Letters of Junius facts for kids

The Letters of Junius is a famous collection of letters written between 1769 and 1772. These letters were very critical of the government of King George III. The person who wrote them used the secret name Junius. No one knows for sure who Junius really was, but some people think it was Philip Francis.

The collection also includes letters from people who wrote back to Junius. In 1772, these letters were put together into two books. They were published by Henry Sampson Woodfall, who owned a London newspaper called the Public Advertiser.

What Were the Letters About?

The collection has 69 letters in total.

• 29 letters were sent to the Public Advertiser newspaper. These were meant for everyone to read.
• 40 letters were sent to specific people. These letters were later made public too.

Some letters were written by someone called Philo Junius. Some people believe Philo Junius was actually Junius himself.

The Famous 1772 Edition

Before 1772, some unofficial versions of the letters were printed. But the 1772 edition, published by Woodfall, was special. Many believed Junius himself helped put it together.

This edition starts with a "Dedication to the English Nation." In this part, Junius explained that he wanted to teach the public. He also thanked them for their support. In the "Preface," Junius gave Woodfall the rights to publish the letters.

Legal Challenges for Publishers

Publishing critical letters about the government was risky back then.

• In 1770, Henry Sampson Woodfall faced legal action for printing the letters.
• The government argued that his actions were dangerous to the country.
• The jury decided that Woodfall was responsible for printing the letters.
• However, the judge, Lord Mansfield, decided to end the case without a final decision.
• Because of this, Woodfall was set free.

Other people also faced similar problems for publishing these letters.

• John Almon, a bookseller, and John Miller, a printer, also went to court.
• Miller was found not guilty.
• Almon was found responsible, but he did not seem to receive any punishment.

Speaking Freely in Parliament

The next year, there was another important event.

• The Speaker of the House ordered the arrest of John Wheble.
• Wheble was accused of publishing what was said in Parliament.
• But John Wilkes, who was a city official, dismissed the charges.
• Later, Miller was also accused of the same thing.
• The Lord Mayor of London, Brass Crosby, also dismissed the charges, following Wilkes's example.
• These events were important for the freedom of the press.

See also

• Identity of Junius