''The New Monthly Magazine'' was a British monthly magazine published from 1814 to 1884. It was founded by Henry Colburn and published by him through to 1845.

History

Colburn and Frederic Shoberl established ''The New Monthly Magazine and Universal Register'' as a "virulently

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 ...

" competitor to

Sir Richard Phillips Sir Richard Phillips (13 December 1767 – 2 April 1840) was an English schoolteacher, author, publisher and vegetarianism activist. Life Phillips was born in London. Following some political difficulties in Leicester where he was a schoolte ...

' ''

Monthly Magazine ''The Monthly Magazine'' (1796–1843) of London began publication in February 1796. Contributors Richard Phillips was the publisher and a contributor on political issues. The editor for the first ten years was a literary jack-of-all-trades, Dr ...

'' in 1814. "The double-column format and the comprehensive contents combined the ''

Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term '' magazine'' (from the French ''magazine' ...

'' with the '' Annual Register''". In its April 1819 issue it published

John Polidori John William Polidori (7 September 1795 – 24 August 1821) was a British writer and physician. He is known for his associations with the Romantic movement and credited by some as the creator of the vampire genre of fantasy fiction. His most succ ...

Gothic fiction Gothic fiction, sometimes called Gothic horror in the 20th century, is a loose literary aesthetic of fear and haunting. The name is a reference to Gothic architecture of the European Middle Ages, which was characteristic of the settings of ea ...

The Vampyre "The Vampyre" is a short work of prose fiction written in 1819 by John William Polidori taken from the story Lord Byron told as part of a contest among Polidori, Mary Shelley, Lord Byron, and Percy Shelley. The same contest produced the novel '' ...

'', the first significant piece of prose

vampire literature Vampire literature covers the spectrum of literary work concerned principally with the subject of vampires. The literary vampire first appeared in 18th-century poetry, before becoming one of the stock figures of gothic fiction with the publicat ...

in English, attributing it to

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and has been regarded as among the ...

, who partly inspired it. In 1821 Colburn recast the magazine with a more literary and less political focus, retitling it ''The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal''. Nominally edited by the poet

Thomas Campbell Thomas Campbell may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Thomas Campbell (poet) (1777–1844), Scottish poet * Thomas Campbell (sculptor) (1790–1858), Scottish sculptor * Thomas Campbell (visual artist) (born 1969), California-based visual artist ...

, most editing fell to the sub-editor Cyrus Redding. Colburn paid contributors well, and they included Sydney Morgan,

Thomas Charles Morgan Sir Thomas Charles Morgan (1783 – 28 August 1843) was an English physician and writer with an interest in philosophical and miscellaneous subject matter. His wife was the novelist Lady Morgan. Biography Morgan was born in Charlotte Street, Bloo ...

Peter George Patmore Peter George Patmore (baptized 1786; died 1855) was an English author. Life The son of Peter Patmore, a dealer in plate and jewellery, he was born in his father's house on Ludgate Hill, London. Patmore refused to go into his father's business, an ...

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an early example of science fiction. She also ...

Charles Lamb Charles Lamb (10 February 1775 – 27 December 1834) was an English essayist, poet, and antiquarian, best known for his '' Essays of Elia'' and for the children's book '' Tales from Shakespeare'', co-authored with his sister, Mary Lamb (1764� ...

Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centre ...

Stendhal Marie-Henri Beyle (; 23 January 1783 – 23 March 1842), better known by his pen name Stendhal (, ; ), was a 19th-century French writer. Best known for the novels ''Le Rouge et le Noir'' ('' The Red and the Black'', 1830) and ''La Chartreuse de ...

, Thomas Noon Talfourd,

Letitia Elizabeth Landon Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 October 1838) was an English poet and novelist, better known by her initials L.E.L. The writings of Landon are transitional between Romanticism and the Victorian Age. Her first major breakthrough ...

, Felicia Hemans,

Ugo Foscolo Ugo Foscolo (; 6 February 177810 September 1827), born Niccolò Foscolo, was an Italian writer, revolutionary and a poet. He is especially remembered for his 1807 long poem ''Dei Sepolcri''. Early life Foscolo was born in Zakynthos in the Io ...

, Richard Lalor Sheil,

Mary Russell Mitford Mary Russell Mitford (16 December 1787 – 10 January 1855) was an English author and dramatist. She was born at Alresford in Hampshire. She is best known for '' Our Village'', a series of sketches of village scenes and vividly drawn characte ...

, Edward Bulwer, James and Horace Smith, and

William Hazlitt William Hazlitt (10 April 177818 September 1830) was an English essayist, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English lan ...

. Hazlitt's "

Table-Talk ''Table-Talk'' is a collection of essays by the English cultural critic and social commentator William Hazlitt. It was originally published as two volumes, the first of which appeared in April 1821.Bate 2004. The essays deal with topics such as ...

" essays, begun in the ''

London Magazine ''The London Magazine'' is the title of six different publications that have appeared in succession since 1732. All six have focused on the arts, literature and miscellaneous topics. 1732–1785 ''The London Magazine, or, Gentleman's Monthly I ...

'', appeared in the ''New Monthly'' from late 1821, his essay "The Fight" appeared in 1822, and his series "The Spirits of the Age'" was later republished, with essays from other sources, in the book '' The Spirit of the Age'' (1825). Charles Knight's ''

'' merged with the ''New Monthly'' in 1829, and in that year

Richard Bentley Richard Bentley FRS (; 27 January 1662 – 14 July 1742) was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. Considered the "founder of historical philology", Bentley is widely credited with establishing the English school of Hellen ...

became Colburn's business partner. After Redding resigned in 1830, Campbell found himself unable to edit the magazine on his own and

Samuel Carter Hall Samuel Carter Hall (9 May 1800 – 11 March 1889) was an Irish-born Victorian journalist who is best known for his editorship of ''The Art Journal'' and for his much-satirised personality. Early years Hall was born at the Geneva Barracks in Wat ...

became editor for a year. In 1831 the novelist Edward Bulwer became editor, turning "the essentially apolitical, slightly Whiggish, literary journal into a vigorous radical organ shouting 'Reform' at the top of its lungs." Hall, a political Conservative, had remained as sub-editor, and resisted Bulwer's efforts: Bulwer resigned in 1833, with Hall taking up the editorship once more. Contributors now included

Catherine Gore Catherine Grace Frances Gore (née Moody; 12 February 1798 – 29 January 1861), a prolific English novelist and dramatist, was the daughter of a wine merchant from Retford, Nottinghamshire. She became among the best known of the silver fork wr ...

Anna Maria Hall Anna Maria Hall (6 January 1800 – 30 January 1881) was an Irish novelist who often published as "Mrs. S. C. Hall". She married Samuel Carter Hall, a writer on art, who described her in ''Retrospect of a Long Life, from 1815 to 1883''. She was ...

, Felicia Hemans,

Caroline Norton Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton, Lady Stirling-Maxwell (22 March 1808 – 15 June 1877) was an active English social reformer and author.Perkin, pp. 26–28. She left her husband in 1836, who sued her close friend Lord Melbourne, then the Whig ...

Thomas Haynes Bayly Thomas Haynes Bayly (13 October 1797 – 22 April 1839) was an English poet, songwriter, dramatist and writer. Life Bayly was born in Bath on 13 October 1797, the only child of Nathaniel Bayly, an influential citizen of Bath: he was related t ...

, and

Theodore Edward Hook Theodore Edward Hook (22 September 1788 – 24 August 1841) was an English man of letters and composer and briefly a civil servant in Mauritius. He is best known for his practical jokes, particularly the Berners Street hoax in 1809. The wo ...

. In 1837 the magazine was retitled ''The New Monthly Magazine and Humorist'', to meet the challenge of ''

Bentley's Miscellany ''Bentley's Miscellany'' was an English literary magazine started by Richard Bentley. It was published between 1836 and 1868. Contributors Already a successful publisher of novels, Bentley began the journal in 1836 and invited Charles Dickens t ...

''. Now edited by

Theodore Hook Theodore Edward Hook (22 September 1788 – 24 August 1841) was an English man of letters and composer and briefly a civil servant in Mauritius. He is best known for his practical jokes, particularly the Berners Street hoax in 1809. The w ...

, it published contributions from

, Douglas Jerrold, Frederick Marryat,

Frances Trollope Frances Milton Trollope, also known as Fanny Trollope (10 March 1779 – 6 October 1863), was an English novelist who wrote as Mrs. Trollope or Mrs. Frances Trollope. Her book, '' Domestic Manners of the Americans'' (1832), observations from a ...

, Charles Robert Forrester, and

W. M. Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray (; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel ''Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and t ...

. Upon Hook's death in 1841,

Thomas Hood Thomas Hood (23 May 1799 – 3 May 1845) was an English poet, author and humorist, best known for poems such as " The Bridge of Sighs" and " The Song of the Shirt". Hood wrote regularly for ''The London Magazine'', '' Athenaeum'', and ''Punch' ...

was editor until 1843. In 1845 Colburn sold the magazine for £2500 to

William Harrison Ainsworth William Harrison Ainsworth (4 February 18053 January 1882) was an English historical novelist born at King Street in Manchester. He trained as a lawyer, but the legal profession held no attraction for him. While completing his legal studies in ...

, who had earlier edited ''Bentley's Miscellany'' and who now edited his own ''Ainsworth's Magazine''. Ainsworth edited the ''New Monthly'' with his cousin

William Francis Ainsworth William Francis Ainsworth (9 November 1807 – 27 November 1896) was an English surgeon, traveller, geographer, and geologist, known also as a writer and editor. Life Ainsworth was born in Exeter, the son of John Ainsworth of Rostherne in Ches ...

as sub-editor. From 1871–79 William Francis Ainsworth was editor.

Titles

Over the years, the magazine had several titles. These are listed at ''Periodicals Online'', (Scroll down to see title listings for ''The New Monthly'', listed below ''The New London Magazine'' and above ''The New Quarterly Magazine'' and comprise: *''The New Monthly Magazine and Universal Register'' – February 1814 to December 1820 *''The New Monthly Magazine and Literary Journal'' – January 1821 to December 1836 *''The New Monthly Magazine and Humorist'' – January 1837 to December 1852 *''The New Monthly Magazine'' – January 1853 to December 1881 *''The New Monthly'' – January to October 1882.

Editors

The editorship of the ''New Monthly Magazine'' was complicated by the frequent use of a deputy position, or "working editor". Hook, Hood, Ainsworth, and Ainsworth alone are named on bound volume title pages. *1814 Frederic Shoberl * John Watkins *1819

Alaric Alexander Watts Alaric Alexander Watts (16 March 1797 – 5 April 1864) was a British poet and journalist, born in London. His life was dedicated to newspaper creation and editing, and he was seen as a conservative writer. It led him to bankruptcy, when a p ...

*1821 Edward Dubois, one issue only *1821–1830

*1821–1830 Cyrus Redding de facto editor *1830

, sub-editor and then editor *1831–1833

Edward Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secre ...

*1837–1841

Benson Earle Hill Benson Earle Hill (''c.'' 1795 – 1845) was a nineteenth century English writer, soldier and epicure. Life Hill was born in 1795. He lived with his sister Isabel Hill in 1820 and this was a life-long friendship. They had lived together bef ...

, assistant1839–1840 Francis Foster Barham edited with John Abraham Heraud, according to

Thompson Cooper Thompson Cooper (8 January 1837, Cambridge – 5 March 1904, London) was an English journalist, man of letters, and compiler of reference works. He became a specialist in biographical information, and is noted as the most prolific contributor to t ...

's DNB article on Barham; contradicted by the ODNB biography of Heraud which says it was the ''

'' 1839–1842, though supported by the ODNB biography of Barham. *1841–1843

*1841–1853

*1845–1870

proprietor-editor *1871

References

External links

Listings for ''New Monthly Magazine''
at

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

– primarily the American ''Harper's New Monthly Magazine'' (

Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. (''Scientific American'' is older, b ...

, from 1850) {{DEFAULTSORT:New Monthly Magazine 1814 establishments in the United Kingdom 1884 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct literary magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines established in 1814 Magazines disestablished in 1884

History

Titles

Editors

References

Further reading

External links