The Black Dwarf (1817–1824) was a satirical radical journal of early 19th century Britain.
[1] It was published by Thomas Jonathan Wooler, starting in January 1817 as an eight-page newspaper, then later becoming a 32-page pamphlet.
When the radical William Hone was tried for publishing a parody of parts of the Book of Common Prayer and acquitted in January 1818, Wooler based his response on "This Is the House That Jack Built": This is the verdict recorded and found, By the Jury unbiass'd, unpack'd and unfrowned That frighten'd the Judge so choleric and old, Who swore "by the oath of his office" so bold, 'Twas an impious, blasphemous libel, and so, The man should be ruined ex-oficio, By the servant of servants who blustered so big, With his ears in his hand and his wits in his wig; To please the Ministers Who hated the truth That was told by the man Who published the parodies.
Thomas Jonathan Wooler started publishing The Black Dwarf as a new radical unstamped journal in response to the Gagging Acts passed by the British government in January 1817.
After his main patron Major John Cartwright died in 1824 Wooler gave up publishing the journal on a despondent note: "In ceasing his political labours, the Black Dwarf has to regret one mistake, and that a serious one.