Diacritica 25-2_Filosofia.indb - cehum - Universidade do Minho

QUEEN CAROLINE AND THE PRINT CULTURE OF REGENCY RADICALISM
179
Th e editorial success of these new texts suggests that cultural authority
was moving to a new readership. In this sense, the political satire and the
radical journalism issued during the Queen Caroline aff air were not the
last expression of an old, ‘blackguard’ culture on the verge of extinction.
Th ey have contributed to long-lasting redefi nitions of political and cultural
authority at a time of waning royal power and expanding print media.
Despite the failure of Regency radicalism to bring about political change,
the radical press made a substantial contribution to the victory of public
opinion. Public opinion was, in eff ect, the long-lasting winner of the Queen
Caroline aff air.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Dr. Joanne Paisana, my PhD supervisor at the University
of Minho, for her kind review of this paper and her permanent support
and advice.
Th is research was funded by a Ph. D grant from FCT (Fundação para a
Ciência e Tecnologia) and a sabbatical leave from the Portuguese Ministry
of Education.
References
Primary Sources
Anonymous Publications
1784, Th e Wit of the Day, or Th e Humours of Westminster. Being a Complete Collection of
the Advertisements, Hand-Bills, Puff s, Paragraphs, Squibs, Songs, Ballads, &c., Which
Have Been Written and Circulated During the Late Remarkable Contest For that City,
Faithfully Compiled by A Clerk to a Committee, London, Printed for the Compiler.
1820, Examination Extraordinaire of the Vice R–y of B–d–yboro! Alias Th e Handsome
Gentleman, London.
1971, “Th e Radical Ladder; or Hone’s Political Ladder and his Non Mi Ricordo Explained
and Applied, Th e Designs of the Radicals Developed, and their Plans Traced, A
Satyrical Poem, with Copious Notes”, Rickword, E. (ed.), Radical Squibs and Loyal
Ripostes. Satirical Pamphlets of the Regency Period, 1819-1821. Illustrated by George
Cruikshank and others, Bath, Adams & Dart, pp. 211-35 [1820].
Diacritica 25-2_Filosofia.indb 179 05-01-2012 09:38:28