embered for his letter to General
Washington in May, 1783, asking him to accept the title of King of the
United States.

The magazine contained various practical articles and sketches of
American occurrences. In the February number was a large and curious
engraving, the only one in all the issues of the magazine, representing
the manner of fowling in Norway. The engraver is unknown.

The price of the magazine was 13 shillings, Pennsylvania currency. It
was suspended in September, 1769.

"_The Pennsylvania Magazine, or American Monthly Museum_, Vol. I, 1775,
Philadelphia, printed and sold by R. Aitken, printer and bookseller,
opposite the London Coffee-house, Front Street," was published amidst
preparations for war. The publisher apologized for lack of variety in
the year's work, by saying that we in America "are deprived of one
considerable fund of entertainment which contributes largely to the
embellishment of the magazines in Europe, viz., discoveries of curious
remains of antiquity.... We can look no further back than to the rude
manners and customs of the savage aborigines of North America ... but
the principal difficulty in our way is the present importunate situation
of public affairs ... every heart and hand seems to be engaged in the
interesting struggle for American Liberty."

Thomas Paine arrived in Philadelphia in 1775, with letters from
Franklin, and was immediately employed by Aitken as editor of the
_Pennsylvania Magazine_, with a salary of L25, currency, a year. In his
preface to the first number, January 24, 1775, Paine wrote: "We presume
it is unnecessary to inform our friends that we encounter all the
inconveniences which a magazine can possibly start with. Unassisted by
imported materials we are destined to create what our predecessors in
this walk had only to compile; and the present perplexities of affairs
have rendered it somewhat difficult for us to procure the necessary
aids. Thus encompassed with difficulties, the first number of the
_Pennsylvania Magazine_ entreats a favorable reception; of which we
shall only say, like the early snowdrop, it comes forth in a barren
season, and contents itself with modestly foretelling that _choicer
flowers_ are preparing to appear."

The vignette of the _Pennsylvania Magazine_ represents the Goddess of
Liberty, with a pole and a liberty-cap, holding a shield with the
Pennsylvania arms. On the right of the figure is a mortar inscribed "The
Congress." In t