Category:The True Briton
Title: The True Briton
Editor: Unknown
Publisher: Fanny A. Mayne
The True Briton first appeared in circulation in 1852 as a weekly periodical with a catchy by-line: “The purity of the press, the safeguard of society.”[1] It did attempt, in fact, to safeguard society, and one of the paper’s main goals was to represent a form of literature and discourse higher than other “rampant penny press[es]” of the time.[2] In order to attract a wide audience it was sold regularly on Thursdays for a single penny and advertised the fact on the cover of every issue.
The True Briton targeted an educated public audience in an effort to maintain the intelligence and morals of its readers. The journal contained a variety of short literature and diverting material that appealed to readers of all ages and from all walks of life. The periodical regularly contained works of short fiction, book reviews, a short calendar, letters to the editor, short and sensational pieces of news, a section of a larger serialized work (e.g., Uncle Tom’s Cabin), and a final section titled “riddles, queries, enigmas” which contained riddles, puzzles, and a weekly chess problem. A majority of the editorials and articles written contain Christian references and a portion of the "riddles etc." section contained questions testing Biblical knowledge.
Stalwart in its efforts to maintain the integrity of its audience, the “weekly magazine of amusement and instruction” was a family-oriented attempt at an educated, reading public’s magazine. The True Briton was even hailed by politicians of the time who worried about the ill effects of “penny literature,” as a journal “in which you will find the very best principles set forth in the very best language.”[3] However, despite its firm grounding in Christian morals and teachings, The True Briton only managed to stay in print for a short while. It ran from 1851 to 1854 and peaked in total distribution at around 100,000 copies.[4]
Notes
Submitted by: Brown, Ryan: section 1, Winter 2011
Articles in category "The True Briton"
The following 5 pages are in this category, out of 5 total.
