Nineteenth-century popular media

"An important primary source collection and an outstanding bibliographical resource for Victorian periodical research. The former comes in the form of a three-volume set edited by Andrew King and John Plunkett, Popular Print Media 1820–1900. Though pricey, this is an excellent resource for accessing reprints of key texts on nineteenth-century journalism, readership, and the periodical press. Among the pieces reproduced are works by William Hazlitt and James Mill, the famous mid-century appraisals of popular literature and mass audiences by Margaret Oliphant and Wilkie Collins, and late-century pieces representing the fierce debate over the New Journalism techniques pioneered by the likes of T.P. O’Connor and W.T. Stead. The introduction by King and Plunkett provides a helpful entry into the subject."
The Year's Work in English Studies Advance Access originally published online on June 22, 2006
The Year's Work in English Studies 2006 85(1):648-743; doi:10.1093/ywes/mal013

Volume One

1) 1820s: setting the scene

1. William Hazlitt, “The Periodical Press”, Edinburgh Review 38 (May 1823) 349-378.
2. James Mill, “Periodical Literature”, Westminster Review 1 (April 1824) 206-223.
3. Walter Coabon (?), “Newspapers”, Westminster Review 2 (July 1824) 194-212.
4. William Stevens, “On the Reciprocal Influence of Periodical Publications and the Intellectual Progress of this Country”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 16 (November 1824) 518-528.
5. T. J. Hogg, “Public Libraries”, Westminster Review 8 (1827) 103-27.
6. Eliza Walker, “Country Reading Societies”, New Monthly Magazine 22 (March 1828) 216-223.
7. Gibbons Merle, “Newspaper Press”, Westminster Review 10 (January 1829) 216-237.
8. Gibbons Merle, “Weekly Newspapers”, Westminster Review 10 (April 1829) 466-481.
9. Gibbons Merle, “Provincial Newspapers”, Westminster Review 12 (January 1830) 69-103.
10. “Useful Knowledge”, Westminster Review 14 (April 1831) 365-394.
11. “Taxes on Literature”, Edinburgh Review 153 (June 1831) 427-437.

2) 1832-1841. Reforming Readers: Influence, Improvement and the Cheap Periodical

12. “Reading for All”, Penny Magazine 1 (31 March 1832) 1.
13. “The Fourth Estate”, Tait’s Magazine (1 June 1832) 356-359.
14. “Preface”, Penny Magazine 1 (1832) iii-iv.
15. Christian Johnson, “Cheap Periodicals”, Tait’s Edinburgh Magazine, 1 (September 1832) 721-724
16. “The Relative Considerations of Rich and Poor Considered”, Poor Man’s Guardian (26 January 1833) 25.
17. Gibbons Merle, “Journalism”, Westminster Review 18 (January 1833) 195-208.
18. Henry Brougham, “Progress of the People – the Periodical Press”, Edinburgh Review 57 (April 1833) 239-248
19. “Persecution and Imprisonment of Mr Hetherington”, Poor Man’s Guardian (12 January 1833) 9-10.
20. Charles Knight, “The Commercial History of a Penny Magazine”, Penny Magazine 2 (1833); 377-384; 417-424; 465-472; 505-511.
21. Arthur Symonds, “Legal and Fiscal Trammels of the Press”, Westminster Review, 18 (April 1833) 474-493
22. A Labourer, “To the Editor of the Poor Man’s Guardian”, Poor Man’s Guardian (13 April 1833) 123.
23. Christian Johnstone, “Periodical Literature”, Tait’s Magazine 3 (1 July 1833) 491-496.
24. “Theta”, “The Diffusion of Knowledge Amongst the People. Two Lectures Read at the Mechanics’ Institution in 1833”, Monthly Repository n.s. 8 (1834) 7-19, 266-109
25. Archibald Alison, “The Influence of the Press”, Blackwood’s Magazine 36 (September 1834) 373-391.
26. “The Newspaper Tax”, Edinburgh Review 61 (April 1835) 181-185.
27. Henry Hetherington, “To the Friends and Supporters on an Unstamped Press”, Poor Man’s Guardian (7 August 1835) 115-116.
28. “Taxes on Knowledge”, Edinburgh Review 62 (October 1835) 126-132.
29. Laman Blanchard, “The Influence of Periodical Literature on the State of the Fine Arts”, Monthly Chronicle: A National Journal of Politics, Literature, Science and Art 4 (December 1839) 502-508.
30. W.H. Ainsworth, “Popular Literature of the Day” British and Foreign Review; or, European Quarterly Journal 10 (January 1840) 223-246.
31. Charles MacKay, “On Popular and National Poetry”, Bentley’s Miscellany 3 (March 1838) 251-259.
32. W.M. Thackeray, “Half a Crown’s Worth of Cheap Knowledge”, Fraser’s Magazine 17 (March 1838) 279-290.
33. “The Influence of the Annuals Upon Art”, Monthly Chronicle 3 (January 1839) 63-67.
34. Francis B. Head, “The Printer’s Devil”, Quarterly Review 65 (December 1839) 1-30.

Volume Two

3) 1842-1854. The Commercial Model: The ILN, the Family Herald and the Dominance of Commercialism

35. Selection of wood engravings from Illustrated London News [Portraying royal tours, European revolutions of 1848, and Great Exhibition] 9 pages
36. Woodcut street ballads reprinted from John Ashton, Modern Street Ballads (London, Chatto and Windus, 1888)
37. Archibald Alison, “The Copyright Question”, Blackwood’s Magazine 51 (January 1842) 107-121.
38. “Our Address”, Illustrated London News (14 May 1842) 1.
39. “Our Principles”, Illustrated London News (21 May 1842) 17.
40. Catherine Gore, “The New Art of Printing”, Blackwood’s Magazine 55 (January 1844) 45-49.
41. “Illustrated Books”, Quarterly Review (June 1844) 167-199.
42. J. Malcolm Rymer, “Popular Writing”, The Queen’s Magazine: a Monthly Miscellany of Literature and Art, 1 (June 1842) 99-103.
43. Abraham Hayward, “The Advertising System”, Edinburgh Review 77 (April 1843) 1-43.
44. William Newmarch, “Mechanics Institutes”, Westminster Review 41 (June 1844) 416-445.
45. “Penny-A-Liners”, Chamber’s Edinburgh Journal n.s. 3 (1845) 65-68.
46. “English Journalism”, Fraser’s Magazine 34 (December 1846) 630-640.
47. Coventry Patmore, “Popular Serial Literature”, North British Review 7 (May 1847) 110-136.
48. J. Hepworth Dixon, “Literature of the Lower Orders”, Daily News, 26 October, 2 November 1848; 9 November 1847
49. “Useful Sunday Literature for the Masses”, Punch 14 (1849) 89. [Illustration]
50. F. Maine, “The Literature of the Working-Classes”, English Woman’s Magazine (October 1850) 619-622.
51. Edward Edwards, “Libraries and the People”, British Quarterly Review 11 (February 1850) 61-80.
52. Henry Morley, “The Labourer’s Reading Room”, Household Words 3 (1851) 581-585.
53. Allen, John Neale, “Railway Reading, with a few hints to Travellers”, Ainsworth’s Magazine 24 (December 1853) 483-487.
54. William Thackeray, “John Leech’s Pictures of Life and Character”, Quarterly Review 96 (December 1854) 75-86.

4) 1855-1869. Regulatory Reform: Removal of the Stamp Tax and the Independent Press

55. Andrew Wynter, “Advertisements” Quarterly Review 97 (June 1855) 183-225.
56. W. R. Greg, “The Newspaper Press”, Edinburgh Review 102 (October 1855) 470-498.
57. “The London Daily Press”, Westminster Review o.s. 64 n.s 8 (October 1855) 492-521.
58. Margaret Oliphant, “The Byways of Literature - Reading for the Million,” Blackwood’s Magazine 84 (August 1858) 200-216.
59. Collins, Wilkie, “The Unknown Public” Household Words 18 (21 August 1858) 217-222.
60. “Cheap Literature”, British Quarterly Review 29 (April 1859) 313-345.
61. E.S. Dallas, “Popular Literature – the Periodical Press (no. I)”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 85 (January 1859) 96-112.
62. E.S. Dallas, “Popular Literature – the Periodical Press (no. II)”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 85 (February 1859) 180-195.
63. E.S. Dallas, “Popular Literature – Tracts”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 85 (May 1859) 515-532.
64. Thomas Hughes, “Anonymous Journalism”, Macmillan’s Magazine 5 (December 1861) 157-168.
65. Fitzjames Stephens, “Journalism”, Cornhill Magazine 6 (July 1862) 52-63.
66. Andrew Wynter, “Mudie’s Circulating Library”, Subtle Brains and Lissom Fingers (London: Robert Hardwick, 1863) 165-172
67. Mortimer Collins, “Country Newspapers”, Temple Bar 10 (December 1863) 128-141.
68. Andrew Wynter, “Who is Mr Reuter?”, Our Social Bees (London: Robert Hardwicke, 1866) 297-303.
69. Andrew Wynter, “Our Modern Mercury”, Our Social Bees (London: Robert Hardwicke, 1866) 304-313.
70. “Penny Novels”, Macmillan’s Magazine 14 (June 1866), 96-105.
71. Bennett G. Johns, “The Poetry of Seven Dials” Quarterly Review 122 (April 1867) 382-406.
72. John Morley, “Anonymous Journalism”, Fortnightly Review o.s. 8 n.s. 2 (September 1867) 287-292.
73. Leslie Stephen, “Anonymous Journalism”, Saint Paul’s 2 (May 1868) 217-230.

Volume Three
5) 1870-1888 The Education Act and the Creation of a Mass Market

74. Greenwood, James, “Penny Awfuls”, St. Paul’s Magazine, 12 (February 1873) 161-168.
75. Green, G.F., “Prize Essay. (Silver Cup). The Influence of Cheap Literature”, The Paper and Printing Trades Journal, March 1874: 4-5.
76. Alexander Strahan, “Bad Literature for the Young”, Contemporary Review 26 (November 1875) 981-991
77. Alexander William, “Literature of the People: Past and Present”, Good Words 17 (1876) 92-96.
78. “Cheap Literature for Village Children” Macmillan’s Magazine, 38 (July 1878) 210-220
79. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (no. I). Journalists”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 124 (December 1878) 641-662.
80. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. II). Journalists and Magazine Writers”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 125 (January 1879) 69-92.
81. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. III). Magazine Writers”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 125 (February 1879) 225-247.
82. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. IV). Novelists”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 125 (March 1879) 322-344.
83. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (no. V). Biography, Travel and Sport”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 125 (April 1879) 482-506.
84. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. VI). French Novels”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 125 (June 1879) 678-703.
85. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. VII). Readers”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 126 (August 1879) 235-256.
86. Innes Shand, “Contemporary Literature (No. VIII). Newspaper Offices”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 126 (October 1879) 472-493.
87. Grant Allen, “The Ethics of Copyright”, Macmillan’s Magazine 43 (December 1880) 153-160.
88. Francis Hitchman, “The Penny Press”, Macmillan’s Magazine, 43 (March 1881) 385-398.
89. Thomas Wright, “On a Possible Popular Culture” Contemporary Review 40 (July 1881) 25-44.
90. Thomas Wright, “Concerning the Unknown Public”, Nineteenth Century 13 (February 1883) 279-296.
91. George Moore, “Literature at Nurse: a Polemic on Victorian Censorship”, 1885 pamphlet, 22 pages.
92. Edward G. Salmon, “What Boys Read”, Fortnightly Review o.s. 45 n.s. 39 (February 1886) 248-259.
93. Edward G. Salmon, “What the Working Classes Read”, Nineteenth Century 20 (July 1886) 108-117.
94. Edward G. Salmon, “What Girls Read”, Nineteenth Century 20 (November 1886) 515-529.
95. ‘A Conservative Journalist,’ “Why is the Provincial Press Radical”, National Review 7 (July 1886) 678-682.
96. W.T. Stead, “Government by Journalism”, Contemporary Review 49 (May 1886) 653-674.
97. Elizabeth Robins Pennell, “The Modern Comic Newspaper: the Evolution of a Popular Type”, Contemporary Review, 50 (October 1886) 509-523.
98. W.T Stead, “The Future of Journalism”, Contemporary Review 50 (November 1886) 663-679.
99. Arnot Reid, “Twenty-Fours Hours in a Newspaper Office”, Nineteenth Century 21 (February 1887) 452-459.

6) 1889-1900. The New Journalism and the Fin-de-Siècle

100. T.P. O’Connor, “The New Journalism”, The New Review 1 (October 1889) 423-434.
101. Gattie, Walter Montague, “What English People Read”, Fortnightly Review o.s. 52 n.s. 46 (September 1889) 307-321.
102. Francis Hitchman, “Penny Fiction”, Quarterly Review, 171 (July 1890) 150-171.
103. Walter Besant, “Candor in English Fiction”, New Review 2 (January 1890) 6-9
104. Eliza Lynn Linton, “Candor in English Fiction”, New Review 2 (January 1890) 10-14
105. Thomas Hardy, “Candor in English Fiction”, New Review 2 (January 1890) 15-21
106. “A Day at the London Free Libraries”, All the Year Round 35 (1892) 305-309.
107. Humphery, George R., “The Reading of the Working Classes”, Nineteenth Century, 33 (April 1893) 690-701.
108. Charlotte O’Conor Eccles, “The Experiences of a Woman Journalist”, Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine 153 (June 1893) 830-838.
109. Crawford, Emily, “Journalism as a Profession for Women”, Contemporary Review 64 (September 1893) 362-371.
110. Ackland, Joseph, “Elementary Education and the Decay of Literature”, Nineteenth Century 35 (March 1894) 412-423.
111. Evelyn March-Phillips, “Women’s Newspapers”, Fortnightly Review o.s. 62 n.s. 56 (November 1894) 661-670.
112. Walter Besant, “The Rise and Fall of the ‘Three-Decker’”, Dial 17 (1 October 1894) 181-189.
113. Chisholm, Hugh, “How to Counteract the ‘Penny Dreadful’”, The Fortnightly Review o.s. 64 n.s. 58 (1895) 765-775.
114. Clement Shorter, “Illustrated Journalism; its Past and its Future”, Contemporary Review 75 (April 1899) 481-494.
115. illustrations from Sims George, ed., Living London, 3 vols (London: Casell and Company, 1902)
Applying for books at a free library (Brixton), vol 3: 98;
2 unnamed pictures of men reading “Sub Editors Room, Daily Mail”, vol 2: 207 [men are sitting in a small room];
"Publishing the "Special" Edition of the Evening Standard, vol 2: 208
Ladies Reading Room at a free library (Shepherd's Bush), vol 3:99
Printing the Daily Telegraph, vol 2: 205
Early Morning at Messrs W.H Smith and Son's: Despatching Newspapers, vol 2: 205
An East-end Newspaper Reading Room (Free Library, Mile End Road), vol 3: 97
Exchanging Books at Mudie's Library, vol 3: 96.