The Edinburgh Review (the second of this title), was founded in 1802, and became one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century, alongside its literary ald political rivals The Quarterly Review, and Blackwood's Magazine, the latter also published in Edinburgh.
This is part of an investigation I've been doing into the use and spelling of
-ize suffix verbs and their spelling (
-ize or
-ise) in British English. For more details, related posts and the methods I've used, see the
-ize / -ise page. For more on the spelling of
-ize verbs in periodicals, see the
Periodicals start page.
The Edinburgh Review 1802 - 1929
Started on 10 October 1802 by Francis Jeffrey, Sydney Smith and Henry Brougham, it was published by Archibald Constable in quarterly issues until 1929. It began as a literary and political review. Under its first permanent editor, Francis Jeffrey (the first issue was edited by Sydney Smith), it was a strong supporter of the Whig party and liberal politics, and regularly called for political reform. Its main rival was the Quarterly Review which supported the Tories. The magazine was also noted for its attacks on the Lake Poets, particularly William Wordsworth. Wikipedia
In terms of the spelling of -ize suffix verbs, The Edinburgh Review follows a very similar pattern to its rivals, Blackwood's and The Quarterly. That's to say, it started off with z spellings being dominant, although not exclusively. The use of s spellings gradually increases as the nineteenth century progresses, led especially by the recognise family. Then z spellings make a last-ditch fight, only to finally lose out with a definitive move to s spellings.
The change, when it came, was overwhelming. Just as much as a change from z to s, it was a change from spelling chaos to spelling consistency.
What is fascinating about the change at the Review is that it came within a year or two of a similar change at its Edinburgh-based rival, Blackwood's Magazine, which changed difinitively in 1847. It is all the more frustrating, therefore, not to be able to pinpoint the change quite so accurately at the Review, but unfortunately, the relevant volumes don't seem to be available at Google Books, and I can't find any facsimiles elsewhere.
Main table comparing -ize verbs spelt with a z and with an s.
These figures are taken from looking at individual volumes at Google Books. Below these tables you can find checkable tables for the individual volumes. At the end is a list of all the volumes I've ben able to find at Google Books.
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | total | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation | total |
| Vol 1 1802 |
14 | 33 | 4 | 25 | 76 |
2 | 1 | | | 3 |
| Vol 10 1807 |
11 | 24 | 4 | 16 | 55 |
| | | | 0 |
| Vol 20 1812 |
16 | 33 | 3 | 13 | 65 |
3 | 4 | 1 | | 8 |
| Vol 30 1818 |
8 | 12 | 3 | 13 | 36 |
8 | 12 | 1 | | 21 |
| Vol 39 1824 |
4 | 27 | 4 | 6 | 41 |
5 | | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| Vol 50 1829-30 |
11 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 44 |
19 | 28 | 4 | 18 | 69 |
| Vol 59 1834 |
12 | 22 | 4 | 20 | 58 |
9 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 73 |
| Vol 70 1839-40 |
7 | 39 | 3 | 15 | 64 |
14 | 25 | 4 | 26 | 69 |
| Vol 80 1844 |
9 | 33 | 2 | 21 | 65 |
7 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Vol 81 1845 |
10 | 27 | 3 | 11 | 51 |
8 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Vol 83 1846 |
7 | 44 | 1 | 35 | 87 |
17 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 55 |
| Vol 85 1847 |
8 | 26 | 1 | 20 | 55 |
12 | 29 | 2 | 9 | 52 |
| Vol 91 1849-50 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 84 | 8 | 44 | 154 |
| Vol 100 1854 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | 79 | 10 | 49 | 174 |
| Vol 110 1859 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 54 | 5 | 49 | 126 |
| Vol 121 1865 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
25 | 52 | 8 | 32 | 117 |
| Vol 130 1869 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
22 | 55 | 5 | 39 | 121 |
| Vol 135 1872 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | 59 | 6 | 61 | 154 |
The story of recognise
There was a very strong tendency to spell recognise and its variants with an s well before there was a general shift to s. This reflects practice elsewhere, at Blackwood's, and in book publishing. Recognise is one of the most commonly used -ize verbs.
| -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| Vol 1 1802 |
5 | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| Vol 10 1807 |
3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| Vol 20 1812 |
5 | 5 | 2 | | 3 | 2 | | |
| Vol 30 1817 |
| | | | 8 | 11 | 1 | |
| Vol 39 1824 |
| | | | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Vol 50 1829-30 |
| | | | 7 | 20 | 1 | |
| Vol 59 1834 |
| | | | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| Vol 70 1839-40 |
| | | | 7 | 12 | | |
| Vol 80 1844 |
| | | | 4 | 14 | | |
| Vol 91 1849-50 |
| | | | 4 | 19 | 2 | |
| Vol 100 1854 |
| | | | 10 | 23 | 5 | |
Individual volumes
Click on the numbers to see the instances at Google Books.
Vol 1 1802
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 2 | | | 1 | | | |
| characterise |
| 3 | 1 | | | | | |
| civilise |
1 | 10 | | 12 | | | | |
| criticise |
1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| monopolise |
| 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 7 | | 12 | | | | |
| realise |
2 | 1 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
5 | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| sympathise |
2 | | | | | | | |
| totals |
14 | 33 | 4 | 25 |
2 | 1 | | |
Vol 10 1807
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | | | |
| characterise |
1 | 5 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| 9 | 3 | 13 | | | | |
| criticise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | 2 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 3 | | | | |
| realise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| recognise |
3 | 4 | | | | | | |
| sympathise |
2 | | | | | | | |
| totals |
11 | 24 | 4 | 16 |
| | | |
Vol 20 1812
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
| 2 | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| characterise |
4 | 5 | | | | 1 | | |
| civilise |
| 11 | | 9 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 3 | | | | |
| realise |
3 | 7 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
5 | 5 | 2 | | 3 | 2 | | |
| sympathise |
3 | | | | | | 1 | |
| totals |
16 | 33 | 3 | 13 |
3 | 4 | 1 | |
Vol 30 18187
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
3 | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| criticise |
| 6 | | 11 | | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| organise |
| 2 | | 2 | | | | |
| realise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 8 | 11 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
8 | 12 | 3 | 13 |
8 | 12 | 1 | |
Vol 39 1824
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | 1 | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 4 | | | | | | |
| characterise |
2 | 5 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
| 10 | 1 | 6 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| monopolise |
1 | | | | | | 1 | |
| organise |
| 6 | 1 | | | | | |
| realise |
| 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | | 1 | 1 | |
| totals |
4 | 27 | 4 | 6 |
5 | | 7 | 4 |
Vol 50 1829-30
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
1 | | | | | | | |
| authorise |
2 | 2 | | | 4 | 3 | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | 1 | | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| civilise |
| 9 | | | | 1 | | 16 |
| criticise |
| | | | 4 | | 2 | |
| monopolise |
3 | | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 5 | | | | 2 |
| realise |
2 | 9 | 3 | | 1 | 3 | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 20 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
3 | | | | 1 | | | |
| totals |
11 | 24 | 4 | 5 |
19 | 28 | 4 | 18 |
Vol 59 1834
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 5 | | | | | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 2 | 7 | | |
| civilise |
| 6 | | 1 | | | | 24 |
| criticise |
| | | | | | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 7 | 2 | 18 | | | | |
| realise |
5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 13 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
5 | | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
12 | 22 | 4 | 20 |
9 | 20 | 2 | 24 |
Vol 70 1839-40
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
2 | 11 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
| 3 | | | 5 | 9 | 2 | |
| civilise |
1 | 6 | | 3 | | 1 | | 26 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| monopolise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| organise |
1 | 10 | | 11 | | | | |
| realise |
2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 12 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
7 | 39 | 3 | 15 |
14 | 25 | 4 | 26 |
Vol 80 1844
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 2 | | | |
| authorise |
1 | 7 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
1 | 4 | | | | 3 | | |
| civilise |
| 10 | | 15 | | | | |
| criticise |
2 | | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| monopolise |
| 1 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 5 | | 4 | | | | |
| realise |
4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | | | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 14 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | 1 | | | | | | |
| totals |
9 | 33 | 2 | 21 |
7 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Vol 81 1845
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | | |
| authorise |
| 10 | | | | 1 | | |
| characterise |
| 2 | | | | | | |
| civilise |
1 | 6 | | 5 | | 1 | | |
| criticise |
2 | | | | 1 | | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
2 | 5 | | 6 | | | | |
| realise |
1 | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| recognise |
1 | 1 | 1 | | 6 | 20 | | |
| sympathise |
3 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
| totals |
10 | 27 | 3 | 11 |
8 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
Vol 83 1846
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | 2 | | |
| authorise |
1 | 10 | 1 | | | | | |
| characterise |
2 | 4 | | | 4 | 5 | | |
| civilise |
| 20 | | 20 | | | | |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| monopolise |
1 | 1 | | | | 1 | | |
| organise |
| 4 | | 14 | | 1 | | |
| realise |
1 | 3 | | 1 | | | | |
| recognise |
2 | | | | 11 | 26 | 1 | |
| sympathise |
| 2 | | | 1 | | | |
| totals |
7 | 44 | 1 | 35 |
17 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
Vol 85 1847
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| 2 | | 2 | 1 | 6 | | |
| characterise |
| 1 | | | 2 | | | |
| civilise |
| 13 | | 13 | | 8 | | 8 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| 2 | | | | | | |
| organise |
| 3 | | 4 | | | | 1 |
| realise |
5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| recognise |
2 | 1 | | | 5 | 12 | | |
| sympathise |
1 | | | | 2 | | | |
| totals |
8 | 26 | 1 | 20 |
12 | 29 | 2 | 9 |
Vol 91 1849-50
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | 2 | 4 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 1 | 9 | 1 | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 21 | | 25 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| organise |
| | | | 3 | 18 | 3 | 18 |
| realise |
| | | | 2 | 10 | | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 4 | 19 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 84 | 8 | 44 |
Vol 100 1854
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | 2 | 15 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 5 | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | 3 | 17 | | 29 |
| criticise |
| | | | 3 | 4 | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | 4 | 15 | 2 | 18 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 4 | | 2 |
| recognise |
| | | | 10 | 23 | 5 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
36 | 79 | 10 | 49 |
Vol 110 1859
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 3 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 3 | 8 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 7 | 1 | 5 |
| criticise |
| | | | 2 | 6 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 5 | | 43 |
| realise |
| | | | 7 | 5 | | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 5 | 18 | 3 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 1 | 2 | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
18 | 54 | 5 | 49 |
Vol 121 1865
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 9 | 1 | |
| characterise |
| | | | 4 | 4 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 7 | | 17 |
| criticise |
| | | | 3 | | 1 | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 3 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 6 | 3 | 15 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 10 | | |
| recognise |
| | | | 7 | 16 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
25 | 52 | 8 | 32 |
Vol 130 1869
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 7 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | | 2 | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 13 | | 25 |
| criticise |
| | | | | 1 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| organise |
| | | | 1 | 8 | | 13 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| recognise |
| | | | 10 | 17 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 3 | | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
22 | 55 | 5 | 39 |
Vol 135 1872
| Verb | -ize | -ise |
| -ize | -ized | -izing | -ization | -ise | -ised | -ising | -isation |
| apologise |
| | | | | | | |
| authorise |
| | | | | 4 | | |
| characterise |
| | | | 4 | | | |
| civilise |
| | | | | 18 | 3 | 32 |
| criticise |
| | | | 1 | 2 | | |
| monopolise |
| | | | 1 | | | |
| organise |
| | | | | 5 | 1 | 27 |
| realise |
| | | | 6 | 5 | | 2 |
| recognise |
| | | | 13 | 23 | 2 | |
| sympathise |
| | | | 3 | 2 | | |
| totals |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
28 | 59 | 6 | 61 |
The Edinburgh Review 1802-1929 at Google Books (NF = not found)
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