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George Woodcock from "Little magazines and the ironies of Fate," in Powers of Observation (Quarry Press, 1989):
"…in almost every country, the little magazine – read by a few people, seeking out new talent, offering them exposure rather than cash – has been one of the symptoms of a healthy and growing literature. In the development of Canadian literature, for example, the little magazines played a central and essential role…In these magazines [ McGill Fortnightly Review, Preview, First Statement, Northern Review] most of the first generation of modern Canadian poets began their careers…I would suggest that subscribing to such journals is a sound cultural investment even if in the short run a doubtful financial one. Though, I suspect anyone who invested in the Little Review in 1914 and sold his copies today [1980s] would make a handsome profit in the rare book market."
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