The modern Gothic continued from the thirteenth century, till the re-establishment of the ancient architecture in the fourteenth. But it is furprising, that Italy, which abounded with monuments of so exquisite a taste, fhould quit its own noble architecture, established by antiquity, fuccefs, and poffeffion; to adopt a barbarous, foreign, confused, and irregular manner: however, it has made amends for that fault, by being the first to return to the ancient tafte, which is now folely and univerfally practised *.

This and the two preceding papers are ascribed to Dr. Johnson on the authority of Sir John Hawkins, who fays, thofe marked. were written by our author. E.

PREFACE

TO THE

LITERARY MAGAZINE, 1756,

To THE PUBLIC.

THERE are fome practices which cuftom and prejudice have fo unhappily influenced, that to ob serve or neglect them is equally cenfurable. The promises made by the undertakers of any new design, every man thinks himself at liberty to deride, and yet every man expects, and expects with reason, that he who solicits the public attention, fhould give fome account of his pretenfions.

We are about to exhibit to our countrymen a new Monthly Collection, to which the well-deferved popularity of the first undertaking of this kind, has now made it almoft neceffary to prefix the name of Magazine, There are already many fuch periodical compilations, of which we do not envy the reception, nor fhall difpute the excellence. If the nature of things would allow us

ta

to indulge our wishes, we fhould defire to advance our own interest without leffening that of any other, and to excite the curiofity of the vacant, rather than withdraw that which other writers have already engaged.

Our defign is to give the hiftory political and literary of every month, and our pamphlets muft confift, like other collections, of many articles unconnected and independent on each other.

The chief political object of an Englishman's attention must be the great council of the nation, and we shall therefore register all public proceedings with particular care. We fhall not attempt to give any regular series of debates, or to amufe our readers with fenatorial rhetoric. The speeches inferted in other papers have been long known to be fictitious, and produced fometimes by men who never heard the debate, nor had any authentic information. We have no defign to impofe thus grofly on our readers, and shall therefore give the naked arguments used in the difcuffion of every queftion, and add, when they can be obtained, the names of the speakers.

As the proceedings in parliament are unintelligible without a knowledge of the facts to which they relate, and of the state of the nations to which they extend their influence, we fhall exhibit monthly a view, though contracted yet diftinct, of foreign affairs, and lay open the defigns and interests of those nations which are confidered by the English either as friends or enemies.

Of tranfactions in our own country curiofity will demand a more particular account, and we fhall record every remarkable event, extraordinary cafualty, uncommon performance, or striking novelty, and shall apply

our

our care to the discovery of truth, with very little reliance on the daily hiftorians.

The lifts of births, marriages, deaths, and burials, will be fo drawn up that we hope very few omiffions.or miftakes will be found, though fome must be expected to happen in fo great a variety, where there is neither leifure nor opportunity for minute information.

It is intended that lifts fhall be given of all the officers and perfons in public employment, and that all the alterations fhall be noted as they happen, by which our lift will be a kind of court-regifter always complete.

The literary history neceffarily contains an account of the labours of the learned, in which whether we shall fhew much judgment or fagacity, must be left to our readers to determine; we can promife only juftnefs and candour. It is not to be expected that we can infert extenfive extracts or critical examinations of all the writings which this age of writers may offer to our notice. A few only will deserve the distinction of criticism, and a few only will obtain it. We shall try to select the best and most important pieces, and are not without hope, that we may fometimes influence the public voice, and hafter the popularity of a valuable work.

2

Our regard will not be confined to books; it will extend to all the productions of science. Any new calculation, a commodious inftrument, the discovery of any property in nature, or any new method of bringing known properties into ufe or view, fhall be diligently treasured up wherever found.

In a paper defigned for general perufal, it will be ne ceffary' to dwell most upon things of general entertain

ment.

ment. The elegant trifles of literature, the wild ftrains of fancy, the pleafing amusements of harmless wit, fhall therefore be confidered as neceffary to our collection. Nor fhall we omit researches into antiquity, explanations of coins or infcriptions, difquifitions on controverted hiftory, conjectures on doubtful geography, or any other of thofe petty works upon which learned ingenuity is fometimes employed.

To these accounts of temporary tranfactions and fugitive performances, we fhall add fome differtations on things more permanent and ftable; fome inquiries into the history of nature, which has hitherto been treated as if mankind were afraid of exhaufting it. There are in our own country many things and places worthy of note that are yet little known, and every day gives oppôrtunities of new obfervations which are made and forgotten. We hope to find means of extending and perpetuating physiological discoveries, and with regard to this article, and all others, intreat the affiftance of cu rious and candid correfpondents.

We fhall labour to attain as much exactnefs as can be expected in fuch variety, and fhall give as much va riety as can confift with reafonable exactnefs; for this purpose a selection has been made of men qualified for the different parts of the work, and each has the employment affigned him, which he is fuppofed moft able to discharge.

A LET