Salmagundi (periodical)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Salmagundi
Author Washington Irving
(with James Kirke Paulding and William Irving, Jr.)
Original title Salmagundi; or The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. & Others
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Satire
Publisher David Longworth
(New York)
Publication date 1807-1808
Media type Print (Periodical)
ISBN ISBN 978-0-94045014-1 (reprint)
Preceded by 'Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle'
Followed by 'A History of New York'

Salmagundi; or The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. & Others, commonly referred to as Salmagundi, was a 19th century satirical periodical created and written by American writer Washington Irving. Written in collaboration with Irving's oldest brother, William, and James Kirke Paulding, Irving produced twenty issues at irregular intervals between January 24, 1807 and January 15, 1808.

Salmagundi lampooned New York culture and politics in a manner much like today's Mad magazine.[1] It was in the November 11, 1807 issue that Irving first attached the name "Gotham" to New York City.[2]

Irving and his collaborators published the periodical using a wide variety of pseudonyms, including Will Wizard, Launcelot Langstaff, Pindar Cockloft, and Mustapha Rub-a-Dub Keli Khan.

Irving and Paulding discontinued Salmagundi in January 1808, following a disagreement with publisher David Longworth over profits.

[edit] References

  • Irving, Washington. "Letters of Jonathan Oldstyle, Gent./Salmagundi." The Complete Works of Washington Irving, Volume 6. Edited by Bruce Granger & Martha Hartzog. (Twayne, 1977) ISBN 0-8057-8509-4
  • Jones, Brian Jay. Washington Irving: An American Original. (Arcade, 2008) ISBN 978-1-55970-836-4

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Jones, 82.
  2. ^ Burrows, Edwin G. and Mike Wallace. Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898. (Oxford University Press, 1999), 417.