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THE

MONITOR,

DESIGNED

TO IMPROVE THE TASTE,

THE

UNDERSTANDING,

AND

The Meart.

VOLUME I.

BOSTON:

PUBLISHED BY R. BANNISTER.

1823.

CHR

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

R

455451

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS. 1900

DISTRICT OF MASSACHUSETTS, TO WIT:

District Clerk's Office.

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the twentieth day of February, A. D. 1823, in the forty seventh Year of the Independence of the United States of America, HERVEY WILBUR, of the said District, has deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the Right where of he claims as Editor ond Proprietor, in the words following, to wit:

The Monitor: designed to improve the Taste, the Understanding, and the Heart. Vol. I.

In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies, during the times therein mentioned:" and also to an Act entitled, "An Act supplementary to an Act, entitled, An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the Authors and Proprietors of such Copies during the times therein mentioned; and extending the Benefits thereof to the Arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching Historical, and other Prints."

JNO. W. DAVIS, Clerk of the District of

Massachusetts.

THE silent rapid flight of twelve months, has a MONITORIAL voice to those who conduct, and those who peruse, periodical works. It admonishes, that important opportunities of imparting or acquiring useful knowledge, are irretrievably gone; and their improvement or misimprovement registered in another volume, to be opened in the great day.

This work was commenced with the hope of benefiting a most interesting portion of our race, whose improvement by periodical publications has not been sufficiently regarded. YOUNG PEOPLE have been suffered too much to feed their reading appetites on any trash which might come in their way. By this means, false tastes have been created; and much that could not be digested, or was really poisonous, has been swallowed with avidity. Thus they have been particularly exposed to have the Novel, with false estimates of human life, misguide their inexperienced steps · or the Play with obscene allusions, contaminate their morals; OL the fascinating imagery of a Poem, impregnated with delicious poison, vitiate their principles. This is too much like placing ignorant thirsty youth in the shop of an Apothecary, and pers mitting them to take their fill from the contents of any, phiał. which might allure by its colouring, its smell, or its taste.. Now it has been our wish, to take from the phials within our reach, and with the nature of whose contents we are acquainted, and compound such a monthly cordial as should, on the whole, be agreeable both for colour and flavour, and whose effects must be salutary; and thus, by the moderate price at which it might be obtained, place it within the reach of vast multitudes of thirsty youths.

We feel gratified with the confidence, and we feel justified in expressing it, that our labours have not been useless. We feel many obligations to contributors, and to subscribers, and we trust that the obligations are not ALL on our part. It would indeed be unprecedented, if ALL who write for our work, and all who read it, should be always pleased with the course we pursue: our most sanguine expectations in this respect, have been exceeded.

By the leave of Divine Providence, we propose to continue another year, the labours, cares, trials, responsibilities, and pleasures of Editors. While we shall attempt to merit it, we ask that an ample patronage and a profitable improvement may attend our labours.

We will close this preface with the reflection, that several of our youthful readers have closed their probation ere this volume was closed. Nor should it be forgotten, that the Conductors of this work may,-that some writers for its pages and numbers of its readers will, in human probability, close their earthly span before a second volume of this work shall close.

BOSTON, Dec. 1823.

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PROSPECTUS

OF

THE MONITOR.

A Cursory view of the state of society, even in this favoured land, will convince us that a large portion of the community have little thirst for knowledge. Much of this intellectual apathy must be attributed to the want of proper excitements before the mind. Had .these been imparted in youth, higher degrees of knowledge and refinement would have been attained. Means which excite this thirst and.thus contribute to expand the understanding, are worthy of unremitting attention, since they raise humanity in the scale of intelligent existence. But there is a more serious aspect in which we must view man.' He is a moral agent destined to immortality. No reasonable doubt can exist, that the sentiments imbibed and the habits formed, the morning of life, are likely to predominate through our probation season, and consequently, affix a permanent, perhaps a final seal to our moral characters. Since the moral character of each individual has an influence on the happiness of the community and on the prosperity of Zion, the considerate and the pious must view it important to have the increase of useful, and especially religious knowledge promoted among the young. Piety alone can elevate in the scale of moral existence.

Willing to cast his mite into the public treasury, the writer proposes to superintend the editorial department of a periodical work, to be called THE MONITOR. It being his design to amuse, entertain, instruct, and warn the young, and thus, with a blessing, allure and guide them in the paths of knowledge, piety, and virtue, considerable latitude will be indulged both in the subjects and in the style of the original and select pieces. Religious and moral essays; summaries of intelligence respecting the benevolent associations and efforts of the present age; such literary and other intelligence, anecdotes, poetry, and remarkable occurrences as may be of practical utility to the young, will find a place on its pages. Hints to parents respecting the scientific and moral culture of their dear offspring, both under the paternal roof and in seminaries where they receive their education, will occasionally be given. The moral sentiments and practice inculcated in THE MONITOR it is hoped will be found consonant to the "Law and the Testimony," without illiberallity or sectarian bigotry: Constant efforts will be directed that "Whatsoever things are true, just, pure, lovely, virtuous and praise-worthy,” may

be chosen and pursued by those over whom he may have influence.
That the youths over fifteen years of age, for whom this work is prin-
cipally intended, and all the rising generation, may be ornaments in
society, able and active agents in bringing forward the millennium,
lively stones in the temple of God on earth, and gems in the New Je-
rusalem above, is a consummation most devoutly desired by the
EDITOR.

CONDITIONS.

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