Edinburgh Review

Last updated

The Edinburgh Review is the title of four distinct intellectual and cultural magazines. The best known, longest-lasting, and most influential of the four was the third, which was published regularly from 1802 to 1929.

Contents

Edinburgh Review, 1755–1756

The first Edinburgh Review was a short-lived venture initiated in 1755 by the Select Society, a group of Scottish men of letters concerned with the Enlightenment goals of social and intellectual improvement. According to the preface of the inaugural issue, the journal's purpose was to "demonstrate 'the progressive state of learning in this country' and thereby to incite Scots 'to a more eager pursuit of learning, to distinguish themselves, and to do honour to their country.'" As a means to these ends, it would "give a full account of all books published in Scotland within the compass of half a year; and ... take some notice of such books published elsewhere, as are most read in this country, or seem to have any title to draw the public attention." Among the most notable of the foreign publications it observed was Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Discourse on Inequality , which Adam Smith reviewed in the journal's second and final issue, published in March 1756. Its premature folding was due in large part to the partisan attacks the Moderate editors received from their opponents in the Church of Scotland, the Popular Party. [1]

Edinburgh Magazine and Review, 1773–1776

A short-lived magazine with similar purposes, Edinburgh Magazine and Review , was published monthly between 1773 and 1776.

Edinburgh Review, 1802–1929

Edinburgh Review
First issue 1802 (1802-month)
Final issue1929
Country Scotland
LanguageEnglish

The third Edinburgh Review became one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It promoted Romanticism and Whig politics. [2] (It was also, however, notoriously critical of some major Romantic poetry.) [3]

Started on 10 October 1802 by Francis Jeffrey, Sydney Smith, Henry Brougham, and Francis Horner, [4] it was published by Archibald Constable in quarterly issues until 1929. It began as a literary and political review. Under its first permanent editor, Francis Jeffrey (the first issue was edited by Sydney Smith), it was a strong supporter of the Whig party and liberal politics, and regularly called for political reform. Its main rival was the Quarterly Review which supported the Tories. The magazine was also noted for its attacks on the Lake Poets, particularly William Wordsworth. [2]

It was owned at one point by John Stewart, whose wife Louisa Hooper Stewart (1818–1918) was an early advocate of women's suffrage, having been educated at the Quaker school of Newington Academy for Girls. [5]

It took its Latin motto judex damnatur cum nocens absolvitur ("the judge is condemned when the guilty is acquitted") from Publilius Syrus.

The magazine ceased publication in 1929.

Notable contributors to the third Edinburgh Review

New Edinburgh Review (1969–1984) and Edinburgh Review (1984–2014)

New Edinburgh Review, no. 31 (February 1976) New Edinburgh Review.jpg
New Edinburgh Review, no. 31 (February 1976)

The Scottish cultural magazine New Edinburgh Review was founded in 1969. It was published by Edinburgh University Student Publications Board (EUSPB). The most famous issues of the New Edinburgh Review were the 1974 issues, supervised by C.K. Maisels, that discussed the philosophy of Antonio Gramsci. [6] James Campbell edited fifteen issues of the magazine between 1978 and 1982. Other editors included David Cubitt, Julian Pollock, Brian Torode, Henry Drucker and Owen Dudley Edwards. [7] Notable contributors included:

In 1984 (from the combined issue 67/68) the magazine adopted the title Edinburgh Review, along with the motto To gather all the rays of culture into one. From 2007 to 2012 it was part of the Eurozine network. [8] Editors of Edinburgh Review included Murdo Macdonald, Peter Kravitz, Robert Alan Jamieson, Gavin Wallace, Sophy Dale and Frank Kuppner. Notable contributors included:

Notes

  1. Lomonaco, Jeffrey (October 2002). "Adam Smith's "Letter to the Authors of the Edinburgh Review"". Journal of the History of Ideas. 63 (4): 660–61. doi:10.2307/3654165. JSTOR   3654165.
  2. 1 2 Clive, John (1952). "The Edinburgh Review". History Today. 2 (12): 844–850..
  3. John Clive, Scotch Reviewers: The Edinburgh Review, 1802–1815, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1957, pp. 164–65.
  4. John Clive, Scotch Reviewers: The Edinburgh Review, 1802–1815, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1957, pp. 186–97.
  5. Stewart, Louisa Hooper, ed. Evelyn Roberts, Louisa: memories of a Quaker childhood, Friends Home Service Committee, 1970.Cited in Stoke Newington Quaker history page Archived 30 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. See Proletarian Order, by Gwyn A. Williams (1975), and Gramsci, by James Joll (1977) for discussion of the NER Gramsci issues. Maisels was a member of the Communist Organisation in the British Isles.
  7. Campbell, James, "Making it New Edinburgh Review", Scottish Magazines Network, 4th April 2024
  8. "Edinburgh Review (Past Journal)". Eurozine. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 18 August 2021.

Further reading

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Enlightenment</span> Intellectual movement in 18th–19th century Scotland

The Scottish Enlightenment was the period in 18th- and early-19th-century Scotland characterised by an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. By the eighteenth century, Scotland had a network of parish schools in the Scottish Lowlands and five universities. The Enlightenment culture was based on close readings of new books, and intense discussions which took place daily at such intellectual gathering places in Edinburgh as The Select Society and, later, The Poker Club, as well as within Scotland's ancient universities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Cemetery</span> Historic Victorian cemetery in Edinburgh

The Dean Cemetery is a historically important Victorian cemetery north of the Dean Village, west of Edinburgh city centre, in Scotland. It lies between Queensferry Road and the Water of Leith, bounded on its east side by Dean Path and on its west by the Dean Gallery. A 20th-century extension lies detached from the main cemetery to the north of Ravelston Terrace. The main cemetery is accessible through the main gate on its east side, through a "grace and favour" access door from the grounds of Dean Gallery and from Ravelston Terrace. The modern extension is only accessible at the junction of Dean Path and Queensferry Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dugald Stewart</span> Scottish philosopher and mathematician (1753–1828)

Dugald Stewart was a Scottish philosopher and mathematician. Today regarded as one of the most important figures of the later Scottish Enlightenment, he was renowned as a populariser of the work of Francis Hutcheson and of Adam Smith. Trained in mathematics, medicine and philosophy, his lectures at the University of Edinburgh were widely disseminated by his many influential students. In 1783 he was a joint founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In most contemporary documents he is referred to as Prof Dougal Stewart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Cockburn, Lord Cockburn</span> Scottish lawyer, judge and literary figure (1779–1854)

Henry Thomas Cockburn of Bonaly, Lord Cockburn was a Scottish lawyer, judge and literary figure. He served as Solicitor General for Scotland between 1830 and 1834.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archibald Constable</span> Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer

Archibald David Constable was a Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Raeburn</span> Scottish portrait painter (1756–1823)

Sir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux</span> British Lord High Chancellor (1778–1868)

Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, was a British statesman who became Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain and played a prominent role in passing the Reform Act 1832 and Slavery Abolition Act 1833.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey</span> Scottish judge and literary critic

Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey was a Scottish judge and literary critic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Murray, Lord Murray</span> Scottish judge

Sir John Archibald Murray of Henderland, Lord Murray, FRSE (1778–1859) was a Scottish judge and Senator of the College of Justice.

<i>Quarterly Review</i> British literary and political periodical

The Quarterly Review was a literary and political periodical founded in March 1809 by London publishing house John Murray. It ceased publication in 1967. It was referred to as The London Quarterly Review, as reprinted by Leonard Scott, for an American edition.

<i>English Bards and Scotch Reviewers</i> 1809 satirical poem penned by Lord Byron

English Bards and Scotch Reviewers is an 1809 satirical poem written by Lord Byron, and published by James Cawthorn in London.

The Speculative Society is a Scottish Enlightenment society dedicated to public speaking and literary composition, founded in 1764. It was mainly, but not exclusively, an Edinburgh University student organisation. The formal purpose of the Society is as a place for social interchange and for practising of professional competency in rhetoric, argument, and the presentation of papers among fellow members. While continuing to meet in its rooms in the university's Old College, it has no formal links to the university.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Murray (linguist)</span> Scottish minister and philologist

Alexander Murray FRSE FSA (Scot) was a Scottish minister, philologist, linguist and professor of Hebrew and Semitic languages at Edinburgh University (1812).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Empson (lawyer)</span>

William Empson was an English barrister, professor and journalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Horner</span> Scottish Whig politician, journalist, lawyer and political economist

Francis Horner FRSE was a Scottish Whig politician, journalist, lawyer and political economist.

Josiah Walker (1761–1831) was a Scottish writer, from 1815 Professor of Humanity at Glasgow University. He is known as a biographer of Robert Burns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Leonard's, Edinburgh</span> Human settlement in Scotland

St Leonard's is a neighbourhood of south-central Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom. Once notable as a centre of industry, it is now primarily residential.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sir James Gibson-Craig, 1st Baronet</span> Scottish lawyer and government official

Sir James Gibson-Craig, 1st Baronet (1765–1850) was a Scottish lawyer and government official. In politics he was a Foxite Whig. In early life he was known as James Gibson of Ingleston. He was created a baronet in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom in 1831.