Harper's Magazine

The indefatigable gnomes at Gutenburg Schloss continue their inestimable task of reviving old tales for curious or nostalgic tragics such as I am. The number of books they revive and preserve is amazing. Many of the resulting recreations would only have relevance for people with a specific interest. But I am always pleased to browse the lists and to discover a gem or two which takes me back to the days of my youth, renewing acquaintance with Wells, Burroughs, Haggard, Chesterton, Dumas and so many more. A recent visit to the stock piles resulted in my discovery of the early printings of Harper's New Magazine, an American endeavour inaugurated in the 1850s to provide access to world-wide writers of quality. These monthly collections include articles from other magazines or serialized novels covering fiction and items of social and scientific interest at that period. The variety is rich. Naturally there is some dross, but also a variety of riches with pleasant surprises. They frequently feature extracts from my old friend Charlie Dickens who was currently publishing his weekly periodical,"Household Words". So I have decided to apprentice myself to Harper's Magazine for a while to see if it can refresh congealing grey matter a little.