''Scrutiny: A Quarterly Review'' was a

literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...

periodical founded in 1932 by L. C. Knights and

F. R. Leavis Frank Raymond "F. R." Leavis ( ; 14 July 1895 – 14 April 1978) was an English literary critic of the early-to-mid-twentieth century. He taught for much of his career at Downing College, Cambridge, and later at the University of York. Leav ...

, who remained its principal editor until the final issue in 1953. Other editors included D. W. Harding and Harold Andrew Mason. An additional volume, number 20, is often included in this series, including "A Retrospect" by Leavis, indexes, and errata.

Background

Literary critic and historian

Boris Ford Richard Boris Ford (1 July 1917 – 19 May 1998) was a British literary critic, writer, editor and educationist. Early life Ford was born on 1 July 1917, in Simla, India, the son of an Indian Army officer, Brigadier Geoffrey Noel Ford, and his Rus ...

has stated that it was L. C. Knights "who had the idea of creating such a literary quarterly, and took steps to bring it into being on 15 May 1932 - Knights's 26th birthday. Knights was the only one of Scrutiny's editors who served in that role for every one of its 76 issues." The first issue appeared early in May 1932, with 100 copies sold in the first week, with subscribers including

T.S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...

George Santayana George Santayana (born Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, December 16, 1863 – September 26, 1952) was a Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. Born in Spain, Santayana was raised and educated in the Un ...

, R. H. Tawney and

Aldous Huxley Aldous Leonard Huxley ( ; 26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963) was an English writer and philosopher. His bibliography spans nearly 50 books, including non-fiction novel, non-fiction works, as well as essays, narratives, and poems. Born into the ...

. The circulation rose slowly, with 750 copies being printed later in the 1930s, and 1000 copies in the 1940s. At its height in the 1950s, ''Scrutiny'' only printed 1,500 copies, but most of these were held by colleges and academic libraries for circulation. As such, ''Scrutiny'' was widely read, and Leavis became very influential in 20th century

literary criticism A genre of arts criticism, literary criticism or literary studies is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical analysis of literature's ...

in part because he was editor of the journal. After writing many articles for the journal, music critic Wilfrid Mellers appeared on the editorial board of the January 1942 issue, and continued in that position until the December 1948 issue. Besides its editorial staff, ''Scrutiny'' was able to have a contributing body of many important literary critics, including: Q.D. Leavis, Marius Bewley,

William Empson Sir William Empson (27 September 1906 – 15 April 1984) was an English literary critic and poet, widely influential for his practice of closely reading literary works, a practice fundamental to New Criticism. His best-known work is his firs ...

, L.C. Knights,

Michael Oakeshott Michael Joseph Oakeshott (11 December 1901 – 19 December 1990) was an English philosopher. He is known for his contributions to the philosophies of history, religion, aesthetics, education, and law.Fuller, T. (1991) 'The Work of Michael Oakesh ...

Herbert Read Sir Herbert Edward Read, (; 4 December 1893 – 12 June 1968) was an English art historian, poet, literary critic and philosopher, best known for numerous books on art, which included influential volumes on the role of art in education. Read wa ...

, I. A. Richards,

, Derek A. Traversi, and Martin Turnell. Some of the contributors to ''Scrutiny'' were also contributors to '' Left Review''. Many contributors focused on the topics of education and politics, but, according to

Richard Poirier Richard Poirier (born Gloucester, Massachusetts, September 9, 1925, died New York City, August 15, 2009) was an American literary critic. Career He graduated from Amherst College, Yale University, and Harvard University, and also studied under ...

, "its most important achievement was a nearly complete revaluation of English literature". That is not to say that they always supported these critics; according to John Grant, ''Scrutiny'' denounced "the later work of Empson and Richards" and disregarded "critics in the colonies such as Blackmur, Burke, and Frye".

Critical response

Poirier claims that "''Scrutiny'' had earned more respect and more denunciation than any other quarterly in English". Grant, in responding to Poirier's review of ''Scrutiny'', found that "''Scrutiny'' specialized in being right—half the time. In order to praise, it felt compelled also to damn, and then found it easy to do so because it possessed "standards" against which all works could be judged." Poet Geoffrey Grigson took issue with ''Scrutiny'' in an editorial in Grigson’s magazine ''New Verse'' in July 1933. In the editorial, Grigson acknowledged that Leavis and the other writers for ''Scrutiny'' were “sincere”, but added “sincerity by itself is not a very useful thing.” Grigson criticised ''Scrutiny'' for its repeated disparagements of the work of

W. H. Auden Wystan Hugh Auden (; 21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973) was a British-American poet. Auden's poetry is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with politics, morals, love, and religion, and its variety in tone, ...

and

Stephen Spender Sir Stephen Harold Spender (28 February 1909 – 16 July 1995) was an English poet, novelist and essayist whose work concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle. He was appointed U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry ...

, and claimed that the journal was uninterested in modern British poetry. Grigson added: "''Scrutiny'', if Dr. Leavis wants some plain criticism, is too adolescent, too self-righteous...If ''Scrutiny'' is not to be the perfect body-builder for prigs it must change its formula." There were other detractors, including

T. S. Eliot Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist and playwright.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biography''. New York: Oxford University ...

; "'I so strongly disagreed with Dr. Leavis during the last days of crutiny' Eliot wrote, 'and objected to his attacks and innuendoes about people I knew and respected. I think it is a pity he became so intemperate in his views and was extravagant in his admirations, as I had, in the earlier stages of the magazine, felt great sympathy for its editor.'"

Collections

Articles from ''Scrutiny'' have been separately republished in collections. *. *. ** Review:

Reprints

In 1963, the entire publication was reprinted in 20 bound volumes from photographic copies by the

Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...

References

External links