38 Mr. Parkes's History of 



■whereas the book which I have to quote below, with a title som- 

 ■what similar, professes to be an account of books for the years 

 1681, 1682, and 1683; and this was known to Mr. Dibdin, 

 who mentions it in his list, and says it was " the earliest publi- 

 cation in this country in the character of a review." 



It is now many years since I first met with a few volumes of 

 these early productions, which I found to be so interesting and 

 instructive, that I have been endeavouring to complete ray series 

 of them ever since. As books of reference I have found them 

 extremely useful, and so much so, that I have no hesitation in 

 saying that, as far as they can be procured, they ought to find 

 a place in every good English library. 



The following is the most complete list that I have been able 

 to make out of these early literary journals, all of which, with 

 a few exceptions, are in my own possession. 



The titles of the respective works, which were published in 

 the following order, are expressed thus : 



I. * 1681. " Weekly Memorials for the Ingeni- 

 ous : or an account of books lately set forth, in several lan- 

 guages, with some other curious novelties relating to arts and 

 sciences." Quarto, London, printed for Henry Faithorne and 

 John Kersey, and sold at their shop, at the Rose in Saint Paul's 

 Churchyard. 



The volume, which is dedicated to the Honourable Robert 

 Boyle, contains fifty weekly numbers ; the first is dated Mon- 

 day, January 16th, 168-i, the last number bears the date of 

 January 15th, 1683. From the preface I have made the fol- 

 lowing extracts : " I cannot doubt but this weekly paper will 

 find a candid and cheerful acceptance amongst all ingenious 

 persons, the design of it being to present them with a short view 

 of the worthy labours daily set forth by the learned. The bare 

 titles of books yearly printed in our common catalogues are 

 somewhat dry things, scarce able to raise in men that gust and 



* It must be recollected that these numbers arc entirely arbitrary, being 

 inserted merely for the convenience of reference. 



