THE BOSTON CHRONICLE.

ON the twenty-first of December, 1767, Mein & Fleming began the publication of The Boston Chronicle. It was printed on a whole sheet, in quarto, on a new and handsome type, and, in its mechanical execution, far surpassed any paper that had appeared before it, in New-England. The price was six shillings and eight pence a year, a very low price, for a paper containing such an amount of matter. There were but few advertisements, and but little space was occupied in detailing the ordinary intelligence of the week. The contents were, chiefly, selected from foreign papers, and from the works of popular English authors. In the first volume were published essays of some of the best prose writers, Collins's Oriental Eclogues, Shenstone's Pastorals, and some of Goldsmith's poetry; copious extracts from the writings of John Wilkes; and from the Pennsylvania papers, the celebrated "Farmer's Letters." The taste and judgement, exhibited in the management of the paper, its handsome appearance, and the convenience of its form for preservation, immediately attracted the favorable notice of the public, and secured a respectable and

unexpected number of subscribers. In the third number is the following notice :

We are sorry that we cannot serve the gentlemen, who, during the course of the last week, sent us their subscriptions for the Chronicle, with the first and second papers; although we printed near three hundred more than were engaged of the first number, they were all disposed of in a few days. We have printed an additional quantity of this paper, number three, and at the end of the year, our subscribers who have been disappointed, may depend on being supplied with the two first papers, as we shall then reprint them.

At the close of the year, in an advertisement, proposing to enlarge the Chronicle, and introduce sundry changes in the selection and arrangement of the matter, the publishers say,

We have been blamed by some, for not publishing their essays on Liberty; and also by many, who have sent us pieces in support of prerogative: The reason they were not inserted, was, that they tended more to traduce private characters than to serve the cause, which the Authors wrote in favor of. We will always, when any dispute claims general attention, give both sides of the question, if they can be obtained: But will never print any piece that may injure the characters of individuals; this we can with justice say, we have always avoided, and shall continue to do so.

The form of the Chronicle was then changed to folio. It had been published weekly on Monday, during its first year; it was now published on Mondays and Thursdays, and was the first paper published twice a week in New-England. "Before the close of the second year of publication, its publisher, Mein, engaged in a political warfare with those, who were in opposition to the measures of the British administration. In the Chronicle, he abused numbers of the most respectable Whigs in Boston, and he was charged with insulting the populace. To avoid the effects of popular resentment, it became necessary for him to leave the country. Fleming con

tinued the Chronicle, during the absence of Mein, in the name of the firm; but it had fallen into disrepute, and its subscribers, in rapid succession, withdrew their names. Many supposed that Mein was privately assisted by the agents of government, and several circumstances rendered this opinion probable. But when the paper lost its subscribers, it could neither be profitable to its publishers, nor answer the design of its supporters. Its publication, therefore, ceased on the 25th of June, 1770." "'* On this occasion, the subscribers and the public were thus addressed:

The Printers of the Boston Chronicle return thanks to the gentlemen, who have so long favored 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.

JOHN MEIN, the senior partner in the firm of Mein & Fleming, was born in Scotland, where he received a good education, and was bred to the business of a bookseller. He came to Boston from Glasgow, in 1764, in company with Robert Sandeman, †-a kinsman of whom was, for a short time, in partnership with Mein, in the bookselling business. When this partnership was dissolved, Mein entered more largely into business as a bookseller, and connected with it a circulating library. His advertisements frequently occupy near a page in the Chronicle. When he left the country for England, he engaged as a writer against the Colonies, and in the pay of the ministry. It is not known that he ever returned.

* History of Printing, vol ii. 247.

†This Robert Sandeman was a theological and controversial writer of considerable notoriety. He was the founder of a religious sect, known by the name of Sandemanians, which was, at one time, respectably numerous in Boston, and yet -survives in two or three highly respectable families.

Perhaps no man incurred the displeasure of the Whigs to a greater degree than John Mein. On the fifth of November, 1769, as was customary then in New-England, many persons amused themselves and the public by carrying, through the streets, effigies, representing the Pope and the Devil; and, on this occasion, these effigies were accompanied by others, representing Mein and his On the right side of Mein was a label, bearing the following inscription :

servant.

I nsulting Wretch, we 'll him expose
O'er the whole world his deeds disclose;
Hell now gapes wide to take him in ;
Now he is ripe — O lump of Sin!
Mean is the man - M-n is his name;
Enough he's spread his hellish fame;
I nfernal furies hurl his soul,

N ine million times, from pole to pole !

Labels on the left side, were of a similar character, and addressed to Tories in general. On the lantern, that illuminated the group, was the following:

Here stands the Devil for a show,

With the In-p—rs, in a row,

All bound to Hell, and that we know.

Go M-n, laden deep with curses on thy head,

To some dark corner of the world repair,
Where the bright sun no pleasant beams can shed,
And spend thy life in horror and despair.

JOHN FLEMING, the other partner in the firm of Mein & Fleming, was also a Scotchman, and arrived in Boston, also, in 1764. He was bred a printer. After forming a connection with Mein, he made a voyage to Scotland, where he purchased materials and engaged workmen for executing printing on a scale rather extensive for that period. Fleming had not rendered himself so obnoxious to popular resentment, as his partner had,

and, after the discontinuance of the Chronicle, he printed books on his own account, and continued in Boston till 1773, when he sold his printing materials, and went to England with his family. At a later period, he visited this country as an agent for a commercial house. Afterwards he resided in France and died there, since the year 1800.