The Modern British Periodical

Italy.—The conditions under which literary men worked in Italy were different from those in other countries. Here the church interfered to a greater degree in the production of books, while the fact that Italy was broken up into a number of petty states militated against the circulation of literature. It was unwise for writers to touch on politics, and religious matters for the most part were barred; sanction of the church being always necessary when anything new was conceived. Nevertheless, the Journal des Scavans had its imitator in Rome when Cardinal Ricci began to print Il Giornale de' Litterati (1668-79), and Venice, always in the forefront in literary activities, issued the Galleria di Minerva (1696). The rivalry, however, of the various academies and princes acted as a continual curb, and the outlook of editors and writers remained circumscribed for a long period. Even in the i8th century when Baretti undertook to publish La Frusta let teraria (1763), liberty of the press was still unheard of. Baretti so mercilessly attacked the writers of Italy and even the ruling princes, that after a few years of precarious existence the Frusta was suppressed. He had also incurred displeasure by his disap proval of the opinions of a coterie of young men in Milan whose organ II Caffe was greatly influenced by French thought. The best modern periodicals are Nuova Antologia (1866) a bimonthly, La Critica (1903) edited by B. Croce, La Revista d'Italia (1897), La Rassegna italiana (1918), Revista di cultura (1920), La Cul tura (1922), Il Convegno (1919) and Le opere e i Giorni (1922).

Poland.

The position in Poland has always been difficult owing to political turmoil, to the partition of Poland and subse quent Draconian measures of both Russian and Prussian govern ments. The first monthly seems to have been the Pamictnik of Sartkowski (1782-92). When Russia became more liberal in 1905 the press began to revive, but the modern period does not start till 1918. The present reviews in French and German are chiefly intended to give information to the foreigner.

Portugal.

In Portugal the I ornal Enciclopedico (1779) and subsequently 0 Panorama (1837-68) were the chief serials. The latter was concerned with history and letters, and Herculano pub lished his historical tales in it. The nearest approach to the English Nineteenth Century were the Revista universal (1841-59) the Revista Peninsular (1855-56) and the Revista de Portugal. 0 Instituto which began in 1853 still continues, and is a scientific and literary review, and the Lusitania (1924), which is literary, artistic and historical.

Russia.

In Russia the Academy of Sciences led the way by the issue of a monthly (1755), and four years later the first private undertaking, the Trudolyubivaya Pchela (1759), came out. Shortly after, Novikov, a distinguished man of letters in the reign of Catherine II., brought out two or three serials (1777-82) simultaneously, but throughout the whole of the 18th century the public in Russia does not seem to have fancied this kind of publi cation; subscribers were few and entirely confined to readers in Moscow and St. Petersburg (Leningrad). In the 19th century the most representative magazines were the Vestnik Evropy (1802-3o) edited by the historian Karamsin; the Biblioteki dlya Chteniya (1834), the first to obtain any commercial success; the Sovremmenik (1836), founded by Pushkin; the Russkaya Starina (1852), limited to archaeology and history, but of considerable value; the Russky Vestnik (1856), edited by the well-known pub licist Katkov; the Vestnik Evropy (1866), a continuation of the earlier Vestnik, to which the novelist Turgenev contributed; the Russkoe Bogatstvo (1878) ; Russkaya Misl (1881); Letopis (1913), edited by Maxim Gorki. The latest comer, the Novy Mir (New World), is the chief journal in present day Russia.

Scandinavian Countries.

The northern countries of Europe, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, have never lagged behind in the production of literature. The earliest periodical in Sweden was

Svenska Argus (1733) moulded on Addison's and Steele's Spec tator. Of modern reviews the following are worth mentioning: Ord och Bild (1892), Nordisk Tidskrift (1878) which prints his torical and philosophical essays and studies but excludes articles on political and religious topics, and Det nya Sverige (1907), a very conservative organ. For special information on the early history of periodicals in Sweden Sylwan's Svenska pressens his toria intill 1772 (1896) should be consulted. In Norway Ugentlige Korte Afhandlinger (176o) claims priority. Samtiden (1890), started by Gerhard Gran in Bergen, and transferred about 1900 to Oslo, is now the leading Norwegian journal. It is edited by Prof. J. S. Worm-Miiller. In Denmark Nye Tidender om laerde Sager (172o) is the oldest critical periodical. The leading month lies are: Tilskueren (1884), Gads danske Magasin (1906) and the latest, Dansk Udsyn (1921).

Spain.

In Spain the periodical came much later than in France, and it was in the beginning dependent on its French prototype. The earliest examples date from the middle of the i8th century, the two best known being Efemerides Barometri comedicas matritenses (1743-47) edited by Fernandez Navarrete, and the Diario de los Literatos de Espana A third, Memorial literario (1784) might be added.

During the reign of Ferdinand VII. (1784-1833) and of his predecessor, literary men worked under great disadvantages. The censorship of the press was active, and the church viewed printed matter with suspicion. The numbers who subscribed to periodi cals were few, while their distribution in the provinces was diffi cult. The life of a new periodical was therefore often short, both the editor and the author receiving but a poor reward for their labour. In spite of these restrictions, however, there are two or three worth noting—Misceldnea de Comercio, Artes y Literature (1819-21) and El Censor (182o-22).

When Cristina became regent in 1833 those antagonistic to the press lost much of their power and many new periodicals began to come out. To a great extent they also began to free themselves from foreign influence.

The publication of reviews is one of the most characteristic features of present day Spain; they are generally literary. Every town or province has its own organ. The most important general review iirthe loth century was La Lectura, but it has mow ceased to appear. At present there is La Revista de Occidente (1923) edited by Ortega y Gasset ; Residencia published by the Residencia de Estudiantes, Madrid, is also good and of greater interest than its title would imply. Mention may also be made of the Gaceta literaria; La Pluma and La Revista hispano americana de ciencias, tetras y artes (1921).

Switzerland.

The Nova litteraria helvetica (1703-15) of Zurich is the earliest literary periodical which Switzerland can show. This was followed by the Bibliotheque italique (1728-36) and the Bibliotheque britannique (1796-1815) both published at Geneva. The leading Swiss periodicals now are La revue men suelle (Geneva, 1897); La Revue de Geneve Biblio theque universelle (1816), and Revue Suisse (1838) amalgamated in 1838 as the Bibliotheque universelle et revue suisse. La Suisse romande (1885) only lasted twelve months. Theologie et phi losophie (1868-1872), an account of foreign literature on those subjects, was continued as Revue de theologie et de philosophie (1873) at Lausanne. Among later periodicals may be mentioned Archives de psychologie de la Suisse romande (190 1) edited by Flournoy and Claparede; Jahresverzeichnis der schweizerischen Universitiitsschriften (1897-1898) ; Untersuchungen zur neueren Sprach- und Literaturgeschichte (1903); Zwingliana: Mitteil ungen zur Geschichte Zwingli und der Reformation (1897).