Scientific Construction in Portuguese Journalism of the Enlightenment (1749–1807)

Abstract

Between the censorship imposed during the Pombaline period and the disruption caused by the French invasions, the Portuguese periodical press disseminated many of the major scientific advances and discoveries of its time. This period witnessed the flourishing of scientific and encyclopaedic periodicals, in contrast with the general decline of the broader press between the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Reflecting the triumph

of Science and the innovations of the Enlightenment in Portugal, scientific publications proliferated, often in contrast to the Gazeta de Lisboa, the official and largely “submissive” publication. Many contemporary periodicals focused on commercial, agricultural, and literary matters, yet they also incorporated scientific knowledge and practical information. Imbued with the intellectual spirit of the Enlightenment, these publications became important vehicles for the dissemination of knowledge, heralding the late Portuguese Encyclopedism and bearing witness to a remarkable period for science that deserves renewed scholarly attention.