"In these cold shades, beneath these shifting skies, Where fancy sickens, and where genius dies; Where few and feeble are the muse's strains, And no fine frenzy riots in the veins." The editor, in his preface to the reader, asks the very pertinent question, "For what is man without taste, and the acquirements of genius? An ourang-outang with the human shape and the soul of a beast." His excuse for the magazine is that it is started to refute the British scoff, that when separated from England, the colonies would become mere "illiterate ourang-outangs," and proceeds to the axioms that "We are able to cultivate the belles-lettres, even disconnected with Great Britain;" and that "Liberty is of so noble and energetic a quality, as even from the bosom of a war to call forth the powers of human genius in every course of literary fame and improvement." The vignette for the magazine was made by Pierre E. Du Simitiere (P. E. D.), who also made the one that adorned the _Pennsylvania Magazine_. It represented a triumphal arch with a corridor of thirteen columns, the arch decorated with thirteen stars, symbolizing the States, Pennsylvania being the Keystone. Under the arch is the figure of Fame, with cap of liberty and trumpet. The artist was a native of Switzerland, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1766. His collection of curiosities he opened to the public under the name of "The American Museum." The first number of this magazine contained certain verses in explanation of the emblematic vignette: "The arch high bending doth convey, In a hieroglyphic way, What in noble style like this Our united empire is! The pillars, which support the weight, Are, each of them, a mighty State; Thirteen and more the vista shows, As to vaster length it grows; For new States shall added be, To the great confederacy, And the mighty arch shall rise From the cold Canadian skies, And shall bend through heaven's broad way To the noble Mexic Bay! In the lofty arch are seen Stars of lucid ray--thirteen! When other States shall rise, Other stars shall deck these skies, There, in wakeful light to burn O'er the hemisphere of morn." As might be expected from Brackenridge's management, the magazine was full of wit and scurrility. The January (1779) number contained Witherspoon's delightful satire upon James Rivington, the Royal Printer, of New York. It was a parody of Rivington's "Petition to Congress," and was called "The Humble Representation and Earnest Supplication of J. R., Printer and Bookseller in New York--To his Excellency Henry Laurens, Esq." And Dr. Witherspoon, who was President of Princeton College when Brackenridge was a student there, supplied his former pupil during his year's editorship with many a sly sarcasm and bit of grave philosophy.