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III.
THE MAGAZINE IN AMERICA.[1]
In a country whose reigning character is the love of science, it is somewhat strange that the channels of communication should continue so narrow and limited. The weekly papers are at present the only vehicles of public information. Convenience and necessity prove that the opportunities of acquiring and communicating knowledge ought always to inlarge with the circle of population. America has now outgrown the state of infancy: her strength and commerce make large advances to manhood; and science in all its branches has not only blossomed, but even ripened on the soil. The cottages as it were of yesterday have grown to villages, and the villages to cities; and while proud antiquity, like a skeleton in rags, parades the streets of other nations, their genius, as if sickened and disgusted with the phantom, comes hither for recovery.
The present enlarged and improved state of things gives
- ↑ Introductory of the Pennsylvania Magazine, or American Museum, Philadelphia, published by Robert Aitkin, Paine was its first editor, and Dr. Rush says that some of his writings in it "gave it a sudden currency which few works of the kind have since had in our country." His salary was fifty pounds. I conclude to omit several brief articles in it by Paine, giving descriptions of scientific machines, as they require reproduction of the plates, and are technical. Several of Paine’s poems were first published in this magazine, including the Song on "The Death of General Wolfe" (with music), which, though written in England, was not published in the Gentleman's Magazine (as some have stated), or elsewhere in that country. Paine wrote under various signatures in his magazine, but I feel certain, after careful investigation, that the articles reproduced from the magazine in this volume are from his pen. It may be remarked that in the September number (1775) a picture of the battle of Bunker Hill appears, displaying for the first time, I believe, the stripes of the American flag.—Editor.
