Literary Journals. 41 



IV. 1691. " The Athenian Mercury, resolving weekly 

 all the most nice and curious questions proposed by the 

 ingenious." Folio, London, printed for John Dunton, at 

 the Raven, in the Poultry, 1691. In an advertisement the 

 editor engaged to give an account of all new books, in a sup- 

 plement to each volume. The work was published every 

 Tuesday and Saturday, a single leaf at a time, closely printed 

 on both sides *, pn'ce owe penny. It commenced on the 17th 

 March, 1691, and was regularly printed twice a week, until the 

 8th February, 1696, forming nineteen very thin folio volumes 

 of thirty numbers, or sixty pages each. It was then disconti- 

 nued until the 14th of May, 1697, when the first sheet of the 

 twentieth volume was published, but how much more was 

 printed I have not been able to learn. A supplement to each 

 volume was also published about once in every three months. 

 The title of one of these is thus expressed, " The supplement 

 to the third volume of the " Athenian Gazette," containing an 

 account of the design and scope of the most considerable books 

 newly printed in England, and in the foreign journals, and of 

 the quality of the authors, if known. With impartial remarks 

 upon their undertaking and performance. These supplements 

 will be continued constantly, by several learned persons, and 

 comprehend a brief idea of all valuable books published from 

 time to time." 



* At this time, and for tvfenty years before and afterwards, it was no 

 uncommon ttiing for books to be published at stated periods, and one leaf 

 only at a time. Sir Roger L'Estrange published a folio work in this way, 

 called the " Observator," the first number of which appeared on 13th 

 April, 1681. The following are a few scarce volumes which came out 

 in the same way, viz., the " Observator," published every Wednesday, 

 at Id. each, commenced April lst,1702. The " Examiner," every Thurs- 

 day, in folio, commenced Aug. 3d, 1710. The "Whig Examiner," also 

 every Thursday, commenced Sept. 14th, 1710. The "Hermit," every 

 Saturday, at Irf. each, commenced August 4th, 1711. These were all on 

 literary subjects. Besides these, I have seen a large folio volume, en- 

 titled, " Mercator, or Commerce Retrieved," which came out every Tues- 

 day and Saturday, in single leaves, price l^rf. each, the first number of 

 which made its appearance on the26tb May 1713. 



