Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 18.djvu/562

This page needs to be proofread.

536 PERIODICALS (1730-34) of Archibald Bower, 1 was very successful. The Bee (1733-34) of the unfortunate Eustace Budgell, and the Literary Magazine ( 735-36), with which Ephraim Chambers had much to do, were very short-lived. In 1737 the History of the Worts of the Learned appeared again, and was con tinued without intermission until 1743, when its place was taken by A Literary Journal (Dublin, 1744-49), the first review published in Ireland. The Museum (1746) of R. Dodsley united the character of a review of books with that of a literary magazine. Although England can show nothing like the Journal des Savants, which has flourished almost without a break for 220 years, a nearly- complete series of reviews of English literature may be made up from 1681 to the present day. After the close of the first quarter of the 1 8th century the literary journal began to assume more of the style of the .modern review, and in 1749 the title and the chief features were united in the Monthly Revieiv, established by Ralph Griffiths, 2 who conducted it until 1803, w r hence it was edited by his son down to 1825. It came to an end in 1845. From its commencement the Review dealt with science and literature, as well as with literary criticism. It was Whig in politics and Nonconformist in theology. The Tory party and the established church were defended in the Critical Review (1756-1817), founded by Archibald Hamilton and supported by Smollett, Johnson, and Robert son. Johnson took a considerable part in the Literary Magazine (1756-58). The reviews rapidly increased in number towards the end of the century. Among the prin cipal were the London Review (1775-80), A New Review (1782-86), the English Review (1783-96), incorporated in 1797 with the Analytical Review (1788-99), the Anti- Jacobin Review and Magazine (1798-1821), and the British Clitic (1793-1843), the organ of the High Church party, and first edited by Archdeacon Nares and Beloe. These periodicals had now become extremely numerous, and many of the leading London publishers found it con venient to maintain their own particular organs. It is not a matter of surprise, therefore, that the authority of the reviews should have fallen somewhat in public estima tion. The time was ripe for one which should be quite independent of the booksellers, and which should also aim at a higher standard of excellence. As far back as 1755 Quarter- Adam Smith, Blair, and others had endeavoured to carry lies. on such a quarterly without achieving success, and in 1773 Gilbert Stuart and William Smellie issued during three years an Edinburgh Magazine and Review. To the northern capital is also due the first high-class critical journal which has kept up its reputation to the present day. The Edin burgh Review was established in 1802 by Jeffrey, Scott, Homer, Brougham, and Sydney Smith. It created a new era in periodical criticism, and assumed from the com mencement a wider range and more elevated tone than any of its predecessors. The first editor was Sydney Smith, then Jeffrey for many years, and afterwards Macvey Napier. At one time 20,000 copies are said to have been published, but the circulation declined in 1832 to less than 9000. Scott, being dissatisfied with the new review, persuaded John Murray to start its brilliant Tory competitor, the Quarterly Review (1809), first edited by William Gifford, then by Sir J. T. Coleridge, and subsequently by J. G. Lockhart. The Westminster Review (1824), established by the disciples of Jeremy Bentham, advocated radical reforms 1 Archibald Bower (1686-1766) was educated at Douai, and be came a Jesuit. lie subsequently professed himself a convert to the Anglican Church, and published a number of works, but was more esteemed for his ability than for his moral character. 2 The biographers of Goldsmith have made us familiar with the name of Griffiths, the prosperous publisher, with his diploma of LL.D. granted by an American university, and with the quarrels between him and the poet. in church, state, and legislation. In 1836 it was joined to the London Review (1829), founded by Sir William Molesworth, and then bore the name of the London and Westminster Revieiv till 1851, when it returned to the original title. The other quarterly reviews are the Eclectic Review (1805-68), edited down to 1834 by Josiah Conder and supported by the Dissenters; the British Review (1811- 25); the Christian Remembrancer (1819-68); the Retro spective Renew (1820-26, 1828, 1853-54), for old books; the Foreign Quarterly Revieiv (1827-46), afterwards incor porated with the Westminster; the Foreign Review (1828- 29); the Dublin Review (1836), still continued as the organ of the Roman Catholics ; the Foreign and Colonial Quar terly Review (1843-47); the Prospective Reiiew (1845-55), given up to theology and literature, previously the Christian Teacher (1835-44) ; the North British Review (1844-71); the British Quarterly Review (1845), successor to the British and Foreign Review (1835-44) ; the New Quarterly Review (1852-61); the Scottish Review (1853-62), published at Glasgow; the Wesleyan London Quarterly Review (1853) ; the National Review (1855-64); the Diplomatic Review (1855-81) ; the Irish Quarterly Review (1851-59), brought out in Dublin; the Home, and Foreign Review (1862-64); the Fine Arts Quarterly Review (1863-65); the New Quar terly Magazine (1873-80) ; the Catholic Union Review (1863-74); the Anglican Church Quarterly Review (1875) ; Mind (1876), dealing with mental philosophy ; the Modern Reiiew (1880) ; and the Scottish Review (1882). The monthly reviews include the Christian Observer Monti (1802-57), conducted by members of the established church lies - upon evangelical principles, with Zachary Macaulay as the first editor ; and the Monthly Repository (1806-37), origin ally purely theological, but after coming into the hands of the Rev. W. J. Fox made entirely literary and political. The Fortnightly Review (1865) was intended as a kind of English Revue des Deux Mondes. Since 1866 it has appeared monthly. The Contemporary Review (1866) and the Nineteenth Century (1877) are similar in character, consisting of signed articles by men of mark of all opinions upon questions of the day. The National Review (1883) was brought out to supply the demand for an exclusively Conservative review, and Modern Thought (1879) for the free discussion of political, religious, and social subjects. The weekly reviews dealing generally with literature, Week science, and art are the Literary Gazette (1817-62), first lies - edited by William Jerdan, which had for many years a circu lation of 6000 copies; the Athenxum (1828), established by Silk Buckingham, but which was not very success ful until it was taken over by C. W. Dilke ; and the Academy (1869), founded, and at first edited, by Dr Appleton. Those which also include political and social topics are the Examiner (1808-81), the Spectator (1828), the Saturday Review (1855), and the Chronicle (1867-68). The reviews in the Academy are signed. Soon after the introduction of the literary journal in England, one of a more familiar tone was started by the eccentric John Dunton inihe Athenian Gazette, or Casuistical Mercury, resohing all the most Nice and Curious Questions (1689/90 to 1695/96), a kind of forerunner of Notes and Queries, being a penny weekly sheet, with a quarterly critical supplement. In the last part the publisher an nounces that it will be continued " as soon as ever the glut of news is a little over." Defoe s Reiiew (1704-13) dealt chiefly with politics and commerce, but the introduction in it of what its editor fittingly termed the " scandalous club " was another step nearer the papers of Steele and the periodical essayists, the first attempts to create an organized popular opinion in matters of taste and manners. These little papers, rapidly thrown off for a temporary purpose, were destined to form a very important part of