A dramatic review which has a station in the file, and not i' the worst rank either, is the _Whim_, published by John Bioren, No. 88 Chestnut Street, at twenty cents a number. It was a small paper issued during the theatrical season and for sale at the Falstaff tavern. The editor, James Fennell, was born in London in 1766, and died in Philadelphia, June 14, 1816. He came to America in 1793 and made his first appearance in Philadelphia. He published "The Wheel of Truth," a comedy; "Picture of Paris;" "Linden and Clara," a comedy; and "Apology for My Life," Philadelphia, 1814. The first number of the _Whim_ appeared Saturday, May 14, 1814. The argument for the publication was founded upon the pre-eminence of Philadelphia among the cities of the nation, "The city of Philadelphia professedly and avowedly declaring itself the _Athens of the United States_" (p. 8). The journal ceased, I believe, with the tenth number, dated July 16, 1814.
It has been no part of my task to discover and describe the early magazines of the State, though that had been an attractive piece of literary exposition--to the expounder, at least. In conclusion, however, it may not be amiss to recite a few of the earlier examples of provincial editing.
The first magazine west of the mountains was the _Huntingdon Literary Museum and Monthly Miscellany_. It was edited by William Rudolph Smith, a grandson of Dr. William Smith, of the _American Magazine_ (1757-8), and Moses Canan. It was printed by John McCahan and published in 1810. Its editors defined it to be "the first asylum for the varieties of literature that ever had been published west of the Susquehannah" (p. 576). The magazine ceased in December, 1810, with the complaint that "with the exception of some pieces of poetry from several gentlemen in Philadelphia, and an essay on the early 'Poetick Writers,' the editors have received no _original_ matter."
A still earlier periodical was the _Gleaner_, "a monthly magazine, containing original and selected essays in prose and verse," Stacy Potts, Jr., editor, Lancaster, 1808-9.
Carlisle possessed two religious magazines of early date--the _Religious Instructor_, "under ministers of the Presbyterian Church, Carlisle, 1810;" and the _Magazine of the German Reformed Church_, edited by Rev. L. Mayer, and continued by Rev. Daniel Young, begun in 1828, and making three volumes.