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To the Purchafers of the Monthly Magazine.

IT is not without reluctance that we feel ourselves obliged to conclude the prefent year with announcing to our readers an advance of price in the future numbers; but we flatter ourselves that the propriety, and even neceffity of fuch a measure, will appear fo manifeft on a candid confideration, that we shall lofe none of that public support which we account our greatest honour. Indeed, our task of apology might be rendered very easy, by refting the whole upon the concurrent examples of the Editors of all the other reSpectable publications; but it is our wish to enter into a more fatisfactory explanation.

No one converfant in bufinefs can be ignorant of the great rise in the wages of workmen, and in commodities of every kind, which has taken place within a few years. This we, in common with others, have contentedly borne, as a deduction from ufual profits, to which it was our duty in fome measure to fubmit; but the late enormous advance of paper, amounting to full 40 per cent of the price, has brought on a crifis in the business of a publiber; and it is now become abfolutely neceffary to call upon the public for their affiftance in bearing the burden.

We are further to obferve, that the Periodical Publications of this country have long been the cheapest works issuing from the press, in proportion to the quantity of their matter; far exceeding in this point even the Journals of foreign countries, where the expences attending them are fo much lefs.

With respect to the relative value of our matter, it does not become us to be the estimators either of our own, or of other productions. We may, how ever, be permitted to fay, that confcious as we are of sparing no cost in procuring many of our materials, and of receiving the voluntary favours of many excellent Correfpondents, we should be unreasonably diffident, did we not fuppofe we pleed a real title to the unparalleled encouragement with which we have been honoured..

The advanced price will enable us to take a fill wider range in our efforts to gratify our readers of every clafs, of which they may be affured we shall not fail to avail ourselves to the full extent.

T. Gillet, Printer. Salisbury-fquare, Fleet-ftreet.