The ''British Critic: A New Review'' was a quarterly publication, established in 1793 as a

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

and

high-church A ''high church'' is a Christian Church whose beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, liturgy, and theology emphasize "ritual, priestly authority, nd sacraments," and a standard liturgy. Although used in connection with various Christia ...

review journal riding the tide of British reaction against the French Revolution. The headquarters was in London. The journal ended publication in 1843.

High-church review

The Society for the Reformation of Principles, founded in 1792 by William Jones of Nayland and William Stevens, established the ''British Critic'' in 1793. Robert Nares and William Beloe, editor and assistant editor respectively, were joint proprietors with the booksellers and publishers Francis and Charles Rivington. It was started as a monthly, but in 1825 its frequency was shifted to quarterly. Nares and Beloe edited the review for about 20 years. Around 1811 the magazine was bought by Joshua Watson and Henry Handley Norris, associated with the

pressure group known as the Hackney Phalanx. After 1825 the review "became more narrowly theological in scope".

Tractarian takeover

The owners were, however, in some difficulty in controlling the editorial line under both Campbell and Boone; and turned eventually to

Oxford Movement The Oxford Movement was a theological movement of high-church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the Un ...

figures. This move was brought on by the financial losses the ''Critic'' was making by 1836.

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English Catholic theologian, academic, philosopher, historian, writer, and poet. He was previously an Anglican priest and after his conversion became a cardinal. He was an ...

offered a stable of Oxford writers who would write reviews gratuitously, at a moment when the publisher was considering closing the publication. By the end of 1837 Newman was objecting to Boone's decisions and line (the use of Joseph Sortain as reviewer and the sympathy shown to Renn Dickson Hampden). Boone resigned by November, and Samuel Roffey Maitland took over; but he was immediately discomfited in early 1838 by a review by

Edward Pusey Edward Bouverie Pusey (; 22 August 180016 September 1882) was an English Anglican cleric, for more than fifty years Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford. He was one of the leading figures in the Oxford Movement, with interest ...

relating to the

Ecclesiastical Commissioners The Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title was Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorised to determine the distribution of revenues of the Ch ...

which placed him in a difficult personal position, and resigned. Until 1843 the ''Critic'' was then effectively dominated by the Tractarian movement, and edited successively by Newman and

Thomas Mozley Thomas Mozley (180617 June 1893) was an English clergyman and writer associated with the Oxford Movement. Early life Mozley was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, the son of a bookseller and publisher. His brother, James Bowling Mozley, would ...

. Under Mozley's editorship the ''Critic'' was strongly partisan, attacking Godfrey Faussett, and allowing Frederick Oakeley and W. G. Ward a free hand. It was closed down in October 1843. In 1844 a replacement publication, the '' English Review'', was set up, by a group including John Kaye, with Rivingtons as published; it appeared to 1853.

List of editors

*1811 Thomas Fanshaw Middleton. In the same year (beginning of the second series) William Van Mildert and

Thomas Rennell Thomas Rennell (8 February 1754–31 March 1840) was an English churchman, dean of Winchester Cathedral and Master of the Temple. Life He was born on 8 February 1754 at Barnack in Northamptonshire, where his father, Thomas Rennell (1720� ...

also served as editors, according to various sources; with Rennell continuing until Lyall took over.Esther Rhoads Houghton, ''A 'New' Editor of the "British Critic"'', Victorian Periodicals Review Vol. 12, No. 3 (Fall, 1979), pp. 102–105. *1816–17

William Rowe Lyall William Rowe Lyall (11 February 1788 – 17 February 1857) was an English churchman, Dean of Canterbury from 1845 to 1857. Life He was born in Stepney (parish), Stepney, Middlesex, the fifth son of John Lyall and Jane Comyn. He was educated at ...

*c.1823–1833 Archibald Montgomery Campbell *1827–1833 Edward Smedley, very much engaged in the periodical, but according to Houghton never actually editor in title. *1834–1837 James Shergold Boone *1837–8 Samuel Roffey Maitland *1838–July 1841

*1841–1843

References

*S. A. Skinner (2004), ''Tractarians and the 'Condition of England': The Social and Political Thought of the Oxford Movement'', Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Notes

{{Reflist, 33em 1793 establishments in Great Britain 1826 disestablishments in the British Empire Anglican newspapers and magazines Conservative magazines published in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Quarterly magazines published in the United Kingdom Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines published in London Magazines established in 1793 Magazines disestablished in 1826