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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, 1743,1 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 DockSquare," booksellers; and printed by Rogers & Fowle, "in

It will be observed that this was twelve years after the appearance of the Gentleman's Magazine, still published in London.— M.

"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 & Foule, 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:

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"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:

"Containing, and to contain,

"Old fashioned writings and Select Essays,

Queer Notions, Useful Hints, Extracts from plays;
Relations Wonderful, and Psalm and Song,
Good Sense, Wit, Humour, Morals, all ding dong;
Poems and Speeches, Politicks and News
What Some will like, and other Some refuse;

Births, Deaths, and Dreams, and Apparitions too;
With some Thing suited to each different Geû,1

To Humour Him, and Her, and Me, and You."

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.

Goût.

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,1 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 pecuniary 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,

1Dr. Benjamin Church, a reputed whig, who when the Revolutionary war commenced was appointed surgeon general of the American army, but was soon after arrested and confined, being detected in a traitorous correspondence with the British army in Boston, I have been informed by a very respectable person, whom I have long known, was a writer for the Censor. This person, then an apprentice to Russell, was employed to convey, in a secret manner, the doctor's manuscripts to the press, and proof sheets from the press to the doctor.

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