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.

''Edinburgh Review'', 1755–56

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 Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

's ''

Discourse on Inequality ''Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality Among Men'' (french: Discours sur l'origine et les fondements de l'inégalité parmi les hommes), also commonly known as the "Second Discourse", is a 1755 work by philosopher Jean-Jacques Roussea ...

'', 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.

''Edinburgh Magazine and Review'', 1773–76

A short-lived magazine with similar purposes, ''

Edinburgh Magazine and Review The ''Edinburgh Magazine and Review'' was a Scottish periodical, published monthly from 1773 to 1776. It was founded by Gilbert Stuart, who pursued an aggressive editorial line that eventually led to the magazine's demise. History The first num ...

'', was published monthly between 1773 and 1776.

''Edinburgh Review'', 1802–1929

The third ''Edinburgh Review'' became one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It promoted

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

and Whig politics.. (It was also, however, notoriously critical of some major Romantic poetry.) Started on 10 October 1802 by

Francis Jeffrey Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (23 October 1773 – 26 January 1850) was a Scottish judge and literary critic. Life He was born at 7 Charles Street near Potterow in south Edinburgh, the son of George Jeffrey, a clerk in the Court of Session ...

Sydney Smith Sydney Smith (3 June 1771 – 22 February 1845) was an English wit, writer, and Anglican cleric. Early life and education Born in Woodford, Essex, England, Smith was the son of merchant Robert Smith (1739–1827) and Maria Olier (1750–1801) ...

, Henry Brougham, and Francis Horner, it was published by

Archibald Constable Archibald David Constable (24 February 1774 – 21 July 1827) was a Scottish publisher, bookseller and stationer. Life Constable was born at Carnbee, Fife, son of the land steward to the Earl of Kellie. In 1788 Archibald was apprenticed to P ...

in quarterly issues until 1929. It began as a literary and political review. Under its first permanent editor,

(the first issue was edited by Sydney Smith), it was a strong supporter of the Whig party and

liberal politics Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed, political equality and equality before the law."political rationalism, hostility to autocracy, cultural distaste for c ...

, and regularly called for political reform. Its main rival was the ''

Quarterly Review 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, f ...

'' which supported the

Tories 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 ...

. The magazine was also noted for its attacks on the

Lake Poets The Lake Poets were a group of English poets who all lived in the Lake District of England, United Kingdom, in the first half of the nineteenth century. As a group, they followed no single "school" of thought or literary practice then known. They ...

, particularly

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication '' Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

. It was owned at one point by John Stewart, whose wife Louisa Hooper Stewart (1818–1918) was an early advocate of

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

, having been educated at the Quaker school of

Newington Academy for Girls The Newington Academy for Girls, also known as Newington College for Girls, was a Quaker school established in 1824 in Stoke Newington, then north of London. In a time when girls' educational opportunities were limited, it offered a wide range ...

. It took its

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

motto ' ("the judge is condemned when the guilty is acquitted") from

Publilius Syrus __NOTOC__ Publilius Syrus (fl. 85–43 BC), was a Latin writer, best known for his sententiae. He was a Syrian from Antioch who was brought as a slave to Roman Italy. Syrus was brought to Rome on the same ship that brought a certain Manilius, a ...

. The magazine ceased publication in 1929.

Notable contributors to the third ''Edinburgh Review''

''Edinburgh Review'',
969 Year 969 ( CMLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 1st millennium, the 69th ...
1984–2014

The Scottish cultural magazine ''New Edinburgh Review'' was founded in 1969. In 1984 (from the combined issue 67/68) it explicitly 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 ''Eurozine '' is a network of European cultural magazines based in Vienna, linking up more than 90 partner journals and just as many associated magazines and institutions from nearly all European countries. ''Eurozine'' is also an online magazine ...

network. 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.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.

Notes

External links

Facsimile of first edition
{{Authority control Literary magazines published in Scotland Quarterly magazines published in the United Kingdom Book review magazines Culture in Edinburgh Defunct literary magazines published in the United Kingdom History of Edinburgh Magazines established in 1802 Magazines disestablished in 1929 Magazines established in 1984 Mass media in Edinburgh