ABERCORN." From many communications addressed to Mr.Murray about the beginning of 1818, it appears that he had proposed to start a _Monthly Register_, [Footnote: The announcement ran thus: "On the third Saturday in January, 1818, will be published the first number of a NEW PERIODICAL JOURNAL, the object of which will be to convey to the public a great variety of new, original, and interesting matter; and by a methodical arrangement of all Inventions in the Arts, Discoveries in the Sciences, and Novelties in Literature, to enable the reader to keep pace with human knowledge.

To be printed uniformly with the QUARTERLY REVIEW.

The price by the year will be L2 2s."] and he set up in print a specimen copy.
Many of his correspondents offered to assist him, amongst others Mr.J.
Macculloch, Lord Sheffield, Dr.Polidori, then settled at St.Peter's, Norwich, Mr.Bulmer of the British Museum, and many other contributors.
He sent copies of the specimen number to Mr.Croker and received the following candid reply: _Mr.Croker to John Murray_.
_January_ 11, 1818.
MY DEAR MURRAY, Our friend Sepping [Footnote: A naval surveyor.] says, "Nothing is stronger than its weakest part," and this is as true in book-making as in shipbuilding.

I am sorry to say your _Register_ has, in my opinion, a great many weak parts.

It is for nobody's use; it is too popular and trivial for the learned, and too abstruse and plodding for the multitude.