Ralph Griffiths
Ralph Griffiths | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.1720 Shropshire, England |
| Died | 1803-09-28 |
| Occupation(s) | Publisher, journal editor, bookseller |
| Years active | 1741–circa 1780 |
| Known for | Founder and editor of the Monthly Review |
Ralph Griffiths (circa 1720 – 28 September 1803) was a publisher and journal editor of Welsh heritage based in England. In 1749, he launched the Monthly Review (1749–1845), recognized as London's inaugural successful literary periodical, and remained its editor until his passing.
Biography
Originating from Shropshire, Griffiths initially worked as a watchmaker in Stone, Staffordshire. Around 1741, he relocated to London to join the bookseller Jacob Robinson. By 1747, he had opened the Sign of the Dunciad adjacent to his shop. Two years later, he introduced the Monthly Review, which swiftly attained financial success, generating an approximate annual income of £2,000. The magazine gained a reputation for its critical perspective on uninspired writers.
A passionate bibliophile and essay collector, Griffiths advocated for the literary acknowledgment of women poets and novelists. In his 1798 critique of Elizabeth Moody's Poetic Trifles, he commended the emergence of talented female authors.
In 1748, Griffiths released a pamphlet titled "The Expediency and Necessity of Revising and Improving the Public Liturgy." Alongside his brother Fenton in 1750, he published John Cleland's contentious work Fanny Hill, which they acquired for £20 but reportedly yielded £10,000 in profits.
In 1758, Griffiths printed James Ralph’s pamphlet The Case of Authors by Profession or Trade, Stated, which defended the concept of paid authorship. His magazine endorsed this work as an equitable representation of the difficulties faced by professional writers.
Griffiths’ spouse oversaw much of the financial management and was a frequent contributor to The Monthly. Despite her involvement, competition from The Critical Review compelled Griffiths around 1761 to sell a 25% stake in the publication.
His editorial leadership achieved international acclaim; Benjamin Franklin remarked in 1764 on the magazine’s impact reaching America through transatlantic commercial channels.
By 1780, Griffiths had reacquired full control but had mostly withdrawn from active bookselling. He passed away in his eighties at Linden House, Turnham Green (present-day Chiswick High Road), London.
Bibliography
- Kent, Elizabeth E. Goldsmith and His Booksellers. Clifton, NJ: A. M. Kelley, 1973.
- Lonsdale, Roger (ed). Eighteenth-Century Women Poets: An Oxford Anthology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Further reading
- Curwen, History of Booksellers, Old and New
- Goldsmith, Works, vol. 2
- Ralph Griffiths - Author of "Ascanius; or the Young Adventurer" - 1746