The Aldine Magazine of Biography, Bibliography, Criticism, and the Arts: Dec ...

PREFACE.

The first volume of The ALDINE MAGAZINE is now before the public. To the BOOKSELLERS, for the warm patronage which they have extended towards it, the earliest thanks of its Editors and PROPRIETORS are due. It was upon the suggestion of their bookselling friends, that they essayed to raise their publication from the humble rank of a weekly paper to the more elevated station of a Monthly Miscellany of general literature. The change has enabled them to present a work of improved and heightened character.

Next to the BoOKSELLERS, the EDITORS of THE ALDINE MAGAZINE feel themselves deeply indebted to their Brethren of the Press, Metropolitan and Provincial, for the free, and kind, and liberal support which, from all quarters, and with unstinted hand, they have most generously awarded to their labours. In the support thus rendered, they have evinced that liberal and high-minded esprit de corps by which all the professors and friends of LITERATURE AND THE Arts ought to be indissolubly united and universally governed.

To the Public at large, the thanks of the Editors and PROPRIETORS of THE ALDINE MAGAZINE are duly and gratefully tendered.

In their endeavours to command success, the EDITORS entertain a modest confidence that they have amply fulfilled every leading promise of their original Prospectus. Their great object has been, to render their Miscellany useful and instructive as well as amusing ; and proof of their having achieved that object is abundantly found in the new sources of information and delight which have opened around them.

The opening article of THE ALDINE MAGAZINE of each succeeding month is appropriated to the illustration of some popular topic of the hour. Thus, in turn, attention has been directed to The Reduction of Postage, The Credit System, Steum Carringes und Rail-Roads, Home and Foreign Manufactures, Agriculture, The Fute of Louis XVII., The Copyright Bill, The Patronage of the Arts, &c.

“ THE ANNALS OF AUTHORS, ARTISTS, Books, AND BOOKSELLERS," sketched in the “ LETTERS OF AN OLD BOOKSELLER TO His Son,” present a fund of curious information to all connected with the. “ TRADE,” and to every lover of Literature and Art.

The series of papers entitled “ Points or THE MONTH” has been greatly approved for its suggestive character. It may fairly be said, that each of these papers suggests sufficient enquiry and reading for a month.

The “ SELECT NECROLOGY” must be regarded as a feature of universal interest.

The Poetry, the Reviews, the critical and other matter, in THE ALDINE MAGAZINE, must be allowed to speak for themselves. The Editors challenge comparison with the similar articles of any other Miscellany.

The ALDINE MAGAZINE is the only English Monthly Periodical, devoted to Literature and the Arts, that can now be purchased for One Shilling per Number. Each Number has been allowed to contain as much matter, and matter of as high a quality, as is worth, and ought to be sold for, IIALF-A-CROWN.