First issue of The Westminster Review published

Background. The Westminster Review was a quarterly British publication established in 1823 as the official organ of the Philosophical Radicals. Jeremy Bentham founded and funded the journal, having long considered establishing a periodical to propagate radical views. It was co-founded with James Mill, serving as a platform for younger disciples who exerted influence in British public life through Bentham's ideas.

Inaugural Content. The first edition, published in January 1824, featured an article by James Mill that served as a provocative reprobation of the Edinburgh Review. Mill castigated the rival journal as an organ of the Whig party, criticizing its propensity for fence-sitting in the aristocratic interest. This article was continued in the second issue by his son, John Stuart Mill.

Early Contributors. American critic and activist John Neal published many articles in the journal's early years while serving as Jeremy Bentham's personal secretary. His contributions occurred during the period of the journal's initial establishment and operation, reflecting the collaborative nature of the Philosophical Radicals' intellectual network.