THE GENTLEMAN’S MAGAZINE AND HISTORICAL REVIEW.

The next number of the “Gentleman’s Magazine” (which will be published on the 1st of February, 1850), will exhibit several alterations in the character and arrangement of its contents, which have been determined upon after due consideration of the present state of our literature.

Time was when the whole field of English Literature was before us, and we were its only reapers.  At that time the harvest was scarcely rich enough to supply materials for our monthly comment.  One hundred and twenty years have produced a marvelous revolution.  Our literature has grown and expanded, and been divided and subdivided, and has still gone on growing and increasing, until—­such is its wonderful extent and fertility—­every separate branch maintains its independent organ, and we ourselves, overpowered by a growth which we were the first to foster, have gradually been compelled, by our limited space, to allow one subject after another to drop from under our notice.

Still, amidst many minor alterations, we have kept an unweakened hold upon certain main subjects.  HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, and ARCHAEOLOGY have never been neglected, and our OBITUARY has grown into a record which, even we ourselves may say, has become a permanent and important portion of the literature of our country.

The changes we are now about to introduce have for their design a more strict adherence to what we look upon as our peculiar path.  We shall henceforth devote ourselves more particularly—­we may say almost exclusively—­to the great subjects we have mentioned.  Space that has been given to other matters will be curtailed, variations in type and arrangement will afford additional room, and all that can in any way be gained will be devoted to our main and peculiar purpose.

We have made arrangements to secure for our pages, by a liberal outlay, contributions from gentlemen most competent to write upon their respective subjects of study, and shall strive, more than ever, to be a worthy organ and representative of that most valuable and peculiarly interesting branch of literature which has for its object the instruction of mankind by the study and the perpetuation of whatever is now doing, or whatever has been done in times past, which is worthy of being kept in remembrance.  We shall endeavour to put forth a miscellany which will be attractive from its variety, and from the skill with which its several subjects are treated, and will be permanently valuable from the importance of the matters to which it relates.

In principles and general tone of management we have nothing to retract, nothing to alter.  History is Truth, or it is a mere delusion.  The discovery and the establishment of Historical Truth, in all its branches, are our objects, and we shall continue to pursue them, as we have done in times past, faithfully and honestly, but, as we purpose and intend, more diligently and more undividedly.