You (Fuft received.) YOU mean, I understand, to rove With pleafing ftories, true or feign'd; SEVER TO CORRESPONDENTS. BODLEMA 5 FEB 1934 IBRARY R. EVERAL Favours are already received from Correfpondents; a few may be seen in the prefent Number, and others fhall have a Place as foon as poffible. Some we are under the Neceffity of declining, being in Tendency different to our Plan, and in Point of Execution deficient; the Writers, notwithstanding, have the Editor's hearty Thanks for their good Intentions. News, including Christmas Occurrences, in our next Number. T ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC. HOUGH many periodical works have been, and are fill offered to the Public, few can boaft of the advantages of the prefent undertaking, wherein novelty, utility, variety, and above all, CHEAPNESS, are combined to entertain, improve, and diffipate the cares of a long winter's evening. A work of this extenfive nature, and upon the cheapest plan ever offered, being long wanting, the General WEEKLY MAGAZINE is humbly fubmitted to the Public, not with the idle view of competition, (though it may excite emulation, or rather imitation, in others,) but with the more laudable defire of promoting literature, and amufing in a manner equally innocent and beneficial, READERS of both fexes. Not however by the mere novelty of a Weekly Magazine do we hope for fuccefs, but by the choice original and felect pieces with which it fhall abound-the well-chofen Tale-the inftructive Hiftory-the fublime Allegory-a juft and impartial account of Public Amusements during the week-and particularly a collection of every thing worthy of prefervation that may be found in the other publications of the day, whereby the beauties of all will be united in one; add to which, a complete Summary of the most interefting Occurrences, foreign and domeftic, will be given in every other Number, fo that the Readers of the General Weekly Magazine will thence derive both agreeable entertainment and useful information; the latter too, not only at a cheaper rate than by purchafing a Weekly Newspaper, but with more real fatisfaction, feeing they may depend upon the authenticity of every article, as none but afcertained facts (including Births, Deaths, Marriages, Bankrupts, Price of Stocks, Lottery Prizes, &c. &c.) will be given, for the purpofe of rendering this part of the work (which fhall therefore be printed in a diftin&t manner from the other) A New and Complete Annual Regifter, to be either bound up (if agreeable to the purchafer) at the end of every year, by itself, or have a feparate place in the work. As the Mifcellaneous Articles, promifed in the course of this Work, far exceed the limits of one Number, they fhall notwithstanding be attended to in rotation; fo that this Magazine, by varying almost every week, will be the means not only of exciting more curiofity than any other, but affording greater entertainment. And to infure public approbation, we mean, as often as poffible, to give authenticated Memoirs of fuch Eminent Characters as now diftinguish themselves either in literature, oratory, the sciences, or any other mark of natural genius. There are few young perfons but what are ftirred up to emulation, by reading thefe anecdotes; and it is certain that many have become great men, from the excitements they have received from hearing or reading what others have done. Peculiar attention fhall be paid to the Hiftory of this Work, that it may be executed in the most complete and fatisfactory manner, fo as to form a Work which must be highly acceptable iv ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC. acceptable to all who have the leaft curiofity, or the leaft regard for thofe worthy characters who have ferved their country by their talents, or proved a laudable ambition to promote it's liberties. Convinced that a collection of well chofen tales, and interesting novels, would be likewife neceffary, both for the amufement and inftruction of youth, it is prefumed, the moral tendency and beautiful imaginations of those with which the WEEKLY MAGAZINE shall be furnished, will give ample entertainment to all who delight in this fpecies of writing, and fave them the painful task of applying to thofe infipid (and fometimes dangerous) publications, too often obtruded upon the public, under the title of Novels.In this, our Weekly Mifcellany, the Ladies, we truft, will find a circulating library-with this advantage, that, for what they would pay for the lean of a novel, they will be in poffeffion of the work. In order that this Magazine may be an agreeable and inftructive medley of Original Beauties, exclufive of Elegant Extracts, both in Profe and Verfe, due attention fhall be paid to all letters from Ladies and Gentlemen for the General Weekly Magazine, where a correfpondence can be fupported without that delay and fufpence which too often flacken merit, and deduct from the fpirit of a literary controversy. All prolixity fhall be avoided, and if an interefting tale fhould be divided, as is unavoidable fometimes, our continuations, which fhall never exceed two or three, cannot fuffer from the space of time between each, or be fo foon forgotten, as if they were of a monthly date. -And further, to render this work perfectly entertaining, our Numbers shall be embellished with elegant engravings, portraits of eminent dramatifts and performers, views, feats, curiofities, hiftorical and fancy fcenes, &c. executed by the best Artists, which shall far furpass the majo"rity of thofe in fimilar works at four times the money. Thus fhall the eye be charmed with ftriking and beautiful reprefentations-the mind improved with literature of every denomination and tafte, more truly and frequently gratified, than if " learning's fpring" flowed monthly, for our weekly fountain fhall fo overflow with productions of genuine worth, and felections of the best kind, as to become not only a fpring of amufement every week, but every year a fountain of The SWEETS of ALL. THE EDITOR. EXPLANATION OF THE FRONTISPIECE. The LABOUR of TIME producing LITERARY EXCELLENCE, and placing the PRODUCTIONS of the EDITOR on the MONUMENT of PERPETUAL FAME. EXPLANATION OF THE VIGNETTE, The genius of TRUTH holding up the MIRROR, and reflecting the human paffions, HOPE, FEAR, LOVE, MELANCHOLY, ENVY, JEALOUSY, PRIDE, &c, reprefented in the above emblems. LOVE and PATRIOTISM or the INTREPID YOUTH. And RINCE ALBERT's fuperior virtue had acquired him the love and reverence of his people. Though eminently valiant in the field, he was more attentive to the arts of peace. fuch was his generofity, that the moment he fheathed his fword, he would stretch out the cordial hand of friend/hip to the man whom the welfare of his country had obliged him to encounter as an enemy. When young, he married a princefs virtuous as himself, and equally exalted in her understanding. But the choiceft bleffings of heaven are lent to man but a fhort season, left the etherial foul, which is winged for immortality, fhould be detached from the meditation of it's promised glory. The third vernal fun, which had smiled upon their union, faw the arrow of death pierce the bofom of the beautiful Jugurtha. But the left to Albert a daughter, the care of whofe infancy diverted his attention, and faved him from the horrors of defpair and melancholy. Having for fome time enjoyed uninterrupted peace, the ambition of a neighbouring prince prompted him to make an incurfion on the territories of Albert. In violation of the faith of nations, he invaded the country without declaring war against it's monarch, or affigning any motive for his depredations. The fubjects of the unfufpecting fovereign, dreading no evil, cultivated their grounds in imagined fecurity. But the trumpet of war affrighted many of the peaceful fwains from their labours, and many were cut off in the very act of toiling for their families. In fome provinces the inhabitants endeavoured to repel the invader; but the numbers were small and undifciplined, and they were foon overpowered. Refiftance being faint, the progrefs of the hoftile monarch became rapid, and Albert found himself furrounded in his capital by the armies of his vindictive neighbour. The Prince, and a few brave companions of his misfortunes, made a noble defence; yet they were at length obliged to yield to fuperior force. But, while the victor was entering the conquered city, a band of Albert's fubjects without the walls, having devoted themselves to death and their country, fell upon the conquering troops, while an arrow, fhot from the battlements of an adjoining tower, pierced the body of the invader, who inftantly fell to the earth; but, being encompaffed by fuch brave men as ought ever to furround a prince, they replaced and fuftained him on his horfe, while, with incredible intrepidity and boldness, they fought their way through oppofing numbers, and thus LOVE AND PATRIOTISM, OR thus preferved their head from being taken prifoner. Thus be reft of their leader, the enemies of Albert gave way on every fide, and he beheld himself once more mafter of his capital. Still, however, Albert was confcious that fo powerful an army, though repulfed, was not fubdued. His apprehenfions were moreover heightened, by gaining intelligence that the wound his adverfary had received, on examination, had been found fo flight, that he was not only pronounced to be entirely out of danger, but that in a few days he would be again able to head his army: Albert therefore fummoned his council to meet him in his palace, and addreffed them in the following manner. "Friends, countrymen, and heroes! ye have feen what determined valour can perform. Ye have beheld an almoft innumerable army repelled by a handful of gallant foldiers. Yet prue dence is as requifite as valour. Were we deftitute of difcretion, we fhould quickly fee our band of friends fall victims to the rage of our adverfaries; for though we have now repulfed them, they will again return-they will return with added 'force; while, if we neglect the present opportunity, we may be reduced by famine to defpair. The only way, therefore, to avert the impending danger, and still preserve the honour of our country, is for one of my brave warriors to engage in fingle combat with the invader. The laws of my country prohibit it's fovereign to meet an enemy fingle in the field, elfe fhould no life but mine be rifked to preferve the liberties of my people. But whoever can fubdue the fear of death-whoever will meet this barbarian in the field, and gallantly exert himself for the welfare of his country, fhall (if fuccefsful) be rewarded with the hand of the princefs, the only daughter of Albert, and the heirefs of his crown." Some murmurs of applause ran through the affembly; yet the ftouteft heroes fat dubious on their feats; for Ravelher was confidered as the lion of the foreft, the thunderbolt of destruction, the rock in the ocean, that mocks the fury of the finging billows, and laughs at the hoftile tempeft. At length a youth arose, whofe figure was commanding, and whofe deportment was majeftic; but the greennefs of whofe years feemed to preclude him from fo hardy an adventure. "If my fovereign will grant," faid he, "to my youth the honour of revenging the wrongs of my country, my love for the princefs fhall give ftrength to my arm, and Leonto fhall conquer or die. I have long been used to hear of deeds of valour; let me now endeavour to perform them, and imitate the glory of my anceftors." His geftures were daring and animated, and valour lafhed from his eyes during his words. Now Albert, arrayed in his robes, attended by his council and |