The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume XIV. The Victorian Age, Part Two.

IV. The Growth of Journalism.

§ 17. Weekly illustrated papers.


Many as were the morning and evening papers published in London during the century, they were far outnumbered by weekly papers. Besides high-class and popular political weeklies, the pictorial papers, from The Illustrated London News, The Illustrated Times (now extinct) and The Graphic, to those depending largely on the portraits of brides and bridegrooms, sportsmen and sportswomen, actors, actresses and ladies of the ballet, the satirical and humorous papers from Punch 31  and Fun (now extinct) downwards, the century witnessed the establishment of scores of weekly newspapers, dealing with almost every description of specialised interest—religious, atheistic, scientific, mechanical, financial, military, naval, architectural, dramatic and artistic, a marvellous record of the mental activity of the nation. All these make their particular appeal, and even to indicate the character of each would be impossible in these pages. Some of them, indeed, however well their articles may be written, make no pretence of belonging to the domain of literature.   40

Note 31. See, post, Chap. VI. [ back ]