1781 dated Gentleman's Magazine - Americana

Small size "Gentleman's Magazine" measures 5" x 8 1/4". Small excerpt from magazine: 1781 Revolutionary War: Gen. Cornwallis account of Pyrrhic victory in Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC which led his depleted troops to Yorktown for resupply; Debate on commending Gen. Cornwallis for recent victories. Also: Journal of Captain Cook's last voyage and account of his death at the hands of cannibals; Trial of Lord George Gordon for treason in inciting anti-Catholic riots.

The Gentleman's Magazine was a monthly publication established in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It continued to be published without interruption for nearly two centuries, ceasing in 1922. This magazine was the first to adopt the term "magazine" (derived from the French word meaning "storehouse") to describe a periodical. Samuel Johnson began his first regular writing position with The Gentleman's Magazine. The complete original title was The Gentleman's Magazine: or, Trader's Monthly Intelligencer. Cave's innovative approach involved compiling a monthly summary of news and commentary on a wide range of subjects that would interest the educated public, including commodity prices and Latin poetry.

The magazine featured original contributions from a group of regular writers, along with extensive quotations and excerpts from other publications and books. Cave, who served as the editor under the pseudonym "Sylvanus Urban," was the first to utilize the term magazine in this context. Contributions were often presented in the form of letters addressed to "Mr. Urban." Each issue prominently displayed an illustration of St John's Gate in Clerkenwell, which represented Cave's residence and effectively served as the magazine's "office."