and English.' The _Quebec Gazette_, which first appeared
on the 21st of the following June, has continued to the
present time, though it is now a daily and is known as
the _Quebec Chronicle_. Centenarian papers are not common
in any country; and those that have lived over a century
and a half are very few indeed. So the _Quebec Chronicle_,
which is the second surviving senior in America, is also
among the great press seniors of the world.
The original number is one of the curiosities of journalism.
The publishers felt tolerably sure of having what was
then considered a good deal of recent news for their
three hundred readers during the open season. But, knowing
that the supply would be both short and stale in winter,
they held out prospects of a Canadian _Tatler_ or _Spectator_,
without, however, being rash enough to promise a supply
of Addisons and Steeles. Their announcement makes curious
reading at the present day.
The Rigour of Winter preventing the arrival of ships
from _Europe_, and in a great measure interrupting
the ordinary intercourse with the Southern Provinces,
it will be necessary, in a paper designed for General
Perusal, and Publick Utility, to provide some things
of general Entertainment, independent of foreign
intelligence: we shall therefore, on such occasions,
present our Readers with such _Originals_, both in
_Prose_ and _Verse_, as will please the FANCY and
instruct the JUDGMENT. And here we beg leave to observe
that we shall have nothing so much at heart as the
support of VIRTUE and MORALITY and the noble cause of
LIBERTY. The refined amusements of LITERATURE, and
the pleasing veins of well pointed wit, shall also be
considered as necessary to this collection; interspersed
with chosen pieces, and curious essays, extracted from
the most celebrated authors; So that, blending PHILOSOPHY
with POLITICKS, HISTORY, &c., the youth of both sexes
will be improved and persons of all ranks agreeably
and usefully entertained. And upon the whole we will
labour to attain to all the exactness that so much
variety will permit, and give as much variety as will
consist with a reasonable exactness. And as this part
of our project cannot be carried into execution without
the correspondence of the INGENIOUS, we shall take
all opportunities of acknowledging our obligations,
to those who take the trouble of furnishing any matter
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