Since the final revision of these pages I have learned that Samuel Stearns was the editor of the second volume (1789) of the Philadelphia Magazine. He was a physician and astronomer, born in Bolton, Mass., in 1747, and died in Brattleborough, Vt., in 1819. He made the calculations for the first nautical almanac in this country, which he published in New York, December 20, 1782. Twenty-eight years of his life were spent upon a "Medical Dispensatory," which he left unfinished at his death.

Of one publication of the eighteenth century, the Philadelphia Nimrod (1798), I have made no mention. Although for a long time a hot questrist after it, I have not been fortunate enough to come by a copy, and of its history I am mainly ignorant.

My list of the medical, theological and scientific periodicals of the present century is by no means complete, but it may be serviceable for future correction and extension.

There was a publication in Philadelphia, in 1811, entitled the Cynic, "by Growler Gruff, Esquire, aided by a Confederacy of Lettered Dogs." It wore the motto:

We'll snarl, and bite, and play the dog,
For dogs are honest.

It was published weekly from September 21 to December 12. The principal purpose of the little paper was to censure and abuse the theatrical managers of the city for abolishing the old theatre boxes.

A dramatic review which has a station in the file, and not i' the worst rank either, is the Whim, published by John Bioren, No. 88 Chestnut Street, at twenty cents a number. It was a small paper issued during the theatrical season and for sale at the Falstaff tavern. The editor, James Fennell, was born in London in 1766, and died in Philadelphia, June 14, 1816. He came to America in 1793 and made his first appearance in Philadelphia. He published "The Wheel of Truth," a comedy; "Picture of Paris;" "Linden and Clara," a comedy; and "Apology for My Life," Philadelphia, 1814. The first number of the Whim appeared Saturday, May 14, 1814. The argument for the publication was founded upon the pre-eminence of Philadelphia among the cities of the nation, "The city of Philadelphia professedly and avowedly declaring itself the Athens of the United States" (p. 8). The journal ceased, I believe, with the tenth number, dated July 16, 1814.

It has been no part of my task to discover and describe the early magazines of the State, though that had been an attractive piece of literary exposition—to the expounder, at least. In conclusion, however, it may not be amiss to recite a few of the earlier examples of provincial editing.

The first magazine west of the mountains was the Huntingdon Literary Museum and Monthly Miscellany. It was edited by William Rudolph Smith, a grandson of Dr. William Smith, of the American Magazine (1757-8), and Moses Canan. It was printed by John McCahan and published in 1810. Its editors defined it to be "the first asylum for the varieties of literature that ever had been published west of the Susquehannah" (p. 576). The magazine ceased in December, 1810, with the complaint that "with the exception of some pieces of poetry from several gentlemen in Philadelphia, and an essay on the early 'Poetick Writers,' the editors have received no original matter."

A still earlier periodical was the Gleaner, "a monthly magazine, containing original and selected essays in prose and verse," Stacy Potts, Jr., editor, Lancaster, 1808-9.

Carlisle possessed two religious magazines of early date—the Religious Instructor, "under ministers of the Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, 1810;" and the Magazine of the German Reformed Church, edited by Rev. L. Mayer, and continued by Rev. Daniel Young, begun in 1828, and making three volumes.

Another semi-religious periodical was the Literary and Evangelical Register, "containing scientifical, evangelical, statistical and political essays and facts, together with missionary intelligence and miscellaneous articles, interspersed with poetry." This magazine was edited by Eugenio Kincaid and published at Milton, Pennsylvania. It was begun in July, 1826, and continued until June, 1827.

The Village Museum, "conducted by an association of young men" (Vol. I, 1819-20), was published by Gemmill and Lewis at York, Pennsylvania. It bore for its motto:

Along the cool-sequestered vale of life
We keep the noiseless tenor of our way.

The magazine is full of the neighborhood and gay with local color. It ceased in July, 1820.