FRONTISPIE CE Lon: Mag: 776 See the dread Harbinger of human Woe, The envied Bond that held the League is broke, 1 cont. 21824 PREF A CE. Har AVING enjoyed the diftinguished favour of the Public forty-five years; with gratitude we renew our thanks for its past and prefent liberal fupport-a refpectable and learned correfpondence, and an extenfive fale. According to our promife, and duty to the Public, we have endeavoured to pay particular attention to the prevailing tafie of the times; and have had the approbation of many intelligent readers as to a judicious felection and arrangement of fubjects. Yet we acknowledge, that the productions of fome of our ingenious correfpondents, have contributed to give us the great fuperiority over fimilar publications, and to gain us much of the public approbation. We hope that our past care to oblige, will engage them to continue their affiftance: our defire being to increase the favours, and fecure the patronage of the public. We shall perfevere not only with affiduity, but with expenfive engravings, to open the fores of antiquity, geography, biftory, and science, to our purchasers. They will find us aljo pursuing that great road of general information and folid inftruction, and promoting the cause of liberty and virtue, which the Spectator, Tatler, Guardian, &c. have trodden with fuch univerfal approbation. We fball carefully review the manœuvres of the Ton, and give a conftant and impartial critique on the British Theatre. Peculiar attention will also be paid to all new literary productions, and to every important point which will improve the mind, and that concerns the intereft and welfare of the British nation. From the frame of our excellent conftitution, Politics, and the Debates of the grand council of the nation, will always ciaim a large share in a Mifcellany, calculated like ours, for the perufal and inftruction of the community in general: for every Briton looks on himself to be interested in whatever concerns the ad. miniftration of public affairs; and probably when we ceafe to be a nation of Politicians, we shall cease to be a nation of Freemen. The London Magazine, from the beginning, hath been the chief, and only valuable repofitory of those important national topics; a faithful register of parliamentary history and debates, as well as of the learned and polite world. Its importance and value in thefe particulars, likewife, we shall endeavour to preferve and advance. In our last annual Preface, we expreffed our wishes for a speedy and conftitutional reconciliation between Great Britain and the Colonies. Since then, our public affairs are confeffed by all parties, to be in a dijagreeable, if not diftreffed fituation. Mars hath already introduced his fifter Bellona to Britannia, kindling a civil war *. Whether we shall be involved in the flames of a foreign war alfo, and our valuable Colonies be reconciled, loft, or fubjugated, must be left to the events of the enfuing year, which will be duly recorded by us, and in this particular will the London Magazine be a valuable, and the most useful collection yet published. See the Frontispiece. WHEREAS Our trufty and well-beloved Richard Baldwin, of Pater noßter-Row, in Our City of London, Bookfeller, hath, by his Petition, humbly reprefented unto Us, that he is the Proprietor of a Work that is pub lished monthly, entitled, The LONDON MAGAZINE. In which is contained many original Pieces, that were never before printed; and that he is at a great expence in paying Authors for their Labours in writing and compiling the faid Work, which has been published once a Month for near Thirty Years paft, and hath met with great approbation from the Publick.That he is now publishing therein An Impartial and Succinct HISTORY of the Origin and Progrefs of the PRESENT W AR, To be illuftrated with many Maps and Charts, which hath already been so well received, as to induce feveral Perfons to reprint it in other periodical Publications; and being defirous of reaping the Fruits of his very great Expence and Labour, in the Prosecution of this Work, and enjoying the full Profit and Benefit that may arife from printing and vending the fame, without any other Perfon interfering in his juft Property, he most humbly prays Us, to grant him Our Royal Licence and Protection, for the fole printing, publishing, and vend ing the faid Work. And We do, therefore, by thele Prefents, fo far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that cafe made and provided, grant unto him, the faid Richard Baldwin, his Executors, Adminiftrators, and Affigns, our Licence for the fole printing, publishing, and vending the faid Work, for the Term of Fourteen Years, ftrictly forbidding all Our Subjects, within Our Kingdoms and Dominions, to reprint, abridge, or, publish the fame, either in the like or any other Volume, or Volumes whatsoever, or to import, buy, vend, utter, or diftribute, any Copies thereof, reprinted beyond the Seas, during the aforefaid Term of Fourteen Years, without the Confent and Approbation of the faid Richard Baldwin, his Heirs, Executors, or Afsigns, under their Hands and Seals first had and obtained, as they will anfwer the contrary at their Perils. Whereof, the Commiffioners, and other Officers of Our Cuftoms, the Mafter, Wardens, and Company of Stationers, are to take Notice, That due Obedience may be rendered to Our Will and Pleasure herein declared. Given at Our Court at Kenjington, the 23d Day of October, 1759, in the Thirty-Third Year of Our Reign. By His MAJESTY's Command. W. PITT. |