Fortnightly Review
Encyclopedia
Fortnightly Review was one of the most important and influential magazines in nineteenth-century England
. It was founded in 1865 by Anthony Trollope
, Frederic Harrison
, Edward Spencer Beesly
, and six others with an investment of £9,000; the first edition appeared on 15 May 1865. George Henry Lewes
, the partner of George Eliot
, was its first editor, followed by John Morley.
and noted that it was "pitched at a higher level than other English journals of its class."
The Fortnightly prospered under John Morley, its sales increasing to 2,500 by 1872. Morley, a liberal, published articles favouring reform in academia, work place relations, female emancipation and religion. A host of famous and soon-to-be-famous literary figures were featured in its pages, with three novels by Anthony Trollope
and two by George Meredith
appearing in serial form. The first novel serialised in the magazine was Trollope's The Belton Estate
, from 15 May 1865 to 1 January 1866. Trollope's The Eustace Diamonds
and his radical novel Lady Anna
also made their first appearance there. The Fortnightly also published the poetry of Algernon Charles Swinburne
, Dante Gabriel Rossetti
, and William Morris
.
Morley fell out of favour with the more conservative publishers of the journal and was replaced by T.H.S. Escott in 1882. The new editor published political articles from across the spectrum in a return to the Reviews original intention. Ill health forced him to relinquish the reins in 1886 when Frank Harris
took over for eight successful years. Houghton reports that “almost every distinguished English writer and critic of the day was among his contributors.” Harris' liberal views led to his replacement as editor in 1894 by the long serving W. L. Courtney
(1894-1928), who featured work from some of the giants of early 20th century literature, including James Joyce
, W.B. Yeats and Ezra Pound
. In addition to literature and politics, the magazine also published several articles on science, notably astronomy
, animal behaviour and topical issues of instinct and morality.
George Orwell
's essay "Bookshop Memories
" appeared in the November 1936 issue.
The print magazine finally ceased publication in 1954 and was incorporated into the Contemporary Review
. In 2009, a group of British and American scholars and writers began publication of a "new series" online at The Fortnightly Review .
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was founded in 1865 by Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
, Frederic Harrison
Frederic Harrison
Frederic Harrison was a British jurist and historian.Born at 17 Euston Square, London, he was the son of Frederick Harrison, a stockbroker and his wife Jane, daughter of Alexander Brice, a Belfast granite merchant. He was baptised at St...
, Edward Spencer Beesly
Edward Spencer Beesly
Edward Spencer Beesly , English historian and positivist, son of the Rev. James Beesly, was born at Feckenham, Worcestershire.- Life :...
, and six others with an investment of £9,000; the first edition appeared on 15 May 1865. George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes
George Henry Lewes was an English philosopher and critic of literature and theatre. He became part of the mid-Victorian ferment of ideas which encouraged discussion of Darwinism, positivism, and religious scepticism...
, the partner of George Eliot
George Eliot
Mary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
, was its first editor, followed by John Morley.
History
It aimed to offer a platform for a range of ideas, in reaction to the highly partisan journalism of its day, but by the time G. H. Lewes left due to ill health and was replaced by 28-year-old John Morley, the Fortnightly had become known as a partisan and Liberal magazine in its own right. It was one of the first publications to name the authors of its articles at a time when work usually appeared anonymously or under a pseudonym. As might be expected from its name, it appeared every two weeks during its first year, at 2 shillings a copy, but was published monthly thereafter. John Sutherland called it an English Revue des Deux MondesRevue des deux mondes
The Revue des deux Mondes is a French language monthly literary and cultural affairs magazine that has been published in Paris since 1829....
and noted that it was "pitched at a higher level than other English journals of its class."
The Fortnightly prospered under John Morley, its sales increasing to 2,500 by 1872. Morley, a liberal, published articles favouring reform in academia, work place relations, female emancipation and religion. A host of famous and soon-to-be-famous literary figures were featured in its pages, with three novels by Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope
Anthony Trollope was one of the most successful, prolific and respected English novelists of the Victorian era. Some of his best-loved works, collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire, revolve around the imaginary county of Barsetshire...
and two by George Meredith
George Meredith
George Meredith, OM was an English novelist and poet of the Victorian era.- Life :Meredith was born in Portsmouth, England, a son and grandson of naval outfitters. His mother died when he was five. At the age of 14 he was sent to a Moravian School in Neuwied, Germany, where he remained for two...
appearing in serial form. The first novel serialised in the magazine was Trollope's The Belton Estate
The Belton Estate
The Belton Estate is a novel by Anthony Trollope, written in 1865. The novel concerns itself with a young woman who has accepted one of two suitors, then discovered that he was unworthy of her love. It was the first novel published in the Fortnightly Review.-Plot summary:Clara Amedroz is the only...
, from 15 May 1865 to 1 January 1866. Trollope's The Eustace Diamonds
The Eustace Diamonds
The Eustace Diamonds is a novel by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1871 as a serial in the Fortnightly Review. It is the third of the "Palliser" series of novels.-Plot summary:...
and his radical novel Lady Anna
Lady Anna (novel)
Lady Anna is a novel by Anthony Trollope, written in 1871 and first published in book form in 1874. The protagonist is a young woman of noble birth who, through an extraordinary set of circumstances, has fallen in love with and become engaged to a tailor...
also made their first appearance there. The Fortnightly also published the poetry of Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Algernon Charles Swinburne was an English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. He invented the roundel form, wrote several novels, and contributed to the famous Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica...
, Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Dante Gabriel Rossetti was an English poet, illustrator, painter and translator. He founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood in 1848 with William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais, and was later to be the main inspiration for a second generation of artists and writers influenced by the movement,...
, and William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
.
Morley fell out of favour with the more conservative publishers of the journal and was replaced by T.H.S. Escott in 1882. The new editor published political articles from across the spectrum in a return to the Reviews original intention. Ill health forced him to relinquish the reins in 1886 when Frank Harris
Frank Harris
Frank Harris was a Irish-born, naturalized-American author, editor, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day...
took over for eight successful years. Houghton reports that “almost every distinguished English writer and critic of the day was among his contributors.” Harris' liberal views led to his replacement as editor in 1894 by the long serving W. L. Courtney
William Leonard Courtney
William Leonard Courtney was an English author, born at Poona, India, and educated at Oxford. In 1873 he became headmaster of Somersetshire College, Bath, and in 1894 editor of the Fortnightly Review.-Works:...
(1894-1928), who featured work from some of the giants of early 20th century literature, including James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, W.B. Yeats and Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
. In addition to literature and politics, the magazine also published several articles on science, notably astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, animal behaviour and topical issues of instinct and morality.
George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's essay "Bookshop Memories
Bookshop Memories
"Bookshop Memories" is an essay published in 1936 by the English author George Orwell. As the title suggests, it is a reminiscence of his time spent working as an assistant in a second-hand bookshop.-Background:...
" appeared in the November 1936 issue.
The print magazine finally ceased publication in 1954 and was incorporated into the Contemporary Review
Contemporary Review
-Foundation:It was founded in 1866 by Alexander Strahan and a group of intellectuals anxious to promote intelligent and independent opinion about the great issues of their day. They intended it to be the church-minded counterpart of the resolutely secular Fortnightly Review, which was founded by...
. In 2009, a group of British and American scholars and writers began publication of a "new series" online at The Fortnightly Review .
Further reading
- Houghton, Walter, ed. The Fortnightly Review. The Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900. Vol. 2. Toronto:Univ. of Toronto Press, 1966. pp.173-183.
- Sullivan, Alvin, ed. The Fortnightly Review. British Literary Magazines. vol. 3. Westport, CT:Greenwood Press, 1983-. pp.131-135.