The Anti-Jacobin was founded by the Tory politician, George Canning, in 1797. The intention of the journal was to combat the radical political ideas which had emerged as a result of the French Revolution. Canning was particularly concerned with the work of William Hazlitt, Robert Southey and Samuel Taylor Coleridge that were appearing in journals such as The Monthly Magazine and The Watchman.

The Anti-Jacobin appeared weekly from 20th November 1797 to 7th July 1798. The editor was William Gifford and contributors included George Canning, James Gillray and John Hookham Frere.