The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Newbury-Port, February 19th, 1782:

The Interests of Liberty as inseparable from those of Learning and of Virtue--Born of the same celestial Origin, and animated by one life:--they rise and fall--they languish and revive --with they live and die together. The dear bought experience of every country known to Fame has inscribed this maxim, as with a Sun beam, on the annals of Society, in almost every page.

IMPRESSED with a sober conviction of its truth, the friends of human nature in America cannot but regard, with anxiety and distress. the emaciated visage of true science--and pallid gloom with which the face of Literature is overscast, and the rapid advances of a fatal consumption on the vitals of substantial virtue.

With the progress of this decay,the return of a dark- ness which may be fatal. and the revival and growth of the vices most baneful to Society. have kept equal pace.

Among all the omens of the continuance of the Public dis- tresses. this the TRUE PATRIOT feels to be the most alarming--in part as it is considered the immediate source of the general torpor which has benumbed the senses of the Community, and diffused that fatal languor now manifest upon every limb of the body politic, at this serious crisis of its struggle for life--much but chiefly on account of its ensuring the defeat of the most vigorous exertions,by entailing on them the insupportable frown of the offended Parent of Virtue, whose omniscience looks. with jealous eye, on whatever weapon is formed against the interest of useful knowledge ; and, in whose omnipotent arm,Liberty has ever found her only stable and effectual GUARDIAN.

A SPEEDY remedy of this public distemper seems indispensable --without it. the case threatens very soon to become desperate -- Every heart, friendly to man- kind. or truly so to itself. now wishes in earnest to see the effectual application of some Panacea without delay -- In the investigation of it. all virtuous minds should now UNITE their efforts --and to the efficacy of such researches it becomes the most respectable orders of men on the Continent, to contribute to the extent of every talent they possess.

STIMULATED by sense of duty to the greatest of Patrons,and prompted by genuine Zeal for the best of causes a number of Gentlemen of liberal education. in diverse learned professions, and in various parts. of the land have generously engaged, without prospect of any emolument to themselves, freely to devote some part of their time weekly to the service of the Public, in laying before them,according to their best abilities, such observations as may appear most necessary in the exigences of the times, or the revival of VIRTUE and PUBLIC SPIRIT ; and for the restoration of LITERATURE to its merited regard.

And that the laudable design of the worthy undertakers may be brought to effect, the Publisher hereof has dedi- cated a FREE PRESS to the sole use of Publishing, if suitable encouragement is found.

THE
TEMPLE
A Weekly Paper, sacred to the interest of LEARNING. and VIRTUE.of LIBERTY and RELIGION, on the following plan.

ARTICLE 1 Nothing personal,or of mere party con- cern shall be admitted : nor any thing but what is deemed interesting to the Public.

II. ARTICLES of mere News, Advertisements, or Public Lists, shall have no place.

III. ESSAYS and Dissertations. in prose or verse,on Subjects of general utility, shall take up the body of the Work:

IV. DEBATES on Questions of importance in the Political, literary, or religious world. will be exhibited with candor and impartial disregard of party.

V. CANDID and Sober Remarks will be made on such manners, customs, measures and events, as appear to have general influence on the public welfare.

VI. ALL improvements in useful knowledge will be gladly circulated as they rise : and no branch of Learning or Science will be excluded.

VII. BRIEF Systems of the Several Sciences will be laid down in their order, in a method calculated to make them plain to every reader of ordinary capacity.

VIII At all proper intervals will be given brief His- tories of the chief sects among Philosophers and Christians with short Schemes of their opinions-- with sketches of the lives of their Founders and principal Abettors.

IX. PLAIN abridgments of the general history of the world. both natural, political, and ecclesiastical, together with Anecdotes and Lives of eminent characters and Particular Histories of particular Nations and eras will be sometimes inserted..

THIS Paper will contain eight Octavo pages will be printed on good Paper, and a new Type --Each Paper will be paged and numbered, in much the same manner as the Spectator, for the convenience of binding into one volume at the end of each year.

THEY will be ready to be delivered at the Printing- Office on Tuesday morning weekly : and shall be sent by the Post to any Post Office in the United States, the Sub- scriber, in each town agreeing with the Post, and paying the postage of their Papers.

THE price of this Paper shall be only one Dollar per annum. to be paid on receiving the first Number. (which is but about one penny sterling for each Number ) and the Publication shall begin as soon as 2000 are subscribed for.

Subscriptions for the TEMPLE will be received by most of the Printers and Post masters on the Continent, who are requested to make these Proposals public, and re- turn a List of the Subscribers as soon as may be, that the Publication may speedily commence.

N. B. All Letters or Packets directed to the Pub- lisher of the Temple. and left at the Post Office in Newbury Port, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, post paid, will be duly noticed.

The performances of the ingenious, of all parties, adap- ted to this design, will be gratefully received : and the correspondence of all friends to Learning, Liberty and Vir- tue is earnestly solicited. and shall be honorably regard- ed, by the Public's devoted and very humble Servant,

JOHN MYCALL.