Junius (writer) facts for kids

Junius was the secret name of a British writer who wrote many letters to the Public Advertiser, a London newspaper. These letters appeared from January 21, 1769, to January 21, 1772. The writer had used this name, and possibly others, even before this period. All these letters, along with some personal ones, were later collected and published in 1772 as Letters of Junius.

Why the Secret Name "Junius"?

The writer might have chosen "Junius" because he had already used other Roman names like Lucius and Brutus. He may have wanted to complete the name of Lucius Junius Brutus, a famous Roman patriot. This Roman hero helped overthrow the Roman monarchy. Another idea is that the name came from the Roman poet Juvenal, who was also thought to have the name Junius.

Some people believe the author of the Junius letters wrote under many other secret names. They think he continued to do so even after the three years when the Junius letters were published. For example, he might have written as Philo-Junius. This character would defend Junius when people misunderstood his messages. There is also some small evidence he wrote as Veteran and Nemesis in the Public Advertiser.

Junius's Goals and Impact

The main Letters of Junius were for well-educated people. His other letters covered many different topics. Some were personal, like a complaint about William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington, the secretary at war.

Junius had clear goals for his main letters:

• To teach the public about their historical and legal rights as Englishmen.
• To show how the government was taking away these rights.

He especially targeted the government led by Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton. Junius saw Grafton, who was also a Whig, as very corrupt. Grafton's government started in October 1768 when William Pitt the Elder had to leave office due to illness. Junius wanted Pitt to return to power, as Pitt had recovered and disagreed with Grafton.

Junius's letters supported Whig ideas. For example, he showed sympathy for the American colonists and John Wilkes. He also often showed the Whig dislike for Scots. He felt they had too much political power in the King's court. Junius believed the King should see himself as an Englishman, not just a Briton. He wrote that the Scots "have no claim to your favour."

Junius kept his private letters, written in disguised handwriting. He wrote to Pitt, George Grenville, and John Wilkes. All of them were against the Duke of Grafton. He also wrote to Henry Sampson Woodfall, who printed and partly owned the Public Advertiser.

People found the letters interesting for three reasons:

• Their political importance.
• Their writing style.
• The mystery of who wrote them.

Some people thought his letters were just angry attacks. But if you look closely, Junius was a principled man ahead of his time. He exposed clear corruption using the only way he could: by staying anonymous. This happened in a country that was still learning about freedom of speech.

Junius started by criticizing the government for their wrongdoings. Sir William Draper tried to defend John Manners, Marquess of Granby, a popular military leader. This gave Junius an easy win against a weak opponent. During this short fight, Junius's writing style and cleverness became famous. He then realized he could really influence public opinion.

Junius confidently went on to expose the root of the problems. He targeted the governments of Grafton, Lord North (Grafton's cousin), and the Duke of Bedford. Junius mainly argued that Grafton made unfair choices for important jobs. He believed Grafton did this to stay popular with the Duke of Bedford and his group.

Two notable examples were Col. Henry Lawes Luttrell and Richard Rigby. Grafton made Luttrell a Member of Parliament for Middlesex instead of the elected Wilkes. He made Rigby the Paymaster of the Forces. Junius ended by attacking Lord Chief Justice Mansfield. Junius argued that Mansfield had set dangerous legal examples about press freedom and political libel during the Wilkes affair.

Junius was very disappointed that his letter to King George III on December 19, 1769, did not influence the King. He tried to encourage the King to forgive Wilkes and stop trusting corrupt officials. Junius was not a radical anti-royal Whig, as some suggest. However, he did explain to the public the true role of the royal prerogative (the King's special powers). He showed how these powers could benefit the country if used correctly.

The letters had a big impact. They made Grafton so unpopular that his government ended in January 1770. Junius was disappointed that Lord North replaced Grafton. In a private letter to Woodfall on January 19, 1773, Junius admitted he had not achieved all his goals. Despite this, Junius's letters were discussed for generations and spread across Europe in many languages. His ideas about fair elections, freedom of the press, and individual rights are now common. Few people in history have influenced so many and sparked such an interest in liberty.

Junius's Writing Style

In Junius's time, people studied and copied Latin literature. This included the sharp writings of Juvenal and the speeches of Cicero. These works inspired many writers. Junius did what others did, but he did it much better. This explains his quick popularity. His strength was his writing style. He was not always original, and his writing could be uneven. Some parts of his work were described as "a mere mixture of vinegar and water, at once vapid and sour."

But at his best, Junius wrote with great elegance and power. He was influenced by writers like Bolingbroke, Swift, and especially Tacitus. Tacitus seemed to be his favorite author. Junius never just copied them. He adapted their styles and made them his own. His style created an effect through persistence and repetition.

Who Read Junius's Letters?

Junius and his readers seemed to understand each other well. This helped his quick success. Before 1772, at least twelve unofficial copies of his letters were printed by people hoping to make money. In 1772, he edited a collection called Junius: Stat nominis umbra. It included a dedication to the English people and an introduction. Other independent editions quickly followed.

In 1801, Robert Heron published an edition with notes. In 1806, John Almon published another. The first truly important new edition came from the Woodfall family in 1812. It included Junius's letters to Henry Sampson Woodfall, other letters believed to be from Junius, copies of his handwriting, and notes by John Mason Good. People became more interested in the mystery of who wrote the letters than in their political or literary value. Junius himself knew that keeping his identity secret made him more important. He wrote to Wilkes on September 18, 1771, "The mystery of Junius increases his importance."

Woodfall believed that: When kings and ministers are forgotten, and when the impact of personal criticism is no longer understood, this book will contain principles worthy of being passed down to future generations.

Who Was Junius?

The true identity of Junius is still a big question and a topic of debate. It might never be fully solved unless new documents are found. Some experts believe Philip Francis was Junius. William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne claimed to know who Junius was just before he died in 1805, but he never shared what he knew.

Junius's Legacy Today

The name "Junius" has been used by others over time.

• Rosa Luxemburg published the Junius Pamphlet in 1916. This text became a key document for the Spartacus League, a group that later helped form the Communist Party of Germany.
• The Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail has for many years printed a quote from Junius on its editorial page: "The subject who is truly loyal to the Chief Magistrate will neither advise nor submit to arbitrary measures. Junius".

See also

• Letters of Junius
• Identity of Junius