''The National Observer'' was a British newspaper published from 1888 to 1897. It began as the ''Scots Observer'' and was renamed when it moved from

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in 1889. It was considered "

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

in its political outlook" and "liberal in its literary taste".

William Ernest Henley William Ernest Henley (23 August 184911 July 1903) was an English poet, writer, critic and editor. Though he wrote several books of poetry, Henley is remembered most often for his 1875 poem "Invictus". A fixture in London literary circles, the o ...

was the editor from 1889 to 1893, assisted by general manager

James Nicol Dunn James Nicol Dunn (12 October 185630 June 1919) was a Scottish journalist and newspaper editor, best known as the editor of London newspaper ''The Morning Post'' from 1897 to 1905 and as London editor of the ''Glasgow Evening News'' from 1914 unt ...

. Henley was recruited by Robert Fitzroy Bell, the major backer of the ''Observer'', and brought in young writers including

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work. ...

. The political line was that of

Charles Whibley Charles Whibley (9 December 1859 – 4 March 1930) was an English literary journalist and author. In literature and the arts, his views were progressive. He supported James Abbott McNeill Whistler (they had married sisters). He also recommended ...

, assistant editor, a diehard

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...

. Bell became discouraged by 1894, and sold out. Henley was succeeded by James Edmund Vincent, with Percival Parr as editor.Parr had played in the 1880 FA Cup Final. Writers of fiction published in ''The National Observer'' include Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, James Barrie, William Butler Yeats, and Rudyard Kipling.

References

Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom Publications established in 1888 Publications disestablished in 1897 1888 establishments in the United Kingdom {{UK-newspaper-stub