1746-+The+British+Magazine

The Year 1746 in England =//**The British Magazine**//= The first official publication of //The British Magazine// was released in January 1746 which was edited by John Hill. The preface of the first edition states that this publication had been written and distributed before this time, but because it had “risen to the quantity proper to be bound up in a volume,” (Hill 2), that it was time to formally legitimatize the magazine. From March-August 1746, this magazine consists of a wide variety of topics. Each monthly edition consists of pieces from other periodicals and plays, political commentary, world history, pieces of poetry, lists of works that came out that month, religious commentary, and the occasional miscellaneous piece, such as how to garden or how to observe art. This magazine is not strictly political, although there is much political conversation throughout, because it also gives a wider view of what people of Britain during this time were experiencing on a day to day, and more relatable level. 1746 was quite a crazy year due to foreign and domestic affairs. The Jacobite cause was nearing its end, and the magazine had a strong opinion on the issue. Routed in pro-Catholicism views and the desire to restore James VII to the throne, the Jacobite Risings and Catholicism had very few supporters in England, according to this specific magazine. Although James VII had already died by this point in time, the political movement continued on. James Frances Edward Stuart and his son Charles Frances Stuart continued the movement. In late 1745, Charles started the last rebellion in Scotland (Hill 221). //The British Magazine// had much to say about this topic. In the March 1746 edition, there is a section titled, “Some reasonable remarks and proofs of the horrid antiquities, artifices, and collusion of Popery, very necessary to be reviewed and considered at this juncture, in a letter to the author of the magazine” (Hill, 8). This piece is very anti-Catholic and against the rebellion. It writes, “Religion and Liberties of our dear and happy country are threaten’d with subversion by the bold and daring endeavors of an avowed popish party” (Hill 8). This “party” refers to the Jacobite cause. It goes on to talk about how Catholicism is anti-Christian and is a degeneracy. The whole piece discusses the shortcomings of the Pope and there is a list of things that he gave absolution for, such as rape, murder and abortion. This piece, among others throughout the magazine are very anti-Catholic and push for British citizens to see the error in the ways of Catholicism and the Jacobite cause. This is not the only piece in the magazine to talk about the Jacobite cause and Catholicism as very negative causes. The rebellion, while well received by some and supported by Catholics, was a very controversial interest in Britain. Many “rebels” were put on trial, which is recounted in a piece titled, “An account of the Trial of the Rebels” in the July 1746 issue. Although the rebellions officially ended in late 1745, the aftermath and ideals that stemmed from lingered well into the following years. The political and religious influences carried over into other aspects of life, such as the theater. The issue and controversy of Catholicism in conjunction with the Jacobite cause was one main interest in 1746 Britain, as exemplified through the magazine itself, but this was certainly not the only thing that was discussed. Throughout the magazine, there are glimpses of the political and religious tone of the time, but there are also plenty of more light-hearted topics that are introduced. There is much discussion about the theater, poetry, the economy, and other miscellaneous things that would be found in magazines today, such as prices of goods and discussion of popular art. The most overarching and prevalent topics in the magazine in this year, however, have to do with religion and politics, and even some of the more pop-culture pieces have undertones of the religion and political views of the day.

=//**The London Stage**//= The Jacobite rebellion and subsequent public sentiments had quite an effect on the theater season that year. Managers of playhouses attempted to take advantage of the present rebellion interest by reviving such plays such as Lee’s //Massacre at Paris//, and Ford’s //Perkin Warbeck.// Charles Macklin even whipped up a new play hastily called//Henry VII.// (Scouten 1181). The rebellion sparked a number of performances about war and rebellion, as well as anti-Catholic plays. However, many shows were canceled due to attendance and certain theaters, such as Drury Lane, lost many profits that year and suffered greatly. Both those who performed and held plays, as well as operas, suffered in the late 1745 and early 1746 theater season. The entire opera season was postponed this year and the opera company was unable to give the fifty performance promised to their subscribers, which lead to quite heavy losses on their part. The Hallam tribe suffered particularly harshly that year as well, at the theater of Goodman’s Fields. They had started strong, joining other theaters by reviving a number of Anti-Catholic plays, such as //The Debauchees,// but on Easter Monday, they were forced to re-open as a pantomime house. As a clear sign of their struggles, admission prices dropped. Drury Lane and Goodman’s Field were two prominent theaters who suffered greatly during this politically unstable year. Things in the public and political sphere were so unsettled that people began to look for a sense of national pride. This spearheaded the practice of singing the national anthem- //God Save the King//. All three major theaters including Goodman’s Field, Drury Lane, and Covent Garden adopted the practice of having the anthem sung before a play or opera (Scouten 1247). Because of the political and social strife of this year, //God Save the King// allowed for people to unite on one issue that they each had in common which was allegiance to their country. Although the theaters were hit hard economically, certain aspects of life remained the same. For example, The //General Advertiser// remained the chief source of information about the theatres. In saying that, people read //The Daily Advertiser// for information as well. These sources of news provided information about the plays that were shown throughout the year, which included a wide variety. Other than anti-Catholic plays and shows about rebellion, many Shakespearian plays were performed toward the beginning of the year. However, what the London Stage refers to as legitimate drama, was abandoned for more political plays at a lot of theaters (Scouten 1249). Partly because of this and partly because of the extension of the season into the summer, many people appeared at more than one of the three main theaters. Despite the trials and tribulations toward the beginning of this season, the theaters, generally speaking, maintained a very diverse, group of actors, plays and patrons. Later this season and in the beginning of the 1746-1747 season, theaters regained legitimacy with better performances and actors. The three major theaters each did better this following season, particularly Covent Garden (Scouten 1249). The other two main theaters were forced to perform at a higher caliber in order to compete, which lead to higher success for all. In sum, the theatrical season of 1746 was a rollercoaster. It began with little success due to political strife and backlash of war. However, the theater came out of 1746 and entered 1747 on a high note.

=// **The Debauchees** //= // The Debauchees: or, the Jesuit Caught // was a comedy performed at Drury Lane. It was originally written as //The Despairing Debauchee// in 1732 by Henry Fielding, but was later revised in early 1746. Written about a manipulating Priest, the play was brought back in theaters during the 1745-1746 season in order to stir up anti-Catholic Sentiments. The revised title with the addition of //The Jesuit Caught// was added for this purpose as well. It ran over 20 times that season (Hill 233). The play was more successful after its revision and was better received in the theater than its original release. The play opens as Isabel, one of the main characters, tells Beatrice, a younger, less leading role that she should not join the convent. She taunts Beatrice and tells her that being a nun will do little good and that she is too busy looking forward to heaven that she is going to miss the world around her (Fielding 1). This sentiment of mocking or belittling Catholicism and its ways are prevalent throughout the text. Another prevalent character, Old Laroon, very openly degrades Catholicism and Father Martin, another main character, and the “Debauchee” of the play. He and many other main characters manipulate whoever they can throughout the story in order to get what they want. The overall plot of the play involves Isabel, the daughter of Jourdain, who betrothed to marry the younger Laroon. When she goes to confession with Father Martin and reveals to him that she does not love the younger Laroon, Father Martin urges her not to marry him. Shortly after this, Jourdain goes to confession and reveals awful crimes to Father Martin. Father Martin, because he is infatuated with Isabel and does not want her to marry, tells Jourdain that he must send his daughter to the nunnery in order to be absolved from his sins. Jourdain, who does not see Father Martin’s true intentions, attempts to force Isabel into the convent. Father Martin is not the only manipulative character of the story. Both of the Laroon men manipulate the gullible Jourdain for their own reasons and they do so by pretending to be priests. The entire play is very anti-Catholic for a number of reasons. A very large reason is that Father Martin uses his position of power in the church in order to be in a situation where he can more easily seduce a woman who is supposed to marry another man. It also shows how blindly people follow what they are told by religious authorities. Jourdain is manipulated into doing things that he would have never agreed to do by a priest and two fake priests. In the end, Isabel exposes the seducing and conniving Father Martin for what he is, which ends the play with a very strong sentiment that priests are evil. = = =** Concluding thoughts **= The year of 1746 in Great Britain was quite a chaotic one. The Jacobite rebellions and cause had begun to come to a close, but the sentiments that came out of these larger political evens had an effect people’s everyday lives. //The British Magazine// discussed the events from the rebellions in much detail, along with other less political issues. One strong sentiment that came out of these rebellions, however, was very anti-Catholic. Many pieces throughout the magazine from March-August included anti-rebellion and ant-Catholic motives. This does not only hold true for this newspaper, but the theater jumped on the anti-Catholic wagon as well in order to attempt at staying afloat. In reality, straying from more legitimate pieces and focusing on plays that had strong political undertones hurt the theater this year. Only when theaters returned to more legitimate drama did they regain business and succeed. One play that had strong anti-Catholic motives that did well in theater, however, was //The Debauchees, or the Jesuit Caught.// Although very ant-Catholic and serving a political purpose by being put on during a time of religious and political strife, the play was shown over 20 times at Drury Lane. In sum, 1746 was a very unsettled year with much debate on large issues such as politics and religion. Due to the controversial Jacobite cause which was linked to Catholicism, there were strong anti-Catholic views in every form of information, including magazines and theatrical performances.

Fielding, Henry. //The Debauchees: or the Jesuit Caught. Eighteenth Century Collections Online.//

2. 1746. 1-40. Web. 6 Apr. 2015

Hill, John. //The British Magazine.// March-August 1746. //British Periodicals.// Web. 6 Apr. 2015

Scouten, Arthur H. //The London Stage 1660 – 1800//, Part 3: 1729-1747. Carbondale, IL: Southern

Illinois Press. 1968. Print. 6 Apr. 2015