An atheistical weekly periodical that ran for two years - 1842 and 1843 - London. There were four editors in succession - the first three being arrested, one after the other, for blasphemy or like charges. Charles Southwell (C.S.), George Jacob Holyoake (G.J.H.), Thomas Patterson (T.P.), William Chilton (W.C.). Southwell writes in a frank matter - with turns; an original thinker. Holyoake affects learnedness. Patterson is determined - his trial is straight out of a Charles Dickens. Chilton writes the scientific "Theory of Regular Gradation" columns that are neutral toned, but also writes forceful essays. There are several regular columns, such as "Is There a God?", "Symbol Worship", "To the Socialists of England" in addition to the "Theory of Regular Gradation". Also are the circumstances of the editors' arrests, trials, and gaol. The full trials are published separately.
A lot of it is funny. What made me laugh the most was "The Theological Dictionary" Vol 2 p44 "Xcommunication - something to laugh at" - that would sum up the cant here. Also Vol 1 p108 "The christians act somewhat like amphibious animals, if pursued they stir the mud, so that there is no seeing them, and you have to wait till the water clears again" "darkness and obscurity of nonsense". There's not much sympathy for the "morbidly sensitive", they pointing out how they themselves are treated; though Southwell expresses want for amiable conversation with anyone.
Definition of atheism - abscent form the Theological Dictionary - I was watching for a definition later but best I can recall it was stated a couple times as "belief there is no god or gods", or "belief there is no evidence there is a god or gods". Sometimes expressed as against "supernaturalism"; and of course against "goddism". The word "agnostic" never comes up. The word "skeptic" comes up a few times. Materialism is deemed integral to it. Belief matter is eternal, as can't be destroyed - and likewise has no beginning and no creator. There's some entwinement with socialism. What's primarily wanted is freedom of expression and opinion.
Revelation is completely dismissed. "Evident design" is dismissed a posteori. Deism is challenged by asserting they can't say whether there is one god or many gods and deists are just not quite there yet atheists. One writer, Mackintosh, which some other writers insult, seems between deism and atheism. Another ---- is outlandish and you don't know where he's coming from with wild claims - but he's included, though ridiculed.
My favorite column was the "Theory of Regular Gradation" column by Chilton - this seventeen years before Darwin's Origin of Species- mostly comparative anatomy. Vol 1 p78 life changing with conditions from simplest form - a rudimentory theory of evolution. No natural selection and he in fact doesn't understand artificial selection "breeding" either, thinking varieties of dogs all being mongrels of various degree of several pre-existing species - this after discussing the definition of species, that being individuals that can only breed together and have reproducing offspring, which he doesn't agree with. Later Vol2 p279 species changed by their environment and external condition through a sufficient number of centuries - and quotes the opinion of an M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire (Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire) that "there has been an uninterrupted succession in the animal kingdom effected by means of generation, from the earliest ages of the world up to the present day; and that the ancient animals whose remains have been preserved in the strata, however different, may nevertheless have been the ancestors of those now in being", then goes into Lamarck's (Jean-Babtiste Lamarck) theory of transmutation of species.