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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 16 September 2015
The Rambler, one of the leading English Catholic magazines of the nineteenth century, is best known as the literary organ of the Liberal Catholic movement. Founded in 1848 by a group of lay converts, it became the stormy petrel of Catholic periodical literature, coming into frequent conflict with the hierarchy, until its career was terminated by its last editor, Sir John (later Lord) Acton, in 1862. Despite the troubles with which it was beset, the Rambler contained many notable contributions to Catholic literature. Among these are a number of articles dealing with the history of English Catholicism since the Reformation, which may still be of interest to students of recusant history.
1. The Rambler (not to be confused with Samuel Johnson's journal of the same name) was commenced in January, 1848, as a weekly; became monthly with Vol. III (September, 1848), and continued as such until Vol. XII (December, 1853). A “New Series,” still monthly, began in January, 1854, and continued until Vol. XI, No. 2 (February 1859). Another “New Series” (actually the 3rd series) commenced in May, 1859, on a bi-monthly basis, and continued until the termination of the magazine with Vol. VI (May, 1862). The Rambler was succeeded by the quarterly Home and Foreign Review, 4 vols. (1852-1864). Library holdings of these periodicals may be ascertained from the British Union-Catalogue or the American Union List of Serials; because of bibliographical errors concerning the 2nd series, some complete files are made to appear incomplete.
2. The best available sketch of the history of the Rambler is Abbot (later Cardinal) Gasquet, “ Introduction” to Lord Acton and his Circle, despite Gasquet's numerous errors. See also the lives of Acton and Newman. The subject is dealt with more fully in an (as yet) unpublished doctoral dissertation, Josef L. Altholz, The Liberal Catholic Movement in England (MS, Columbia University, 1960).
3. There is no adequate biography of Simpson, whose reputation has suffered at the hands of some Catholic historians. The biographical sketch in the Dictionary of National Biography unfortunately perpetuates some errors with regard to his attitude towards the Vatican Decrees.
4. See No. 14, p.140.
5. Simpson criticised the Counter-Reformation Popes for sacrificing the spiritual welfare of the English Catholics to political interests: “These Popes lost England to the faith.” He was severely criticised for this by Newman, among others: See Wilfrid Ward, Life of John Henry Cardinal Newman (London, 1912), I, 518-9. See also Pollen, J. H. S.J., “An Error in Simpson's ‘Campion’,” The Month, CV (June, 1905), 592–599,Google Scholar which also criticises Simpson's statement that the Elizabethan Catholics were organised as a “secret society.”