PREFACE. 
HEN the Monthly Magazine was firft planned, two leading ideas oc- 
\ cupied the minds of thofe who undertook to conduét it. The firft 
was, that of laying before the Public, through its means, various objects of 
information and difcuffion, both amufing and inftrudtive, which have not 
ufually made a part of the contents of fimilar Publications ; or, at leaft, which 
have not appeared in them with thofe advantages which they might derive 
from fuperior knowledge, and literary talents. The fecond (which we are 
equally ready to avow) was that of lending aid to the propagation of thofe 
liberal principles refpecting fome of the moft important concerns of mankind, 
which have been either deferted or virulently oppofed by other Periodical 
Mifcellanies; and upon the manly and rational fupport of which the Fame 
and Fate of the age muft ultimately depend. 7 
How far thefe two points have been attained, a perufal of the Numbers 
which compofe the prefent Volume, will futhciently enable the Public to 
determine. “The Conductors of the Work, however, beg leave to take this 
opportunity of exprefling fome of their own ideas concerning the degree in 
which they have hitherto been fuccefsful in executing the particular parts of 
their defign. ) 
_ Gratefully confcious of the number and value of their literary correfpon- 
dencies, they know that they may confidently affume the merit of having 
ufhered to the world a greater variety of curious and important original mat- 
ter, under the heads of Hiftorical, Moral, and Critical Difquifition, than any 
other collection, during the fame period, can boaft. And fince they cannot 
but regard it as the frft purpofe of a Magazine, to ferve as an afylum for 
thofe lighter exertions of learned and ingenious writers which would other- 
wife be condemned to filence and obfcurity, they felicitate themfelves, in no 
{mall degree, on the influence they have had in drawing forth fuch valuable 
ffores of this kind—ftores which they are under no apprehenfion of ex- 
haufting. It is not their prefent purpofe to make particular acknowledg- 
ments of favours received, or to clais them according to the eftimate made of 
their value; yet they muft be permitted to obferve, that fome of their moft 
able, have alfo been their moft copious, contributors; and that, not content 
with fugitive efforts, they have, by a continued feries of exertions, difplayed 
an active zeal to ferve the undertaking. 5 
It was a favourite obje& with the Condudtors to obtain fuch notices con- 
cerning the prefent ftate of commerce, manufactures, arts, and population 
throughout the kingdom, as might tend to advance ftatiftical knowledge to 
a degree much beyond what is hitherto poffeffed. ‘Though they have been 
enabled to convey fome ufeful information of this kind, yet they are ready 
to confefs, that it is the point in which their fuccefs is the leaft adequate to 
their expectations ; and they hope, this open avowal of their difappointment 
will ftimulate their friends to new and more effectual exertions in a matter, 
of the peculiar importance of which all muft be fenfible. 
In the interefting articles of Biographical Anecdotes and Remains of 
Eminent Perfons, they truft, they fhall not be found defective ; yet their fu- 
ture profpects of fupply of this kind, are ftill more flattering than the paft 
have been. 
a2 With 
