The Colonial Literary Journal and Weekly Miscellany of Useful Information began publication on 27 June 1844. In the editors' 'Introductory Address', the guiding principles of the journal were announced: 'we intend to uphold the Christian faith' and to display 'no acerbity of party-feeling'. In a further editorial column in the same issue, simply titled 'Ourselves', the editors write that their object is 'to diffuse knowledge in its varied forms of Literature, Morals and Politics'. They express the hope that the journal will 'gradually become a standard work of sound principles, of the strictest integrity, and a faithful chronicler of the Australian Colonies'.
Within a month of commencement, the Colonial Literary Journal had established agents in Sydney, Parramatta, Windsor, Bathurst, West Maitland, Camden, Campbelltown, Penrith, Liverpool and Gunning.
Each number of the journal, up to issue number 24, included a lesson on Ancient History. There were regular essays on developments in the sciences and there was often a biographical sketch or an instructional piece on moral conduct. Subjects for essays ranged from the character of metals and the uses of electricity to opinions on eloquence, justice and prudence. There were also essays on British poets such as Spenser and Burns.
The Colonial Literary Journal reprinted literary items from, mainly, British publications. These sources included the London Journal, Leigh Hunt's Journal, Blackwood's, Tait's Magazine, Chambers' Journal, the Edinburgh Literary Journal and the Edinburgh Magazine. The reprinted items included poetry by George Herbert, William Wordsworth, Thomas Hood, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Thomas Dale and Robert Montgomery. Several extracts from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol were also published.
The first twenty-seven issues of the Colonial Literary Journal were bound at the end of the 1844 and an editors' preface was incorporated into the bound volume. At that time the editors claimed the number of subscribers as being 'not now less than five hundred'. The preface also commented on the fact that discussion of colonial politics had been restricted in the journal. The reason given was that 'the literary portion of the paper has been allowed to preponderate, and it was thought fit to abstain from the field of controversy'. The decision to put the emphasis on 'general literature' was said to account for 'the scanty abstracts afforded of British, foreign, and domestic intelligence'. (26 December 1844)
From the outset, the editors declared their intention to publish 'original and select Poetry'. The colonial poet most regularly represented was Charles Harpur (q.v.) along with several contributions from 'The Australian Shepherd', Gaffer Grey and Aeneas (qq.v.) (The latter two poets also wrote prose pieces for the journal.) The editors periodically provided feedback to aspiring contributors explaining the reasons for the rejection of their work, suggestions for improvements or notice of intention to publish.
The Colonial Literary Journal also fostered colonial short story writing. On 23 January 1845, the editors' wrote: 'It will give us much pleasure to receive tales written, like the foregoing ['Kalangloa: A Tale of the Hawkesbury'], with an especial reference to colonial manners, scenes, customs, and events. We are satisfied that there is already a plentiful harvest for the lover of fiction to be gathered from Life in Australia.'
On 13 March 1845, the journal gave notice to subscribers that due to 'the present low rate of subscription being found inadequate for the defraying of the actual necessary expenses of the publication of the work' the intention was to raise the subscription rate, per quarter, to four shillings and sixpence (for Sydney subscribers) and five shillings (for country subscribers). A fortnight later, the editors boldly wrote: 'We are happy to state that we are in possession of additional contributions from Mr. Harpur, which will receive our prompt attention.' Those contributions were never to appear in the pages of the Colonial Literary Journal. The journal ceased publication, without explanation, on 27 March 1845.
