by William Blackwood (uncredited).
Originally published in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (William Blackwood) vol.1 #1 (Apr 1817).
As it is the wish of the Editors to render this Work a repository of whatever may be supposed to be most interesting to general readers, they beg leave to offer one or two remarks, on what is new in the plan they have adopted, and on the specimen of it now submitted to the Public.
Under the title of Antiquarian Repertory, they have reason to hope, from the access that has been most liberally allowed them to unpublished manuscripts, both in the national and in family repositories, that they shall for a long period be able, not only to lay before their readers articles calculated to gratify curiosity, but also to rescue from oblivion such materials as may throw some light on the disputed points in British history, and on such minute features in the state of society in former ages, as must necessarily be excluded from the pages of the historian.
The Editors have ventured to allot a part of their magazine to notices of the articles contained in the most celebrated periodical publications;—under which they propose also to include works published in parts, at more irregular intervals, and a list of the contents of the minor Journals. They are aware of the difficulty of giving general satisfaction under this head; but as have never seen any attempt of the kind made, or at least persevered in, either by their predecessors or contemporaries, they cannot but hope, that this proof of their resolution to spare no pains for the gratification of their readers, will be received with indulgence. And here they must regret, that it has not been in their power to notice, in the present number, the British Review, No XVII. which contains the best discussion they have any where seen, of the means by which an equalization of weights and measures may be effected.
If the Editors shall be able to realize their own wishes and expectations, the Register will comprise a greater variety of information than is to be found at present in any monthly publication. Rash as it may appear, they will venture to declare, that it is their ambition to give such a view of Foreign and Dosmestic Affairs, as may in a great measure supersede the necessity of resorting to Annual Registers, or other more voluminous and expensive works, for the period which their labours may embrace. But as their limits had been almost reached before they began to print this their last branch, the Editors must request their Readers to take the present as but an imperfect specimen of what they mean it to contain. Every division of it has been curtailed; and the Public Papers and Accounts, as well as the list of Patents, Promotions, &c. have been unavoidably postponed. All these, however, shall be given, from the commencement of the year, in the early Numbers of the Magazine.