Intended as a review journal, for both science and literature, it has been called "probably the last attempt, in Victorian England, to keep together liberal scientists, theologians, and men of letters.
"[1][2] The Reader was set up in 1862 by Thomas Hughes and Norman Lockyer, neighbours in Wimbledon, to cover art, religion and science.
[8] The editors of the science section were Thomas Henry Huxley and John Tyndall.
But the December 1864 editorial "Science and Church Policy" by Huxley damaged circulation, by offending Christian Socialists.
[15] As far as Bendyshe's interests in human diversity went, James Hunt set up as successor the Popular Magazine of Anthropology in early 1866.