Early Periodical Collections on Microfilm

American Periodicals-18th Century

• American Apollo. Boston. Jan.1792-Sept.1792. Reel 1
  A post-Revolutionary weekly octavo which presented coverage of both American and foreign current events and the U.S.Congress, as well as shipping news, vital statistics, poetry, and other miscellaneous material.
• American Magazine and Historical Chronicle. Boston. Sept.1743-Dec.1746. Reel 1
  An important early periodical modeled after the London Magazine. Most of the contents dealt with English and American politics and war.
• American Magazine, containing a miscellaneous collection of original and other valuable essays in prose and verse, and calculated both for instruction and amusement. New York. Dec.1787-Nov.1788. Reel 2
  Articles on education, national affairs and women's interests were published along with fiction, literary criticism, and book reviews.
• American Magazine; or, A Monthly View of the Political State of the British Colonies. Philadelphia. Jan.1741-Mar.1741. Reel 2
  The first American magazine. Articls dealt mostly with the government of Pennsylvania, new York, New Jersey, and Maryland.
• American Magazine; Or, General Respository. Philadelphia. Jan.1769-Sept.1769. Reel 2
  The first and foremost magazine during the third quarter of the eighteenth century to represent adwquately American scientific thought. It published the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society and other scientific articles as well as articls on politics and religion and much sentimental fiction.
• American Magazine and Monthly Chronicle for the British Colonies. Philadelphia. Oct.1757-Oct.1758. Reel 2
  An attempt to inform Britainabout the colonies. Outspoken in criticism of the French and Quakers, the magazine also published much poetry and humorous and scientific articles. Printed by William Bradford.
• American Monthly Review. Cambridge; Boston. Jan.1795-Dec.1795. Reel 3
  A literary miscellany which published articles on European affairs, travel, religion, science, and philosophy in addition to novels, poetry, and plays. Included much reprinted and translated material.
• American Monitor. or, the Republican Magazine. Boston. Oct.1785. Oct.1785. Reel 3
  The first magazine in the U.S. with a definitely commercial appeal, it was more like a newspaper in every respect but form. Only one number was published; it contained 3 pages of advertisements, excerpts from plays, shipping news, proceedings of a meeting, and other local news.
• American Moral & Sentimental Magazine, consisting of a collection of select pieces, in prose and verse, from the best authors, on relgious, moraland sentimental subjects, calculated to form the understanding and improve the heart. New York. July 1797-May 1798. Reel 3
  Sentimental treatment of many subjects, including slavery and religion.
• American Museum, Or Universal Magazine, containing essays on agriculture-commerce-manufactures-politics-morals-and manners. Sketches of national characters-natural and civil history-and biography. Law information-public papers-intelligence. Moral tales-ancient and modern poetry. Philadelphia. Jan.1787-Dec.1792. Reels 4-5
  One of the first successful American magazines. The first half of the run consisted of reprints of Revolutionary pamphlets and belles-lettres. Beginning in 1790, original short fiction and poetry made up a large part of the contents.
• American Musical Magazine. New Haven. May 1786-Sept.1787. Reel 6
  Contained printed music.
• American Universal Magazine. Philadelphia. Jan.1797-Mar.1798 Reels 6-7
  Generally eclectic in character.
• Arminian Magazine, consisting of extracts and original treatises on general redemption. Philadelphia. Jan.1789-Dec.1790. Reel 8
  The first American sectarian magazine.
• Boston Weekly Magazine. Boston. March 2-16, 1743 Reel 8
  A pamphlet whichpublished periodical essays from English magazines along with verse and news.
• Censor. Boston. Nov.23, 1771-May 2, 1772. Reel 8
  A political paper.
• Children's Magazine. Hartford. Jan.-April, 1789. Reel 8
  The first juvenile periodical.
• Boston Magazine, containing a collection of instructive and entertaining essays, in the various branches of useful, and polite literature. Together with, foreign and domestick occurrences, annecdotes, obervations on the weather... Boston. Oct.1783-Dec.1796. Reel 9
  A well-illustrated miscellany which included much original material and some music.
• Christian History, containing accounts of the revival and propagation of religion in Great Britain & America. Boston. Mar.5, 1743-Feb.23, 1745. Reel 10
  A chronicle of the "Great Awakening."
• Christian's Monitor, Portland, Me. May 25-June 8, 1799. Reel 10
  A religious magazine which included poetry, essays, letters, and articles on religious subjects.
• Christian's, Scholar's and Farmer's Magazine, calculated in an eminent degree, to promote religion; to disseminate useful knowledge; to afford literary pleasures and amusement, and to advance the interest of agriculture. Elizabeth-town, N.J. Apr.1789-Mar.1791. Reel 10
  An encyclopedic repository specializing in serial treatises on rhetoric, farming, theology, Greek history, music, painting, etc. Poetry and current events were included.
• Columbian Museum, or, universal asylum. Phildadelphia. Jan.-June 1793 Reel 10
  A post-Revolution periodical offering a wide variety of material-articles on agricultural methods, commerce, politics, manners, and law; poetry; biography; and vital statistics.
• Courier de Boston, affiches, annonces, et avis. Boston. Apr.23-Oct.15, 1789. Reel 10
  Printed in the French language, its chief functions were to further understanding and friendship between the French and American People and to print a digest of domestic and foreign news.
• Universal Asylum and Columbian Magazine. Philadelphia. Sept.1786-Feb.1790; Mar.1790-Dec.1792. Reels 11 & 30
  The handsomest magazine of its century. Noted for its fiction, engravings, essay series, and articles on agriculture, mechanics, travel, etc., in its first four years. The later years were devoted to recording the history of the Revolutionary War.
• Dessert to the True American. Philadelphia. July 14, 1798-Aug.19, 1799. Reel 12
  A weekly literary magazine which presented much fiction, including serialized romances, fragments, tales, anecdotes, and poetry as well as essays and articles, mainly addressed to women, and concerned with manners and morals.
• Experienced Christian's Magazine. New York. May, 1796-Apr.1797 Reel 12
  Edited by Rev. William Phoebus, the Experienced Christian's Magazine was founded primarily to publish accounts of the lives and deaths of Christians; sermons, poetry, and anecdotes rounded out the contents.
• Free Universal Magazine. New York. Sept.6, 1793. Reel 12
  The first magazine south of Philadelphia, this religious quarterly presented hymns, anecdotees, queries and answers, and articles on varied religious topics.
• Geistliches Magazien. Germantown. 1770-1772? Reel 12
  A German religious magazine containing religious observations, essays, sermons, poetry, simple catechisms, and narratives designed for family reading. Selections from many writers, usually German devouts, were included, and articles on the religious education of children were emphasized.
• General Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, for All the British Plantations in America. Philadelphia. Jan.-June 1741. Reel 12
  This second American periodical published articles on parliament, state assemblies, the currency questio, and religion. Edited and published by Benjamin Franklin.
• General Magazine and Impartial Review of Knowledge & Entertainment. Baltimore. June-July, 1798. Reel 13
  Included much sentimental fiction and also poetry, plays, anecdotes, and essays on religion and marriage.
• Gentleman's Magazine and Ladies' Town and Country Magazine, consisting of literature, history, politics, arts, manners, and amusements, with various other matter. Boston. May,1784-Jan.1790. Reel 13
  The first magazine to give special attention to women through fiction and advice. It contained an assortment of prose and poetry which emphasized the popular reign of sentiment and sensibility; many of these were contributed by a local following of women. Also included were foreign and domestic news, odd biographical and historical anecdotes, and other miscellaneous items.
• Humming Bird, or herald of taste. Newfile, Conn. Apr.14-June 9, 1798. Reel 13
  Poetry, anecdotes, and sentimental fiction make up the contents of this periodical.
• Independent Reflector. New York. Nov.30, 1752-Nov.22, 1753. Reel 13
  A political paper.
• Instructor. New York. Mar. 6-May 8, 1755. Reel 13
  A diminutive 4-page weekly which fought the territorial claims of France and Spain in the New World with rational essays and encyclopedic articles. Five numbers were largely concerned with the international conflict in America. Other material included fables, historical summaries, moral essays, social banter, and an occasional poem.
• John Englishman, in Defence of the english Constitution. New York. Apr.9-July 5, 1755. Reel 13
  Title variation: John Englishman's true notion of sister churches. A political folio.
• Key. Frederick Town, Maryland. Jan 13-July 14, 1798. Reel 13
  A miscellany which emphasized romantic and sentimental fiction and articles giving advice to women on love and marriage. Also included were sketches, essays, poetry, and anecdotes on a variety of topics.
• Lady's Magazine, and Repository of Entertaining Knowledge. Philadelphia. June 1792-May 1793. Reel 14
  An early women's magazine.
• Lady & Gentleman's Pocket Magazine of Literary and Polite Amusement. New York. Aug.15-Nov.1796. Reel 14
  Primarily contains literary works, poetry, and articles on mythology, manners, and morals, much of it selected from European sources.
• Literary Miscellany, containing elegant selectios of the most admired fugitive pieces, and extracts from works of the greatest merit, with originals. Prose and Poetry. Philadelphia. 1795. Reel 14
  
• Literary Museum, or, monthly magazine. Jan.-June 1797. Reel 14
  Articles on a variety of subjects, including travel, agriculture, and remedies for illness, as well as biography and fiction, appear on the first pages. In separate sections following this are original and selected poetry, the "Monthly Chronicle," including foreign and domestic news, and a listing of deaths and marriages. Some engravings embellish the text.
• Medical Repository of Original Essays and Intelligence, relative to physic, surgery, chemistry, and natural history. New York. 1797-1800. Reel 14
  Founded in the midst of the yellow fever epidemic by three physicians, Samuel Latham Mitchill, Elihu Hubbard Smith, and Edward Miller, the quarterly Medical Repository was the first medical journal in America to enjoy a high reputation at home and abroad. The editors promised to give special attention to the study of epidemics, to the connection between climate and health, and to diet, and devoted much space in the early volumes to the yellow fever epidemic, while later volumes gave attention to the winter, or spotted fever. In addition, there were abundant case histories, American and foreign medical news, reviews of American medical books, and information on non-medical branches of sciences, such as natural history, geography, chemistry, and mineralogy.
• Massachusetts Magazine, or, monthly museum. Containing the literature, history, politics, arts, manners & amusements of the age. Boston. 1789-1796. Reels 15-16
  Serial essays, fiction, poetry, music, engravings, current events, and reprints made up the content of this important publication.
• Methodist Magazine, containing original sermons, experiences, letters, and other religious pieces. Philadelphia. Sept.-Dec.1798. Reel 16
  Published by Rev. John Dickins, this religious periodical printed sermons, letters from readers, biographical sketches, anecdotes, serialized articles, and poetry intended to communicate religious knowledge and provide instructive entertainment.
• Monthly Magazine and American Review. New York. Apr.1799-Dec.1800. Reel 17
  Poetry, fiction, current events, scientific and literary articles, and book reviews were printed along with writings by Charles Brockden Brown.
• Monthly Military Repository. Respectfully inscribed to the military of the U.S.A. New York. 1796-1797. Reel 18
  A military periodical covering most aspects of the subject. Included are: extracts from histories of European wars and descriptions of Amererican Revolution battles, with military plans, extracts from military works and from some European military periodicals; instruction on military strategy, conduct, and clothing; along with anecdotes, poetry, memoirs, and maxims.
• Monthly Miscellany, or, Vermont magazine. Bennington. Apr.-Sept.1794. Reel 18
  Except for the "Congressional Register" section, most material was of a sentimental nature - tales, anecdotes, fragments, and articles on love, marriage, and related topics. Included were reprints from French and other magazines, and some original poetry.
• Musical Magazine, containing a variety of favorite pieces. Cheshire, Conn. 1792-1801 Reel 18
  One of two eighteenth century music magazines.
• National Magazine, or, a political, historical, biographical, and literary repository. Richmond. 1799. Reel 18
  First magazine in Richmond. In 1801, it merged with The Cabinet to form The National Magazine, or Cabinet of the United States.
• New American Magazine. Woodbridge, NJ. Jan.1758-Mar.1760. Reel 19
  Supersedes the American magazine and monthly chronicle for the British colonies. Current political events and serial essays were published.
• New England Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure. Boston. Aug.1758-Oct.1759. Reel 19
  An eclectic collection of essays, extracts and news.
• NewHampshire Magazine, monthly repository of useful information. Concord. June-Nov.1793. Reel 19
  Contained much sentimental and romantic literature - novels, fragments, poetry, and pieces on love, manners and morals.
• New Hampshire & Vermont Magazine and General Repository. Haverhill, N.H. July-Oct.1797. Reel 20
  Mainly oriented toward government and politics, this monthly published the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, reports of legislative bodies, treaties, and European news as well as biography, poetry, and anecdotes.
• New-Haven Gazette and the Connecticut Magazine. New Haven. Feb.16, 1786-Dec.4, 1788. Reel 20
  Exhibited the tense political atmosphere of 1786-88 and advocated the adoption of a strong federal constitution. In addition to news, it contained essays, poetry, reprints, and much original material.
• New Jersey Magazine and Monthly Advertiser. New Brunswick, N.J. Dec.1786-Feb.1787. Reel 21
  Patterned after earlier magazines, it contained mostly reprinted material, general essays on morals and manners, sentimental essays and melancholy love stories, poetry, and articles on diversified subjects - medicine, social morality, religion, and literary criticism.
• New York Magazine or Literary Repository. New York. Jan.1790-Dec.1797. Reels 21-22
  One of the longest-lived magazines of the eighteenth century, the New York Magazine included accounts of the theatre and travel along with current events and extracts.
• New York Weekly Magazine, or miscellaneous repository, forming an interesting collection of original and select literary productions in prose and verse: calculated for instruction and rational entertainment-the promotion of moral and usefull knowledge-and to enlarge and correct the understandings of youth. New York. July 1, 1795-Aug.23, 1797. Reel 23
  One of the earliest magazines to place emphasis on fiction, it included much trite advice to young women, poems, meteorlogical tables, "elecant extracts," and many tales and fragments.
• The New Star, a Republican miscellaneous, literary paper. Concord. Feb.1776-Oct.1797. Reel 23
  Two editions were simultaneously issued with the same title. "A Republican paper" was devoted to foreign and domestic events, political articles, affairs of legislative bodies, and general news; "A Republican miscellaneous and literary paper" contained poetry, humorous anecdotes, essays on morals and marriage, advice on conduct, and other literary material.
• The Nightingale, or a melange de litterature. Boston. May-July, 1796. Reel 23
  A collection of novels, fragments, anecdotes, poetry, biography, and essays on classical literature, art, and a variety of other subjects.
• North-Carolina Magazine, or universal intelligencer. Newbern. June,1764-Jan,1765. Reel 23
  A newspaper which somewhat resembled a magazine. The first two pages contained essays and texts of important legislative acts while the remainder dealt with news and advertisements.
• Occasional Reverberator. New York. Sept.-Oct. 1753. Reel 24
  One of several magazines which helped American essay writing for periodicals attain new heights in cogent exposition and argument. It was established by friends of William Livingston, editor of The Independent Reflector, to enable him to reply to his adversaries in the religious and political controversy raging in New York at that time.
• Pennsylvania Magazine, or American monthly museum. Philadelphia. Jan.1775-July,1776. Reel 24
  Edited by Thomas Paine, it printed a running account of the war and a good variety of material from British and American sources as well as original contributions. In addition to political material, it presented biography, scientific articles, and comment on marriage and education.
• The Penny Post, containing fresh news, advertisements, useful hints... Philadelphia. Jan.9-27,1769. Reel 24
  A magazine-like newspaper which adhered to the British political point of view, it focused mainly on foreign and domestic news but also included short pieces, epigrams, poems, and brief essays on general subjects.
• Philadelphia Magazine & Review, or monthly repository of information and amusement. Philadelphia. Jan.-June,1979. Reel 24
  Printed selections on various subjects from European publications, especially from Great Britain, reviews of new British and domestic publications, summaries of foreign and domestic news and politids, records of deaths and marriages, and poetry.
• Philadelphia Minerva, containing a variety of fugitive pieces in prose and poetry, original and selected. Philadelphia. Feb.7,1795-July 7,1798. Reel 25
  A literary miscellany notable chiefly because it reached the comparatively great age of three and a half years.
• Philadelphia Monthly Magazine, or universal repository of knowledge and entertainment. Philadelphia. Jan.-Sept.,1798. Reel 25
  In addition to the usual material - fictionand poetry, foreign and domestic news, and miscellaneous articles - it published weather reports, current prices and rates of exchange, occasional articles on the theater, and a serial biography of Washington. Several ads and illustrations appeared in each issue.
• Philadelphisches Magazin, oder, unterhaltender Gesellschafter, fur die Deutschen in America. Philadelphia. May, 1798. Reel 25
  A German-language miscellany which was intended mainly for entertainment, and featured articles emphasizing the unusual and extraordinary - strange occurences, escapes from danger, curious narratives, and adventure. It included a wide variety of material, however, including biography, history, anecdotes, poetry, reports and descriptions of noteworthy persons in Europe and America, some politics, and selections from the writings of well-known historians, travelers, philosophers, and natural scientists.
• Porcupine's Political Censor. Philadelphia. Mar.1796-Mar.1797. Reel 26
  A political monthly edited by William Cobbett, alias, Peter Porcupine, in which sessions of Congress were reported and freely commented upon.
• Religious Monitor, or theological scales. Danbury, Conn. Apr.-Sept.1798. Reel 26
  A religious bi-weekly which published a variety of original and selected material on religious and moral subjects, including biographical sketches, anecdotes, poetry, and a number of hymns.
• Remembrancer, for Lord's Day Evenings. Exeter, Mass. Jan.1-8, 1797. Reel 26
  Each issue of this weekly religious octavo consisted of an essay on "the being of God."
• Republican Magazine, or repository of political truths. Fairhaven, Vt. Oct.-Dec., 1798. Reel 26
  A political magazine designed to strengthen the cause of Republicanism against the aristocracy. It published proceedings of patriotic meetings dialogues, extracts from speeches. Livingston's speech on the sedition bid, articles on domestic and foreign events, particularly French, and some poetry.
• Royal American Magazine, or Universal Repository of Instruction and Amusement. Boston. Jan.1774-Mar.1775. Reel 26
  An illustrated miscellany of original material together with selections from English magazines, books, and documents, including essays, fiction, advice to the lovelorn, and articles on politics and current events. It was the first magazine in the Colonies to adequately use illustrations; these included a series of engravings by Paul Revere.
• Royal Spiritual Magazine, or the Christian's grand treasure. Philadelphia. Jan-Dec. 1771. Reel 26
  A religious magazine which defended the doctrines of Calvin.
• Rural Magazine, or Vermont repository. Devoted to literary, moral, historical and political improvement. Rutland. Jan.1795-Dec.1796. Reel 27
  Contents included historical and political documents, medical papers, a serial history of the American Revolution, biographical sketches, articles on natural science and travel, weather information, and poetry.
• Rural Magazine. Newark. Feb.1798-Feb.1799. Reel 27
  Contents included poetry, tales, essays, anecdotes, and maxims, as well as articles generally concerned with agriculture, religion, history, art, literature, and morality.
• New York Weekly Magazine, or miscellaneous repository: forming an interesting collection of original and select literary productions in prose and verse: calculated for instruction and rational entertainment - the promotion of moral and useful knowledge - and to enlarge and correct the understandings of youth. New York. July, 1795-Aug., 1797. Reels 23 & 27
  One of the earliest magazines to place emphasis on fiction, it included much trite anvice to young women, poems, meteorological tables, "elegant extracts," and many tales and fragments. Subtitle: Sentimental and Literary Magazine added July, 1797.
• South Carolina Weekly Museum and Complete Magazine of Entertainment and Intelligence. Charleston. Jan.-July, 1797. Reel 28
  The only magazine south of Baltimore in the 18th century. Contents of this miscellany included state papers of the home and foreign governments, tales, "fragments," verses, and essays.
• The Tablet, a miscellaneous paper devoted to the belles lettres. Boston. May-Aug., 1795. Reel 28
  A Boston essay periodical which was Joseph Dennie's first adventure in the magazine field.
• The Theological Magazine, or synopsis of modern religious sentiment. New York. July, 1795-Feb.,1799. Reel 28
  A religious magazine containing dissertations on religious subjects, narratives of conversions, religious news, reviews, and poetry.
• Thespian Oracle, or monthly mirror, consisting of original pieces and selections from performances of merit, relating chiefly to the most admired dramatic compositions. Philadelphia. Jan., 1798. Reel 29
  The first theatrical review. Included in the only number published were articles on the theater selected from both foreign and domestic sources, biographical sketches of performers, a review of a play, poetry, and anecdotes.
• The Time Piece, and literary companion. New York. Mar.1797-Aug.1798. Reel 29
  A four-page tri-weekly which published domestic and foreign news, proceedings of legislative bodies, serialized articles on politics and other subjects, as well as poetry, anecdotes, and a number of ads.
• United States Christian Magazine. New York. 1796. Reel 30
  A religious periodical which presented biography, letters, reviews of new publications, essays on doctrine, Bible interpretation, and foreign and domestic religious news.
• United States Magazine, a repository of history, ppolitics and literature. Philadelphia. 1779. Reel 30
  Literary magazine which followed the progress of the war and the problems facing the new nation. Included articles of many writers, including Philip Freneau, Charles Lee, William Livingston, and the editor, H.H. Brackenridge.
• United States Magazine, or general repository of useful instruction and rational amusement. Newark. Apr.-Aug. 1794. Reel 30
  A miscellany containing foreign and domestic news, addresses, essays and articles on politics, agriculture, history, natural history, and medicine, in addition to poetry and humorous anecdotes.
• Universal Asylum and Columbian Magazine. Philadelphia. Sept.1786-Dec.1792. Reels 11 & 30 Title varies. Columbian Magazine ran from Sept., 1786-Feb., 1790. Considered the handsomest magazine of its century. Noted for its fiction, engravings, essay series, and articles on agriculture, mechanics, travel, etc. in its first four years. The later years were devoted to recording the history of the Revolutionary War.
  
• The Vigil. Charleston. Feb.-Apr.1798. Reel 31
  Each number of this diminutive weekly consisted of an essay, usually dealing with human faults or vices - selfishness, idleness, etc.
• Weekly Magazine of Original Essays, Fugitive Pieces, and Interesting Intelligence. Philadelphia. Feb.1798-May 1799. Reels 31 & 32
  A weekly which emphasized fiction, included serial articles on art, and published a number of contributions by Charles Brockden Brown. It was suspended in August, 1798, following the death of the editor in the yellow fever epidemic.
• Weekly Museum. Baltimore. Feb. 5-12, 1797. Reel 33
  A Sunday miscellany published foreign and local news, reports on legislatures, and articles on agriculture and government, along with poetry and humorous anecdotes.
• Worcester Magazine, containing politicks, miscellanies, poetry, and news. Worcester. Apr.1786-Mar.1788. Reel 33
  Published as a substitute for the Massachusetts Spy during its suspension, its most interesting and valuable features were politics and "intelligence," and its most important literary contribution was an essay series- "The Worcester Speculator." It also included agricultural articles, medical notes, anecdotes, recipes, and miscellaneous articles.
• The Rural Casket. Poughkeepsie. June-Sept.1798. Reel 33
  Basically moralistic in nature, this weekly was directed toward self-improvement; this is reflected in its poetry, anecdotes, "moral tales," and essays on virtues and vices. Also included were foreign and domestic news, medical remedies, advice on marriage, and humorous anecdotes as well as miscellaneous articles.