The_British_Critic,_A_New_Review_(1793,_Vol

The ''British Critic: A New Review'' was a quarterly publication, established in 1793 as a

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 i ...

and

high-church The term ''high church'' refers to beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, liturgy, and theology that emphasize formality and resistance to modernisation. Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term originat ...

review journal riding the tide of British reaction against the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are considere ...

. The headquarters was in London. The journal ended publication in 1843.

High-church review

The Society for the Reformation of Principles, founded in 1792 by

William Jones of Nayland William Jones (30 July 17266 January 1800), known as William Jones of Nayland, was a British clergyman and author. Life He was born at Lowick, Northamptonshire, but was descended from an old Welsh family. One of his ancestors was Colonel John ...

and William Stevens, established the ''British Critic'' in 1793.

Robert Nares Robert Nares (9 June 1753, York – 23 March 1829) was an English clergyman, philologist and author. Life He was born at York in 1753, the son of James Nares (1715–1783), organist of York Minster and educated at Westminster School and Ch ...

and

William Beloe William Beloe (1756 – April 11, 1817) was an English divine and miscellaneous writer. Biography Beloe was born at Norwich the son of a tradesman, and received a liberal education. After a day school in Norwich he was schooled under the Rev. Ma ...

, editor and assistant editor respectively, were joint proprietors with the booksellers and publishers Francis and Charles Rivington. It was started as a monthly, but in 1825 its frequency was shifted to quarterly. Nares and Beloe edited the review for about 20 years. Around 1811 the magazine was bought by

Joshua Watson Joshua Watson (1771–1855) was an English wine merchant, philanthropist, a prominent member of the high church party and of several charitable organisations, who became known as "the best layman in England". Life Joshua Watson was born on To ...

and

Henry Handley Norris Henry Handley Norris (1771–1850) was an English clergyman and theologian. He was the clerical leader of the High Church grouping later known as the Hackney Phalanx, that grew up around him and his friend Joshua Watson. Life The son of Henry Ha ...

, associated with the

pressure group known as the

Hackney Phalanx Hackney Phalanx was a group of high-church Tory defenders of Anglican orthodoxy prominent for around 25 years from . They consisted of both clergy and laymen, and filled many of the higher posts of the Church of England of the time. The Phalanx, ...

. After 1825 the review "became more narrowly theological in scope".

Tractarian takeover

The owners were, however, in some difficulty in controlling the editorial line under both Campbell and Boone; and turned eventually to

Oxford Movement The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...

figures. This move was brought on by the financial losses the ''Critic'' was making by 1836.

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English theologian, academic, intellectual, philosopher, polymath, historian, writer, scholar and poet, first as an Anglican ministry, Anglican priest and later as a Catholi ...

offered a stable of Oxford writers who would write reviews gratuitously, at a moment when the publisher was considering closing the publication. By the end of 1837 Newman was objecting to Boone's decisions and line (the use of

Joseph Sortain Joseph Sortain (1809–1860) was a British Nonconformist (Protestantism), nonconformist minister, an evangelical Independent, philosophy tutor at Cheshunt College, and biographer of Francis Bacon. A reputed preacher of his time, he was called "the ...

as reviewer and the sympathy shown to

Renn Dickson Hampden Renn Dickson Hampden (29 March 1793 – 23 April 1868) was an English Anglican clergyman. His liberal tendencies led to conflict with traditionalist clergy in general and the supporters of Tractarianism during the years he taught in Oxford (18 ...

). Boone resigned by November, and

Samuel Roffey Maitland Samuel Roffey Maitland (1792–1866) was an English historian and miscellaneous writer on religious topics. He was qualified as an Anglican priest, and worked also as a librarian, barrister and editor. Early life Maitland was born in London at Ki ...

took over; but he was immediately discomfited in early 1838 by a review by

Edward Pusey Edward Bouverie Pusey (; 22 August 180016 September 1882) was an English Anglican cleric, for more than fifty years Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Oxford. He was one of the leading figures in the Oxford Movement. Early years ...

relating to the

Ecclesiastical Commissioners The Ecclesiastical Commissioners were, in England and Wales, a body corporate, whose full title was Ecclesiastical and Church Estates Commissioners for England. The commissioners were authorized to determine the distribution of revenues of the Chu ...

which placed him in a difficult personal position, and resigned. Until 1843 the ''Critic'' was then effectively dominated by the

Tractarian The Oxford Movement was a movement of high church members of the Church of England which began in the 1830s and eventually developed into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose original devotees were mostly associated with the University of O ...

movement, and edited successively by Newman and

Thomas Mozley Thomas Mozley (1806June 17, 1893), was an English clergyman and writer associated with the Oxford Movement. Early life Mozley was born at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, the son of a bookseller and publisher. His brother, James Bowling Mozley, woul ...

. Under Mozley's editorship the ''Critic'' was strongly partisan, attacking

Godfrey Faussett Godfrey Faussett (c.1781–1853) was an English clergyman and academic, Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford from 1827. He was known as a controversialist. As a churchman he exemplified the high-and-dry tradition. Life He was the son ...

, and allowing

Frederick Oakeley Frederick Oakeley (5 September 1802 – 30 January 1880) was an English Roman Catholic convert, priest, and author. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1828 and in 1845 converted to the Church of Rome, becoming Canon of the Westminster ...

and

W. G. Ward William George Ward (21 March 1812 – 6 July 1882) was an English theologian and mathematician. A Roman Catholic convert, his career illustrates the development of religious opinion at a time of crisis in the history of English religious though ...

a free hand. It was closed down in October 1843. In 1844 a replacement publication, the ''

English Review ''The English Review'' was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day. History The magazine was started by 1908 by Ford Madox Hueffer (la ...

'', was set up, by a group including John Kaye, with Rivingtons as published; it appeared to 1853.

List of editors

*1811

Thomas Fanshaw Middleton Thomas Fanshawe Middleton (28 January 1769 – 8 July 1822) was a noted Anglican bishop. Life Middleton was born in Kedleston in Derbyshire, England, the son of Thomas Middleton, Rector of Kedleston and educated at Christs Hospital. He then w ...

. In the same year (beginning of the second series) William Van Mildert and

Thomas Rennell Thomas Rennell (8 February 1754–31 March 1840) was an English churchman, dean of Winchester Cathedral and Master of the Temple. Life He was born on 8 February 1754 at Barnack in Northamptonshire, where his father, Thomas Rennell (1720–17 ...

also served as editors, according to various sources; with Rennell continuing until Lyall took over.Esther Rhoads Houghton, ''A 'New' Editor of the "British Critic"'', Victorian Periodicals Review Vol. 12, No. 3 (Fall, 1979), pp. 102–105. *1816–17

William Rowe Lyall William Rowe Lyall (11 February 1788 – 17 February 1857) was an English churchman, Dean of Canterbury from 1845 to 1857. Life He was born in Stepney, Middlesex, the fifth son of John Lyall and Jane Comyn. He was educated at Trinity College, C ...

*c.1823–1833 Archibald Montgomery Campbell *1827–1833

Edward Smedley Edward Smedley (1788–1836) was an English clergyman known as a miscellaneous writer. Life The second son of the Rev. Edward Smedley by his wife Hannah, fourth daughter of George Bellas of Willey, Surrey, was born in the Sanctuary, Westminster, ...

, very much engaged in the periodical, but according to Houghton never actually editor in title. *1834–1837

James Shergold Boone James Shergold Boone (1799–1859) was an English cleric and writer. Life Boone was born on 30 June 1799. In 1812 he was sent to Charterhouse School, and in 1816 he became a student of Christ Church, Oxford, where in 1817 he obtained a Craven s ...

*1837–8

*1838–July 1841

*1841–1843

References

*S. A. Skinner (2004), ''Tractarians and the 'Condition of England': The Social and Political Thought of the Oxford Movement'', Clarendon Press, Oxford.

Notes

{{Reflist, 33em 1793 establishments in Great Britain 1826 disestablishments in the British Empire Anglican newspapers and magazines Conservative magazines published in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom Quarterly magazines published in the United Kingdom Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Magazines published in London Magazines established in 1793 Magazines disestablished in 1826