A summary of the history of the Literary Debating Society is available on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds (see ‘Additional Notes’ below).

Whilst becoming more proficient in their rhetorical skills at their meetings, the purpose of starting a society magazine was so that members might improve their writing. The preface is in part a manifesto for the magazine, and quotes Lord Bacon: ‘reading makes a full man, speaking a ready man, and writing a correct man’. This was to become an oft-used phrase by literary societies more generally over the course of the nineteenth century.

Name of Club, Society or Group That Produced the Magazine

Literary Debating Society (Glasgow)

Date of Existence

1845?-1846?

Date of Magazine

Nos. 1-3, 1 December 1845 – 13 February 1846

Number of Issues

3

Manuscript/Published Magazine

Print

Contents and Contributions

Articles (non-fiction); Notice (printed); Poem (translation); Preface; Song (vernacular)

Repository

University of Glasgow Special Collections

Reference

The Literary Magazine, ed. by members of the Literary Debating Society, No. 1 (Glasgow: Printed by George Richardson, 1845); The Literary Magazine, ed. by members of the Literary Debating Society, Dec. 1845-Feb. 1846 (Glasgow: George Richardson 1846) (Sp Coll Mu1-d.13; Sp Coll RB 3049)

[Note: the University of Glasgow Special Collections holds two copies]

Additional Notes

From the University of Glasgow online catalogue: ‘Library holds: No. 1-3, 1 Dec. 1845-13 Feb. 1846. Copy at Mu1-d.13 has front and back covers of no.1 & 2, and front cover of no. 3, bound in. Copy at RB 3049 is item 1 of 5 bound together’ [accessed 31 January 2018].

See also entry for Literary Debating Society on our sister website, Glasgow’s Literary Bonds.