CllAP. XXI.] Literary Journab. 77 



The Reviews of the eighteenth century are 

 }3ublications of a very different character from the 

 Literary Journals of the seventeenth. A great 

 portion of the latter were in the Latin language j 

 and almost all of such a nature as to be intelligible 

 only to the learned. Of course they were seen 

 and perused by few persons, and their intluenco 

 on public taste and opinion Avas comparatively 

 small. But the Reviews of the last age, beside 

 being multiplied to an unexampled extent, have 

 received a popular cast, which has enabled tJiem 

 to descend from the closets of philosophers, ayd 

 from the shelves of polite scholars, to the count- 

 ing house of the merchant, to the shop. of the ar- 

 tisan, to the bower of the husbandman, an(,l in- 

 deed to every class of the communit}^, excepting 

 the most indigent and laborious. In fact, they 

 have contributed to give a new aspect to the re- 

 public of letters, and may be considered as among 

 the most important literary engines that distin- 

 guished the period under consideration. 



These publications have produced many ad- 

 vantages. They have excited a more general at- 



establish a more regular Review of American publications, about 

 the year 1790, in two periodical works nearly at the same time, 

 the one in Philadelphia, and the other in Boston. They were 

 conducted, however, on a very small scale, with little of the 

 boldness and impartiality of true criticism, and commanded 

 little attention from the public. They were, consequently, soon 

 laid aside ; as were several other undertakings of a similar kind, 

 for like reasons. In 1799 a more full and formal Revieiv wa? 

 begun in New York, which has continued to the present time, 

 and which, from the share of public patronage and attention 

 bestowed upon it, bids fair to be longer lived than any of \\s 

 predecessor*. 



