print it weekly;
but it came from the press in an irregular manner.

Was published monthly, through the year 1769, for its
author Lewis Nicola; each number contained forty-eight
pages. To this magazine were subjoined the transactions
of the American Philosophical Society, of which Nicola
was a member. The work was begun and ended with the
year. It was printed in octavo, price 13s. per annum.

Nicola was born at Rochelle, in France, and educated in
Ireland. He had some appointment in the British army,
but quitted it. He was the author of one or more small
military treatises, written about the commencement of our
revolution, to which he was friendly. He obtained military
rank in Pennsylvania, and eventually became a
general officer in the militia.

This work was begun in 1771, and published monthly,
for a few months only, by John MacGibbons, in Front
street, between Arch and Race streets.

This Magazine was first published in January, 1775, by
Robert Aitken. The celebrated Thomas Paine, author of
Common Sense,[12] &c., was one of the principal compilers
and writers of the Museum. It was a work of merit;
each number contained forty-eight pages, octavo, with an
engraving. The war put an end to it.

Aitken contracted with Paine to furnish, monthly, for
this work, a certain quantity of original matter; but he
often found it difficult to prevail on Paine to comply with
his engagement. On one of the occasions, when Paine
had neglected to supply the materials for the Magazine,
within a short time of the day of publication, Aitken
went to his lodgings, and complained of his neglecting to
fulfil his contract. Paine heard him patiently, and coolly
answered, "You shall have them in time." Aitken expressed
some doubts on the subject, and insisted on Paine's
accompanying him and proceeding immediately to business,
as the workmen were waiting for copy. He accordingly
went home with Aitken, and was soon seated at the
table with the necessary apparatus, which always included
a glass, and a decanter of brandy. Aitken remarked, "he

would never write without that." The first glass put him
in a train of thinking; Aitken feared the second would
disqualify him, or render him untractable; but it only
illuminated his intellectual system; and when he had swallowed
the third glass, he wrote with great rapidity, intelligence,
and precision; and his ideas appeared to flow
faster than he could commit them to paper. What he
penned from the inspiration of the brandy, was perfectly
fit for the press without any alteration, or correction.[13]