though perking itself up in its diminutive, after the manner of fome bumble Authors, carries with it, i must confess, the most difguftful Appearance. Various indeed are the methods, by which periodical Writers endeavour to introduce themselves and their Works to the Knowledge of the Public. Some prefent you with elaborate Propofals, exhibiting at one view, the excellence of the defign, and the confummate Skill of the nameless compofers. Others, in the true spirit of Quackism, circulate their intentions by handbills, or plant their faithful Emiffaries to scatter their papers about, like the leaves of the Sybill, in places of public Entertainment, in order to infinuate the Plot into the Pit and Boxes. Some get Letters Patent from the King; and others publish Edicts from Apollo. The The Periodical Works of the present Age, are Magazines of Univerfal Knowledge and Pleasure; they are the Treasury of Sciences, the Repofitories of Learning, and the Foundling-Hofpitals for Wit. However they differ in their Plan, they ALL promise the Utile dulci, ALL contain the Multum in Parvo, and more than any work of the fame kind ever yet published: Nay, the Motives too of every new Mufæum or Magazine, are the fame; a tender concern to fee their friend the Public fo imposed upon by fuch miferable monthly trash ; and therefore, out of pure good. nature, they become Cooks themselves, and ferve up a dish for every Palate. The Author of the present Publication has indeed no fuch univerfal aim; and although he adds another Magazine to the large number which every Month stares the Reader in the face, down the whole column of a news paper, he hopes to be judged judged from the contents, and not from the Title. The Public, in this Collection, will at leaft be fure to meet with ORIGINALS; and if this Work is favoured with that correspondence it has fome reason to pretend to, the Graces of Variety will go hand in hand with Novelty, The claffical Reader too, will not perhaps be displeased, to fee a paffage of an Antient or Modern Author now and then appear in an English drefs; and it is hoped, that as the fpirit of the writer will be more attended to, than the mere Letter, that fuch Authors, as fhall appear in our English cloaths, will not wear them 'unhandsomely, nor betray the ftiffness of a Foreigner. There will be alfo fome Account of Modern Publications, and of thofe only which refpect the Belles Lettres. In short, whatever falls within their circle, is the object of this Work. Such is the Defign of the Execu tion the Publick will determine. Had the Plan of this Magazine been more enlarged, it could never have wanted an occafional Support from the Correspondence of young Gentlemen of fixteen, great Geniuses of no Education, and great Scholars of no Genius. But as the elaborate trifles of extravagant Dulness, will not enter into any part of our defign, this Work must be founded upon the more durable, though more difficult, bafis of rational Entertainment. It is a pretty exerercise, no doubt, for children to caft up the Letters of an Acroftic, or folve the inconfiftencies of a riddle, but would very ill become the practice of Grown Gentlemen. On fuch Correfpondents, the Author |