The ''Edinburgh Philosophical Journal'' was founded by its editors

Robert Jameson Robert Jameson Robert Jameson FRS FRSE (11 July 1774 – 19 April 1854) was a Scottish naturalist and mineralogist. As Regius Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh for fifty years, developing his predecessor John ...

and David Brewster in 1819 as a scientific journal to publish articles on the latest science of the day. In 1826 the two editors fell out, and Jameson continued publication as the ''Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal''. Jameson died in 1854, and his place as editor was then taken over by Thomas Anderson, Sir William Jardine,

John Hutton Balfour John Hutton Balfour (15 September 1808 – 11 February 1884) was a Scottish botanist. Balfour became a Professor of Botany, first at the University of Glasgow in 1841, moving to the University of Edinburgh and also becoming the 7th Regius Kee ...

and, for America,

Henry Darwin Rogers Henry Darwin Rogers FRS FRSE LLD (1 August 1808 – 26 May 1866) was an American geologist. His book, ''The Geology of Pennsylvania: A Government Survey'' (1858), was regarded as one of the most important publications on American geology issu ...

. In 1864 it was merged into the ''

Quarterly Journal of Science ''Quarterly Journal of Science'' was the title of two British scientific periodicals of the 19th century. The first was established in 1816 by William Thomas Brande, as the ''Quarterly Journal of Science, Literature and the Arts''. He edited it w ...

'', London. The ''Edinburgh Philosophical Journal'' 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 ...

and Company, then in 1826 publication of the ''Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal'' was taken on by

Adam Black Adam Black (20 February 178424 January 1874) was a Scottish publisher and politician. He founded the A & C Black publishing company, and published the 7th, 8th and 9th editions of the ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Life Black was born in Ch ...

, later A & C Black of Edinburgh. The journal covered emerging scientific developments in chemistry, optics, electricity, magnetism, and natural history, as well as related topics including practical mechanics, inventions, and scientific instruments. As well as articles by the editors, it published contributions by many of the leading scientists at the time, including Charles Babbage, John Herschel, Robert Stevenson,

William Scoresby William Scoresby (5 October 178921 March 1857) was an English whaler, Arctic explorer, scientist and clergyman. Early years Scoresby was born in the village of Cropton near Pickering south-west of Whitby in Yorkshire. His father, William ...

Alexander Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt (14 September 17696 May 1859) was a German polymath, geographer, naturalist, explorer, and proponent of Romantic philosophy and science. He was the younger brother of the Prussian minister ...

and

Humphry Davy Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet, (17 December 177829 May 1829) was a British chemist and inventor who invented the Davy lamp and a very early form of arc lamp. He is also remembered for isolating, by using electricity, several elements for t ...

. It was one of the publishing options for the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and after 1839 it published proceedings of the

Wernerian Natural History Society The Wernerian Natural History Society (12 January 1808 – 16 April 1858), commonly abbreviated as the Wernerian Society, was a learned society interested in the broad field of natural history, and saw papers presented on various topics such as ...

References

English-language journals Multidisciplinary scientific journals Natural philosophy Publications established in 1819 Mass media in Edinburgh 1819 establishments in Scotland {{science-journal-stub