Red Dragon

The Red Dragon, The National Magazine of Wales, was a monthly English-language literary magazine published in Cardiff, Wales, from February 1882 until June 1887. It was edited by Charles Wilkins until July 1885 when James Harris took over. Although directed primarily at the people of South Wales, it was intended "to make known to the greater English world the characteristics and aims of the Welsh people and the beauties of their language and literature". The magazine included articles on the history of Wales (emphasising its recent history), biographies, poetry and serial novels. The closure of the magazine elicited numerous expressions of regret in local newspapers in 1887. The Red Dragon remains a useful historical resource for modern scholars as a record of traditional lore. Background The 1880s was a pivotal time of social change for Wales, especially in terms of the effects of industrialisation on traditional rural culture, language, religion, education, and politics. Three-quarters of the population spoke Welsh (though most not exclusively) but a middle-class culture had developed that identified English with business and success. While there were "articulate and powerful groups of business and professional Welshmen who congregated in London", Wales was considered by many British people to be little more than a picturesque relic of earlier times.