which shall be possessed of attractions suited to draw the masses up to its standard of taste rather than lower it down to them; he who, in short, would elevate, enrich, dignify our current literature is certainly engaged in a great and laborious enterprise.

These were the objects we aimed at accomplishing when we commenced our literary labors, and we trust we shall not lose sight of them.

We are aware that the public taste at the present day demands a good deal of the frivolous and flashy, instead of the solid and substantial, in writing, and that in consequence, the tendency of Magazine literature in this country, has been downward.

Whatever the public demand and will pay the best for, they can have in the greatest abundance; for book makers now-a days, would be money makers rather than fame seekers. For our part we are quite fond of the precious metal, but we rather deny ourselves a little in that respect, and suffer it to circulate in the shape of a magazine of superlative excellence.

Some of our local agents, large dealers in what is properly termed cheap literature, have loudly complained that our magazine is "too good ;" that it wont sell as fast as some two or three others which contain more pictures, more stories of fancy, and a fashion plate for the ladies. Well, this is just what we expected, just what we wished, and just what gives us the greatest encouragement to persevere and raise the standard of our literary productions still higher. Hereafter "excelsior" shall be our motto, and truth rather than fancy our guide.

We do not intend however, as our present number will indicate, to shut ourselves entirely from the realms of fiction, but to avoid making it the staple of our work. The mind, as well as the body, requires something for dessert, after a hearty meal. We would therefore occasionally administer to it some of the dainties. But sweet things, taken to excess, will produce a morbid aud sickly appetite, which may induce hypocondria.

The great aim of literary periodicals should be to disseminate refined and dignified thought, upon the greatest variety of topics, throughout the masses of the people; to scatter, as widely as possible, the seeds of truth which shall, by and by, take root in the affections and hearts of men, and spring up to yield a plentiful harvest of sound morality, discreetness and virtue. These objects can alone be accomplished by the combined efforts of men of great literary merit in the various departments of knowledge of which they treat. These men must possess high traits of moral excellence as well as rare mental endowments, in order to give tone and character to what they write.

Feeling sensibly the importance of this, we have called in to our aid those suitable to check us when we step out of our traces, and bring us back into our place. We are, in fact, surrounded by a host of brilliant names who are ever ready to give counsel and advice in the conduction of our magazine.

We would not presume, young and inexperienced as we are, to hold ourselves responsible for the right and exclusive management of such a work as we would offer to the public. So great are the inducements at the present day to write for money simply, and that material being reached in greater abundance by writing down to the common tastewhich most will allow is a little vitiated-that we need a literary host, panoplied with shining armor, to keep us off from the enemy's ground.

We have avoided heretofore making large promises to our readers by the way of special favors from the pens of our most distinguished writers, yet we would confess that we have shared largely in their sympathies and many of them have furnished "aid and comfort" by their valuable contributions to replenish the Magazine.

In our present number we can boast of materials from the pens of the Rev. Dr. Baird, Dr. W. B. Sprague, Professor Alden of Williams College, Emerson of Yale, and Professor Charles Murray Nairne, assisted by other pens, among the most trenchant and energetic of which our literature can boast. We have a host of eminent names who stand ready to give us support in the literary department, and our readers may look for rich entertainments in the future.

To our mechanics, who have patronized us in so liberal a manner, we promise the portrait and sketch of one eminent among them as a mechanical genius, the late Ely Whitney.

"Classic vagaries," it will be seen, is unfinished in this number. Owing to the tardiness of the mails, by "the over land route," from the distant city, whence they emanate, some fragments of "Homes of the Poets" reached us too late for publication in this number. This series, however, like a string of pearls, is beautiful though incomplete.

Our next number closes the first volume of the Magazine. Some few of our subscribers whose names were obtained for one volume only, we would respectfully solicit to continue their patronage, assuring them that we shall endeavor to fulfill all engagements on our part faithfully, punctually and energetically.

To invite the aid of clubs we offer the following liberal inducements: Five dollars sent to the Editor by mail will procure two copies for one year, twelve dollars, five; and twenty dollars, ten copies.