ADVERTISEMENT.

PLATES, if not well defigned, and ably executed, are scarce worthy the notice of children; much lefs are they proper to be offered to an intelligent public. The Proprietors, therefore, of this work, refolved on every occafion, where plates were requifite, to procure the affiftance of the moft ingenious artists, whose labours might embellish their miscellany. With this view, they applied to Mr. Edward Burney, and Mr. Sherwin, and hope that the public will think the propriety of the choice fufficiently vindicated by the specimen which is now fubmitted to the purchasers of the London Magazine, enlarged and improved.

Their fuccefs has encouraged them to adorn their work with this expensive frontispiece; and as an allegorical print requires an explanation, the following is fubjoined:

The GENIUS of the London Magazine is represented reclining at the feet of his protectress, the City of London, who is fupported by Father Thames and Plenty. The Deities who prefide over the several arts and sciences furround the Genius. On his right hand are the Gods of MEDICINE and POETRY, with the figure of CHRONOLOGY, nurfing an INFANT, and holding the Torch of WEDLOCK in her hand, with that of LIFE extinguifhed at her fide, as emblems of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. In the front, a female contemplating a globe, with a telescope at her fide, perfonates GEOGRAPHY and ASTRONOMY. On the left hand of the Genius ftands ELOQUENCE, the fupporter and ornament of Literature, the Church, the Bar, and Senate. Behind him, in reference to the Theatre, ftands the DRAMATIC MUSE, with a mafk in her hand, while the patronefs of MATHEMATICS and PHILOSOPHY is reprefented in a ftudious attitude defcribing a figure on a tablet.

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T has ever been a fubject of univerfal complaint, that the tafte of the Public is guided more by caprice than by judgement, and that the reputation of literary men is feldom of long duration.

The authors, whofe writings have on one day been confidered as the standard of tafte, on the next have funk into obfcurity. Those whofe converfation has been coveted as eagerly as their works have been perufed, after a short reign very frequently have found themselves neglected, and their compofitions forgotten.

These are truths which every individual must acknowledge, and thefe are changes to which every writer must be fubject. Amid thefe fluctuations of public favour, however, THE LONDON MAGAZINE, which we are now to introduce to our readers under a new form, appears to have felt the effects of this fickleness, at leaft in a lefs degree than any other periodical publication. The tafte of mankind may be regulated by capricioufnefs, and human genius may be subject to inequalities, yet the London Magazine has flourished, under the patronage of the friends to literature, for more than half a century.

In its infancy it was kindly cherished by men of letters, who ably promoted its fuccefs by their communications, and as it advanced to maturity it seemed to gain fresh vigour from the multitude of its competitors. Thefe frequently adopted its plans, but, in the execution of them, as often failed. The emulation of these rivals was a fpur to its improvement, and it has long held a confpicuous rank in the estimation of the Learned, and has been protected by the lovers of literature, who have given it the preference to contemporary publi

cations.

In the prefent enlightened age the avenues to knowledge are fo numerous, that we are become a nation of readers, and almoft of authors; fo that for feveral years paft, the Proprietors have found themselves under the difagreeable neceffity of contracting their defigns, on account of the narrow limits prefcribed by their price. A variety almoft unbounded is requifite, in order to render a magazine worthy of public attention. We have, however, been obliged to withold feveral ingenious communications, until we have loft the proper season for insertion.

It has always been our study, and our wifh, to enlift men of genius under our banner; but we have not hitherto been able to treat them acccording to our wishes, or their defert.

LOND. MAC. July 1783.

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We have, therefore, from a thorough conviction of the neceffity of fuch a step, at length determined to increafe the price of our work, in order to enable us to enlarge our plan, and to fecure the afliftance of able and eminent writers, in order to render our publication A COMPLETE AND CONCISE HISTORY OF

THE TIMES.

Such an HISTORY it fhould be the ambition of every Magazine to exhibit. It should include the debates of our national councils, and the progress of mathematical knowledge, philofophy, medicine, aftronomy, literature, and the whole circle of the fciences. It should contain fpecimens of poetry, and mifcellaneous papers, felect as well as original, on every fubject that can improve or entertain. To thefe fhould be added, a fummary account of theatrical exhibitions and public amufements, with a tranfcript of ftate papers, a view of foreign tranfactions, and a faithful exhibition of material domeftic incidents.

By the purfuit of fuch a plan, we would wish to render The London Magazine more worthy of public attention. The advertisement prefixed to our laft number informed our readers, in general terms, of our intentions. We shall now lay before them an account of our future plan, at large; and are perfuaded that a fufficient apology for the augmentation of our price will be found in the extenfiveness of our defigns, and that it will be fuperfluous to affign further reafons for fuch a meafure, although it may have been deemed by many unneceffary, and by more hazardous.

"Our WORK, though without the formality of apparent arrangement, will be divided into feveral departments. We fhall enumerate them, in the order, in which they will generally appear, and give a fhort account of what we propofe to offer our readers in each divifion. From fuch order, however, we defire if to be understood, that we fhall hold ourselves at liberty to depart occafionally.

I. THE PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY.

THE Debates in both Houfes of Parliament may be justly confidered as intelligence of the highest importance. They are objects of national concern, To them, the first place, therefore, is affigned.

A relation of fentiments delivered in a public affembly, which prohibits every hearer from ufing a pen, can be rendered worthy of perufal only by the most rigid attention, and by the niceft exactnefs. The omillion of an opinion may give the clofeft arguments an appearance of futility. The biafs of party may debafe the language of the oppofite intereft. Their fentiments may be degraded, and feem the offspring of the factious leader, rather than the dictates of the patriot.

To prevent thefe evils as much as poffible, our Parliamentary Intelligence fhall be collected from the best authorities. The fincere lover of his country, and the defender of its conftitution, fhall always meet with our warmeft approbation. The opinions of every party, however, we fhall deliver with equal truth and freedom. We are fuperior to prejudice, and are neither ministerial tools, nor promoters of faction.

II. PHILOSOPHY.

OUR Parliamentary History will be followed by Philofophical Papers. As it is profeffedly our defign to infruct, as well as to entertain the public, we fhould justly incur the imputation of ignorance, as well as of neglect, if we were to omit fo important an object as the science of Natural Philofophy.

Our correspondence in this department will be found extenfive, and we expect to gratify the curious with an early account of the various difcoveries which are made in all parts of the world.

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