The Periodical Essays of the Eighteenth Century
Introduction
The eighteenth century was an important period in the history of English literature. It was a time of great social, political, and intellectual change. During this period, reading became more common, newspapers and journals became popular, and a new middle-class reading public developed.
One of the important literary developments of this period was the rise of the periodical essay. These essays were short, simple, and regularly published pieces of writing that discussed the everyday life of society. They talked about morality, manners, fashion, education, literature, religion, family life, social customs, and even politics.
The periodical essay became popular because it was easy to read and connected literature with the daily lives of ordinary people.
What is a Periodical Essay?
A periodical essay is a short prose composition that is published regularly in a newspaper, journal, or magazine. It could appear daily, weekly, or several times a week.
These essays were generally written in a simple, elegant, and conversational style so that educated common readers could easily understand them.
The essays discussed subjects that people could easily relate to, such as:
Morality
Manners
Fashion
Education
Literature
Religion
Social customs
Women's education
Family life
Philosophy
Politics
Coffee-house discussions
The term “periodical essay” was first used by George Colman and Bonnell Thornton in their magazine The Connoisseur (1754–56), although the practice had already developed earlier through the work of Richard Steele and Joseph Addison.
Emergence of the Periodical Essay
The rise of the periodical essay was not accidental. It was the result of several historical, political, social, and cultural developments. The presentation itself asks why periodical essays became important particularly in the eighteenth century and answers that they were the result of historical, political, and social developments.
1. Growth of Printing
The development of printing played an important role. During the late seventeenth century, England witnessed considerable progress in printing technology. Books, newspapers, and journals became cheaper and more widely available.
This helped create a larger reading public.
2. Rise of Newspapers
Newspapers were already becoming popular in England. Newspapers such as The Oxford Gazette and The London Gazette helped people develop the habit of reading about current events and public debates. This created a market for literary journalism.
3. Rise of the Middle Class
A prosperous middle class consisting of merchants, traders, lawyers, doctors, teachers, and businessmen was growing.
This new group wanted literature that could educate them, entertain them, and reflect their daily lives. The periodical essay was perfectly suited to these needs.
4. Coffee-House Culture
The coffee house was an important part of eighteenth-century social life. Coffee houses became centres of intellectual activity where people gathered to:
Read newspapers
Discuss politics
Exchange literary ideas
Debate social problems
Conduct business
These places became an important environment for the development of the periodical essay. Richard Steele often used coffee-house conversations as the basis for The Tatler.
5. Growing Interest in Social Life
People became increasingly interested in discussions about manners, fashion, morality, education, family, and society. Periodical essays brought these subjects into everyday reading.
Thus, the essay became a bridge between literature and ordinary life.
Characteristics of Periodical Essays
Periodical essays had some common features that made them popular among readers.
Regular Publication
They were published regularly. For example:
The Tatler – three times a week
The Spectator – daily
The Rambler – twice a week
The Tatler – three times a week
The Spectator – daily
The Rambler – twice a week
Short and Simple
The essays were generally short and easy to read. They did not require the reader to spend a long time with one topic.
Conversational Style
The writers used a style that felt like a conversation between the writer and the reader.
Reflection of Society
The essays presented the real life of eighteenth-century society. They discussed manners, fashion, education, family, morality, and social behaviour.
Humour and Satire
Humour and satire were used to point out the weaknesses of society without making the essays too serious or difficult.
Fictional Characters
Writers sometimes created fictional characters to represent different types of people in society. The Spectator Club is a good example.
Major Periodical Essayists
Several writers contributed to the development of the periodical essay, but Richard Steele, Joseph Addison, and Samuel Johnson are especially important.
Richard Steele and The Tatler
Richard Steele (1672–1729) started The Tatler on 12 April 1709. He wrote under the pseudonym Isaac Bickerstaff. The word Tatler means someone who chats or gossips. The journal was published three times a week.
Steele wanted to:
Expose vanity
Remove hypocrisy
Improve manners
Encourage refined behaviour
He observed London life through the conversations and activities of coffee houses. His essays were lively, humorous, practical, and full of social observation.
The Tatler was an important step in making the periodical essay popular.
Joseph Addison and The Spectator
Joseph Addison (1672–1719) worked with Steele and later founded The Spectator with him.
The Spectator began in 1711 and was published daily except Sundays. It contained 555 essays. Its main aim was to improve public taste, literature, manners, and morality.
Addison wanted to make moral teaching interesting. His famous aim was:
“To enliven morality with wit and to temper wit with morality.”
The Spectator also introduced the famous Spectator Club, whose members represented different sections of society. One of its best-known characters was Sir Roger de Coverley, a memorable comic character in English literature.
Addison's writing was simple, graceful, humorous, and easy to understand. He successfully combined entertainment with moral instruction.
Samuel Johnson and The Rambler
By the middle of the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) continued the tradition of the periodical essay through The Rambler.
The Rambler was published between 1750 and 1752, twice a week. Unlike Addison and Steele, Johnson's essays were more serious, philosophical, moral, and religious.
Johnson encouraged readers to:
Know themselves
Control their passions
Develop virtue
Think rationally
For Johnson, literature had an important purpose: it should educate humanity.
Other Important Periodicals
The success of The Tatler and The Spectator encouraged other writers to produce periodical publications.
Some important examples mentioned in the presentation are:
The Guardian – Steele
The Examiner – Swift
The Rambler – Johnson
The Idler – Johnson
The Bee – Goldsmith
The Citizen of the World – Goldsmith
Daniel Defoe also played an important role in the development of literary journalism. He began The Review in 1704. His essays discussed politics, commerce, foreign affairs, and trade. His writing combined news with commentary and helped prepare the way for the later success of the periodical essay.
Conclusion
The periodical essay was one of the important literary forms of eighteenth-century England. It developed because of changes in printing, newspapers, the growth of the middle class, coffee-house culture, and the increasing interest in social and everyday life.
Writers such as Richard Steele, Joseph Addison, and Samuel Johnson gave the periodical essay different styles and purposes. Steele brought lively observations of society, Addison combined wit with morality, and Johnson gave the essay a more serious and philosophical character.
The greatest achievement of the periodical essay was that it brought literature closer to everyday life. It educated readers while also entertaining them. In simple language, it talked about the society in which people actually lived.
That is why the periodical essay became an important part of the literary, social, and intellectual life of eighteenth-century England.
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