BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

    BOSTON CHRONICLE

    On 21 December, 1767, John Mein and John Fleeming344 brought out the first issue of the Boston Chronicle. From 21 December, 1767, to 2 January, 1769, the paper was published on Monday; and from 9 January, 1769, to 25 June, 1770, on Monday and Thursday. It was the first Boston newspaper to appear twice a week.345

    John Mein was a lively controversialist, and the Boston Chronicle, becoming an organ of the Tories, soon found itself without support.346 The last issue was that of 25 June, 1770, in which was printed the following notice (iii. 201/1):

    *** The Printers of the Boston Chronicle return thanks to the Gentlemen who have so long favoured them with their Subscriptions, and now inform them that, as the Chronicle, in the present state of affairs, cannot be carried on, either for their entertainment or the emolument of the Printers, it will be discontinued for some time. . . .

    The Boston Chronicle was peculiar in having been paged consecutively and in having been bound in volumes — to which fact no doubt is due the large number of excellent files. Volume I contained the issues from 21 December, 1767, to 26 December, 1768; Volume II, the issues from 2 January to 28 December, 1769; and Volume III, the issues from 1 January to 25 June, 1770. Volume I also contained an Index filling nearly six pages, of five columns each. On the last page of the Index was printed this notice:

    *** The few Articles in this INDEX, to which no Figures are annexed, are the first and second Numbers. — The Reason for not inserting the Page was, that in re-printing these Numbers, we were obliged to arrange the Articles differently from the first Edition, to make Room for the Farmer’s Letters. — We have therefore left Spaces for the Reader to insert the Page according to his Copy.

    The “first and second Numbers” were the issues of 21 and 28 December, 1767. Of the former issue, two editions exist;347 and of the latter issue, there are also two editions.348 A collation of the three volumes follows.

    The Boston Chronicle. | For the Year M,DCC,LXVIII. | With many | Supplements | and | Extraordinary Papers. | Volume I.

    Boston: | Printed by Mein and Fleeming, at their Printing-office in Newbury-street.

    Collation: Title, 1 p.; Contents of The Boston Chronicle For the Year M,DCC,LXVIII., 1 p.; The Boston Chronicle, pp. 1–492; Index, pp. (6).

    Pages 120, 184, 348, 400, 412–424, 440, are in some copies misnumbered 110, 148, 340, 398, 512–524, 340, respectively. There are no pages numbered 153–156.349 Between pp. 228 and 229 is one unnumbered leaf, a broadside, presumably a supplement to the issue of 30 May, 1768. Page 421 should have been numbered 425, and the error is continued throughout the volume.

    The Boston Chronicle. | For the Year M,DCC,LXIX. | With | Supplements. | Volume II.

    Boston: | Printed by Mein and Fleeming, at their Printing-office in Newbury-street.

    Collation: Title, 1 leaf; The Boston Chronicle, pp. 1–420.

    Pages 170, 233, 234, 236, 303, 329–332, 359, are in some copies misnumbered 70, 234, 235, 237, 297 (or 299), 327–330, 356, respectively. There are two pages, each numbered 333 and 334. What should be p. 335 is misnumbered 333, and the error is continued to the end of the volume.

    The Boston Chronicle. | For the Year, M,DCC,LXX. | Volume III.

    Boston: | Printed by Mein and Fleeming, at their Printing-office in Newbury-street.

    Collation: Title, 1 leaf; The Boston Chronicle, pp. 1–204.

    Pages 16, 100, 110, 119, 178, are in some copies misnumbered 18, 98, 10, 115, 78, respectively.

    Every issue in Volumes II and III has a double numbering. Thus, on the left of the title in the issue of 2 January, 1769, is the following: “Vol. II. No. 1,” in two lines; while to the right of the title is “No. 55.”350

    The bibliographical details relating to the Boston Chronicle are arranged under the following four heads:

    • I. Titles.
    • II. Days of Publication.
    • III. Publishers, Printers, and Places of Publication.
    • IV. Devices.

    I TITLES

    1767, December 21: The Boston Chronicle.

    II DAYS OF PUBLICATION

    Monday: 1767, December 21.

    Monday and Thursday: 1769, January 9.

    III PUBLISHERS, PRINTERS, AND PLACES OF PUBLICATION

    1767, December 21: Printed by John Mein and John Fleeming almost opposite the White Horse Tavern in Newbury Street.

    IV DEVICES

    None.