NOTICES.
To Advertisers.—This first impression of Five Thousand is reserved for sale in London and the large Provincial Towns. The next impression of five thousand will be stamped, so as to pass post-free, and will be circulated gratuitously on the 7th of January, 1843, amongst that number of the nobility, gentry, clergy, professional men, and principal tradesmen, all over the United Kingdom, according to a list which has most generously been placed at our disposal for that purpose by a friend. It is important, therefore, to advertisers that they should seize the opportunity thus afforded them of a special and select notification of their business among a class of such importance. It may be affirmed, indeed, that a circulation of this character and amount is superior to one of four times the number of copies dispersed at random, in the ordinary way of sale. Additional advertisements, therefore (if sufficient in number) will be inserted in a Supplement to accompany this gratuitous circulation, as well as the future sale, and should be sent to the Office at latest, on Thursday, the 5th of January. The charge for advertisements in the Supplement will be 15s. per quarter column, 1l. 10s. per half column, and so on; smaller advertisements according to agreement. To insure more attention to the Supplement, as well as to secure an additional circulation for it, it will contain matter of interest as to the progress of the first impression, correspondence, and the like. Our prospects hitherto have been so far gratifying as to give us confidence that the whole number of 20,000 copies of the Precursor will be disposed of!
To our Readers.—As we do not choose to trust our own judgment on a subject in which so many are interested besides ourselves, and as it is so easy to obtain an opinion by which we may be guided, we think it right in this place to invite attention to our views on the subject of the future character of “The Builder.” Before a month shall have elapsed, at least 20,000 numbers of this paper will, in all probability, have been circulated, and will have passed under the review of twenty times that number of readers. They, and in particular our Building friends, will have made up their minds as to whether “The Builder” is a work to be encouraged—it certainly is not our desire to attempt to force the point, although we would use a little “gentle violence” to develope the evidence—and this we may be supposed to be doing now. We have said that there are two parties to this, as to every other question—the public and ourselves. It is not for us to tell the public that they know nothing of their own wants, and to attempt to force them into the belief that such a paper as “The Builder” is absolutely necessary, but unless we had taken this step on our own responsibility, the question would have remained undetermined. What we would ask of the Building public then is—Do you wish to have a periodical devoted to your interests, as we propose? and whether would you have it a Magazine and Advertiser simply, or as a Newspaper conjoined? In the former case it might be weekly or monthly, in the latter it must necessarily be weekly. As to the price and size: If a Magazine and Advertiser of twelve pages of the size of our present number, we should say 3d. the number, stamped 4d.; if a Newspaper of sixteen pages, we do not think it could be less than 6d. Every body has seen theIllustrated London News,and allowing for difference in the character of the illustrations (those in “The Builder” being devoted entirely to art and science), you will be able to judge of the appearance which the latter will present. We are only anxious to undertake no more, or, no less, than can reasonably be expected to be carried out. If it should appear from experience of the working that more can be accomplished, we shall most gladly acknowledge and act upon it, by either enlarging the paper, or reducing the price. But we still think that to conjoin the character of a Magazine and Newspaper, and at the cost of one to give the advantages of both, will be to study the true economy of our cause.
The readers, therefore, have much of the settlement of the question in their own hands—even to the influencing of the advertisers. All advertisers look for papers of large circulation, and as advertisements are a great means of support to a newspaper, it is evident that the more “The Builder” is supported by the mere reader, by so much the more does it stand a chance of support from advertisers. We venture, therefore, to speak in this business as though we were ourselves less concerned in its issue than we really feel to be—and we urge upon our honoured fellow-craftsmen to make this paper their own. Let it be a sign or standard of union.
We do not ask to have subscriptions forwarded, but we would respectfully request to be favoured by an immediate intimation front all parties as to their willingness to subscribe, and which they would prefer, a Magazine alone, or Magazine and Newspaper.
We trust it will be considered that we are pursuing a straightforward and ingenuous course, willing to be guided by circumstances, rather than to seek to force or control them, or to stake upon our own presumptuous judgment that which a prudent and discreet man would say should be left to the decision of the common voice and experience.
Pardon us if we once more urge you to rally round “The Builder.”