A Brief Handbook of English Authors

Boswell, James. 1740–1795. Biographer. His Life of Dr. Samuel Johnson is an incomparable work. Pub. Ho. Lit. Rou.

Boswell, James. 1779–1822. Son to preceding. Shakespearean scholar.

Boucicault [boo-se-ko´], Dion. 1822 – . Dramatist. Among his very numerous popular plays, London Assurance, Rip Van Winkle, The Corsican Brothers, Led Astray, and the Shaughran are perhaps the best. See Johnson's Cyc.

Bowles, Wm. Lisle. 1762–1850. Poet. Author Fourteen Sonnets, Village Verse Book, etc. A graceful writer, to whom Wordsworth and Coleridge attributed their own poetic inspiration.

Bowring [bour´ing], Sir John. 1792–1872. Philologist and poet. Best known as a writer of hymns of great beauty, among others, the familiar Watchman, Tell us of the Night. See Autobiographical Recollections, 1877. Pub. Dut.

Boyd, Andrew Kennedy Hutchinson. 1825 – . Scotch essayist. Author of Essays by a Country Parson, Graver Thoughts, Autumn Holidays, etc. He signed his essays with his initials A. K. H. B.

Boyle, Chas. 1676–1731. Famous for his controversy with Bentley concerning the Epistles of Phalaris. See Bentley, Richard.

Boyle, Robert. 1626–1691. Philosopher. A voluminous writer upon metaphysics and natural sciences.

Braddon, Miss. See Maxwell, Mrs. Mary E.

Bradley, Edward. "Cuthbert Bede." 1827 – . Humorist. Author Adventures of Verdant Green, etc.

Bradley, James. 1692–1762. Astronomical writer.

Brady, Nicholas. 1659–1726. Chiefly known for his share in the version of the Psalms prepared by him with Nahum Tate.

Bray, Mrs. Anna Eliza. 1790–1883. Miscellaneous writer of note. See Lit. World, Feb. 24, 1883.

Brewer, E. Cobham. 1810 – . Author Reader's Handbook, Dict. Phrase and Fable, Guide to Science, etc. Well edited and valuable books of reference. Pub. Clx. Lip.

Brewster, Sir David. 1781–1868. Scientist. Author Natural Magic, More Worlds than One, Lives of Newton, Kepler, etc. See Life, by his daughter, 1869. Pub. Har.

Brontë [brŏn´te], Anne. 1820–1849. Novelist. Sister to C. B. Author of Tenant of Wildfell Hall and Agnes Gray. Pub. Har.

Brontë, Charlotte. 1816–1855. Sister to A. B. and E. B. Novelist. Author of The Professor, Jane Eyre, Shirley, and Villette. A writer of great power and originality, whose Jane Eyre marks an era in the history of fiction. See Charlotte Brontë by T. W. Reid, 1877; Life of by Mrs. Gaskell, and H. Martineau's Biographical Sketches. Pub. Har.

Brontë, Emily. 1819–1848. Sister to C. B. Novelist. Her Wuthering Heights shows in places greater power than either of her sisters possessed, but as a whole is strained and unnatural. See Ward's Eng. Poets, vol. 4. Emily Brontë, by A. Mary F. Robinson, and London Athænum, June 16, 1883. Pub. Har.

Brooke, Arthur. – c. 1563. Poet. Wrote the Tragical Hist. of Romeo and Juliet, a paraphrase of Bandello's novel, the source of Shakespeare's drama.

Brooke, Charlotte. – 1793. Daughter to H. B. Author of Reliques of Irish Poetry translated into Eng. verse, etc.

Brooke, Mrs. Frances Moore. 1745–1789. Author of several novels, the opera Rosina, and a periodical called The Old Maid.

Brooke, Henry. 1706–1783. Author of plays, poems, and a once famous novel called The Fool of Quality. Pub. Mac.

Brooke, Lord. See Greville Fulk.

Brooke, Stopford. 1832 – . Religious writer. Author Life of F. W. Robertson, Freedom in the Ch. of England, Christ in Modern Life, Theology in the Eng. Poets, Primer of Eng. Lit., Sermons, etc. Style clear, thoughtful, and strong. Pub. Apl. Mac.

Brooks, Chas. Shirley. 1815–1874. Dramatist and Novelist. Author Poems of Wit and Humor, The Gordian Knot, etc. Pub. Har.

Broome, Richard. – 1562. Dramatist. Wrote in conjunction with others.

Brougham [broo´am or broo´m], Henry, Lord. 1779–1868. Statesman and orator. A man of strong intellect, whose speeches are among the ablest of his time. A versatile writer, among whose numerous works are Eloquence of the Ancients and Lives of Men of Letters. See Autobiography pub. 1871; Edinburgh Rev. April, 1858, and Life by Lord Campbell. His works in 10 vols., pub. 1857.

Broughton, Rhoda. 18 – . Novelist. Author of Red as a Rose is She, Nancy, Belinda, etc. Style spirited, but wanting in refinement of expression. Pub. Lit.

Brown, John. 1810–1882. Scotch essayist and physician. Best known by his exquisite story of Rab and his Friends. Pub. Hou.

Brown, Thomas. 1778–1820. Scotch philosophical writer.

Brown, Tom. 1663–1704. Humorous and immoral poet and miscellaneous writer.

Browne, Edward Harold. 1811 – . Bp. Winchester. Theologian. Author of The Pentateuch and Elohistic Psalms, Sermons on the Atonement, etc. Pub. Dut.

Browne, Isaac Hawkins. 1706–1760. Poet. Author of A Pipe of Tobacco, etc.

Browne, Sir Thos. 1605–1682. Author of a treatise on Christian Morals, Religio Medici, Hydriotaphia or Urn-Burial, etc. A writer of striking genius whose works will always attract thoughtful readers. Style meditative and imaginative, but frequently obscure. See complete edition in Bohn's Antiquarian Library. Pub. Mac. Rob.

Browne, Wm. 1590–1645. Poet. Wrote Britannia's Pastorals, Shepherd's Pipe, etc. His style is easy and harmonious, and some of his lyrics are yet read.

Browning, Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett. 1809–1861. Poet. By many critics given the highest place among poets of her sex, but her verse, in the main, appeals to a limited class of readers. It has a masculine strength, a passionate vehemence of expression, and it is often pathetic and tender, but its frequent obscurity is a grave defect. Aurora Leigh, Casa Guidi Windows, and Sonnets from the Portuguese, are among her chief works. See Letters of, edited by R. H. Hone, 1877, Contemporary Rev. 1873, and Stedman's Victorian Poets. Pub. Mil.

Browning, Robert. 1812 – . Poet. Husband to E. B. B. Author of a long series of poems, some of them obscure and enigmatical to the last degree, but all bearing the marks of great genius. Paracelsus, Sordello, Pippa Passes, The King and The Book, Fifine at the Fair, and Jocoseria are some of them. His circle of sincere admirers is small, but shorter poems of his, like Hervé Riel, and the Pied Piper of Hamelin, are widely known and read. See Lit. World, March 11, 1882, Century Mag. December, 1881, and Stedman's Victorian Poets. Pub. Hou.

Brunton, Mrs. Mary Balfour. 1778–1818. Scotch novelist. Author Self Control and Discipline. Pub. Har.

Bryant, Jacob. 1715–1804. Classical and mythological writer.

Bryce, James. 1810 – . Historian. Author Native Education in India, and The Holy Roman Empire. Pub. Har. Mac.

Brydges, Sir Sam'l Egerton. 1762–1837. A prolific writer in verse and prose. Style often fantastic and eccentric.

Buchanan, George. 1506–1582. Scotch poet and historian. Wrote a Latin version of the Psalms, and a Latin Hist. of Scotland. See Hallam's Lit. of Europe.

Buchanan, Robert. 1841 – . Scotch poet. Author Idyls and Legends, London Poems, Balder the Beautiful, etc. A writer of some power, but one whose verse is marred by frequent affectations. See Stedman's Victorian Poets, and Contemporary Rev. November, 1873. Pub. Har. Hou. Rou.

Buckhurst, Lord. See Sackville, Thos.

Buckingham, Duke of. See Villiers, George.

Buckinghamshire, Duke of. See Sheffield, John.

Buckland, Francis Trevelyan. 1826–1880. Naturalist. Son to W. B. Author Curiosities of Nat. Hist., Familiar Hist. British Fishes, etc.

Buckland, Wm. 1784–1856. Geological writer of note.

Buckle, Henry Thos. 1822–1862. Historian. His great work, The Hist. of Civilization, was left unfinished. His style is easy and flowing, but his inferences and conclusions are frequently controverted. See Atlantic Monthly, Jan. and April, 1863. Pub. Apl.

Budgell, Eustace. 1685–1736. Essayist. Author of all the papers in the Spectator signed X.

Bull, George. 1634–1710. Bp. St. David's. Theologian. An opponent of Calvinism, against which his Latin treatise, Harmonia Apostolica, is aimed.

Bulwer-Lytton, Sir Edward Geo. 1805–1873. Novelist and Poet. Several of his 25 novels, like The Caxtons, My Novel, Harold, and Kenelm Chillingly, are masterpieces of their kind. Others as well known are Pelham, Zanoni, Last Days of Pompeii, Rienzi, etc. Richelieu, Money, and Lady of Lyons are his most popular dramas. King Arthur and The New Timon are two of his longer poems. See Memoir, by Lord Lytton, Quarterly Rev., Jan. 1865, Blackwood's Mag. Mar., 1873, and Tennyson's poem The New Timon. Pub. Har.

Bulwer-Lytton, Edward Robert. "Owen Meredith." 1831 – . Poet. Son to preceding. Author of Lucile, Fables in Verse, The Ring of Amasis, etc. His verse has melody and strength, but Lucile, his chief poem, a novel in verse, is asserted to be a plagiarism. See Stedman's Victorian Poets.

Bunyan, John. 1628–1688. Allegorist. Author Pilgrim's Progress, Holy War, etc. The first named is the most famous allegory in the world. The product of a strong, vivid imagination, it holds the attention of cultured and uncultured minds alike. See Biographies of, by Southey, and Macaulay, and Bunyan, by J. A. Froude in Eng. Men of Letters.

Burke, Edmund. 1730–1797. Orator and statesman. As a political writer he has few equals. Among his best efforts are Letters on a Regicide Peace, Letters to a Noble Lord, and Orations on the Impeachment of Warren Hastings. Style polished and cultured. See Morley's Life of, 1867. See select works edited by E. J. Payne, 1874.

Burnand, Francis Cowley. 1837 – . Author Happy Thoughts, The New History of Sanford and Merton, etc. Pub. Rob.

Burnet, Gilbert. 1643–1715. Bp. Salisbury. Historian. Author Hist. Reformation, Hist. My Own Times, etc. A vivacious, diffuse narrator. See Macaulay's Hist. of England. Pub. Dut. Mac.

Burnet, James. Lord Monboddo. 1714–1799. An eccentric writer, noted for his theory that mankind once had tails, which the habit of sitting on had worn away.

Burnet, Thos. 1635–1715. Author Telluris Sacra Theoria, a fantastic system of Geology, written in an eloquent and majestic style.

Burney, Charles. 1726–1814. Author Gen. Hist. of Music, Life of Metastasio, etc. See Life, by his daughter, Madame D'Arblay.

Burney, Frances. See D'Arblay, Madame.

Burns, Robert. 1759–1796. Scotch poet. A singer of love songs. His verse shows a gentle, tender spirit, and a sympathy for all created things, new to the poetry of his day. Tam O'Shanter, Twa Dogs, and The Jolly Beggars, show the humorous side of his nature. The Cotter's Saturday Night, Auld Lang Syne, A Man's a Man for a' That, are universally known, and some of his lyrics will last as long as the language. See Carlyle's Misc. Essays; Craik's Eng. Lit. vol. 2; also Burns, by Shairp, in Eng. Men of Letters. Pub. Apl. Har. Hou. Por.

Burton, John Hill. 1809–1881. Scotch historian. Author Life and Correspondence of David Hume, Hist. Reign of Q. Anne, Hist. Scotland, etc.

Burton, Robert. 1576–1640. Author of Anatomy of Melancholy. Style fantastic, original, and diffuse. Pub. Apl. Clx. Dut.

Butler, Alban. 1710–1773. Author Lives of the Fathers, Saints, etc., Letters on the Hist. of the Popes, etc. See edition of the Lives, 1812, with Life of A. Butler by Chas. Butler.

Butler, Charles. 1750–1832. Neph. to A. B. Author Horæ Biblicæ, continuation of the Lives of the Saints, etc. See Alibone's Dict.

Butler, Joseph. 1692–1752. Bp. Bristol. Theologian. His great work, Analogy between Natural and Revealed Religion, is much studied and admired. See edition of his works, 1867. Pub. Har.

Butler, Samuel. 1612–1680. Satirical poet. His Hudibras, written in ridicule of the Puritans, is witty and spirited, but too long for the taste of modern readers. See edition of his works by Gilfillan, 1854. Pub. Apl.

Butler, Wm. Archer. 1814–1848. Author Lect. on Hist. of Ancient Philosophy, etc. See Woodward's Life of. Pub. Ca. Mac.

Byrd, Wm. 1540–1623. Poet. Author of the famous lines beginning, "My mind to me a kingdom is."

Byrom, John. 1691–1763. Pastoral poet.

Byron, Henry James. 1835 – . Dramatist. Author Babes in the Wood, Our Boys, Not such a Fool as he Looks, Good News, etc.

Byron, Lord. See Gordon, George.

Cædmon [kād´mo̯n]. – c. 680. Anglo-Saxon poet. A monk of Whitby, who wrote about 670 a metrical paraphrase of the Scriptures. It is accented and alliterative, like all Anglo-Saxon poetry, and marks the beginning of Eng. poetry. See Thorpe's edition of, London, 1832.

Calamy, Edmund. 1600–1666. Theological writer.

Calamy, Edmund. 1671–1732. Grandson to preceding. Author of the Nonconformists' Memorial, Defence of Moderate Nonconformity, etc. See his history of his Life and Times, edited by Rutt, 1829.

Calverley, Chas. Stuart. 1831 – . Poet. Author of Fly-Leaves, translation of Theocritus, etc. Pub. Ho.

Camden, Wm. 1551–1623. Antiquary. Author of Britannia, a Latin description of Britain, etc.

Campbell, George. 1709–1796. Scotch theologian. Author Dissertations on Miracles, Philosophy of Rhetoric, Lect. on Eccl. Hist., etc. Pub. Har.

Campbell, John. 1708–1775. Historical and political writer.

Campbell, John, Lord Chancellor. 1779–1861. Biographer. Author Lives of the Lord Chancellors, and Lives of the Chief Justices. See Edinburgh Rev. Oct. 1857; and see H. Martineau's Biographical Sketches. Pub. Apl. Lit.

Campbell, Thomas. 1774–1844. Scotch poet. Author Pleasures of Hope, Gertrude of Wyoming, etc., poems artificial in cast. His lyrics, like Hohenlinden, Ye Mariners of England, etc., are fine specimens of lyric verse. See Life of by Dr. Beattie, 1849. See W. M. Rossetti's edition of his poems with critical introduction.

Canning, George. 1770–1827. Writer of witty parodies. Needy Knife-Grinder, etc.

Carew, Lady Elizabeth. Fl. c. 1613. Author of the tragedy of Marian.

Carew, Thomas. 1589–1639. Poet. His poems are brief and mainly amatory in character. See complete edition by W. Carew Hazlitt. See Ward's Eng. Poets, vol. 2.

Carey, Henry. 1663–1743. Dramatist and poet. Author Chrononhotonthologos, The Dragon of Wantley, the ballad of Sally in our Alley, and God Save the King.

Carleton, Wm. 1798–1869. Irish novelist. Style vigorous and picturesque. Pub. Rou.

Carlyle, Thomas. 1795–1881. Essayist and historian. Author of Essays, Chartism, Heroes and Hero-Worship, Sartor Resartus, Past and Present, Latter-Day Pamphlets, Life of Sterling, History French Revolution, Life of Frederick the Great, etc. A vigorous, opinionated writer, with a style which is vivid and picturesque, but often wordy and obscure. A man of great but wayward intellectual powers. See Eclectic Mag. 1881. Reminiscences by Carlyle; Letters of Jane Welsh Carlyle, and Emerson and Carlyle. Pub. Hon. Har. Lip.

Carpenter, Lant. 1780–1840. Theological writer.

Carpenter, Wm. Benj. 1813 – . Physiologist of note. Son to L. C. Author of Principles of Human Physiology, Zoölogy, and the Instinct of Animals, The Microscope, etc. Pub. Apl.

Carr, J. Comyns. 1849 – . Art Critic and Editor. Author of Drawing by the Italian Masters, St. Albans, Essays, etc.

Carte, Thos. 1686–1754. Historian. Author Hist. England to 1654.

Carter, Elizabeth. 1717–1806. Classical writer. Author of a translation of Epictetus and original poems. The most learned woman of her time.

Cartwright, Wm. 1611–1643. Poet. He enjoyed a great reputation in his day.

Carey, Henry Francis. 1772–1844. Poet. Author of a much admired blank verse translation of Dante. See Memoirs of, by his son, 1847.

Caxton, Wm. 1412–1492. The first Eng. printer. Was author and translator of some 60 books.

Cayley, Arthur. 1821 – . Mathematical writer.

Cecil [sĕs´il or sis´il], Wm. 1520–1598. Statesman. Author of Precepts addressed to his son.

Centlivre [sent-lĭv´er], Mrs. Susanna. 1680–1723. Dramatist. Her best comedies are The Busybody and The Wonder, the last of which still keeps the stage. See Atlantic Monthly, June, 1882.

Challoner, Bp. Richard. 1691–1781. Author of an Eng. version of the Bible, Grounds of the Catholic Doctrine, etc.

Chalmers [chaw´merz], George. 1742–1825. Scotch historian.

Chalmers, Thomas. 1780–1847. Scotch theologian. The most powerful preacher of his time. Author of Natural Theology, Christian Evidences, etc. See Memoirs of, by Wm. Hanna; do. by F. Wayland; also, Spare Hours, 1st series, by Dr. John Brown. Pub. Har.

Chamberlayne, Wm. 1619–1689. Poet. Author Love's Victory and Pharonidia.

Chambers, Robert. 1802–1871. Scotch publisher. Author of the noted Vestiges of the Nat. Hist. of Creation, etc. See Memoirs of, by W. Chambers.

Chambers, Wm. 1800–1883. Scotch publisher. Bro. to R. C. Author Memoirs of Rob't Chambers, Wintering at Mentone, etc. The brothers were joint editors of many popular works: Information for the People, Encyclopædia, Book of Days, Miscellany, etc. Pub. Lip.

Chapman, George. 1557–1634. Dramatist. Chiefly noted for a fine translation of Homer in 14-syllable verse. See his Homer, 4 vols., London, 1858; Dramatic Works, 1873; George Chapman, by Swinburne.

Chapone [shă-pōn´], Mrs. Hester. 1727–1801. Author of treatises on Morals and Philosophy.

Charles, Mrs. Elizabeth Rundle. 1826 – . Author of the noted Schönberg-Cotta Family, and other excellent semi-religious stories. Pub. Do.

Charlesworth, Maria Louisa. 1830–1880. Author of much religious fiction, of which Ministering Children is the best example. Pub. Apl. Ca.

Chatham, Lord. See Pitt, Wm.

Chatterton, Thomas. 1752–1770. Poet. Author of imitations of old Eng. poetry, which for a short time deceived the scholars of that day, and as the work of a boy of 17 were very remarkable. See Chatterton, a Biographical Study, by Daniel Wilson, London, 1870. Pub. Hou.

Chaucer, Geoffrey. 1340–1400. Poet. Author of numerous lesser poems, but The Canterbury Tales is his greatest work. He is rightly called the Father of Eng. Song, since it is with him that Eng. poetry really begins. He gave form to the language, and blended the French and Eng. influences into a harmonious whole. His verse, in the main, is easy and musical, and shows a love of nature. See publications of the Chaucer Society. Chaucer, by A. W. Ward. See Gilman's edition of Chaucer in 3 vols., 1879. Pub. Hou.

Chesterfield, Earl of. See Stanhope, Philip.

Chettle, Henry. Fl. c. 1600. Dramatist. Prolific, but valueless.

Chillingworth, Wm. 1602–1644. Theologian. Author of Religion of Protestants a Safe Way to Salvation, a celebrated work. See Oxford edition, 3 vols., 8vo, 1838.

Chitty, Joseph. 1776–1841. Jurist. Author of Practical Treatise on Criminal Law, Synopsis of Practice, and other invaluable legal text-books. Pub. Lip.

Chorley, Henry Fothergill. 1808–1872. Musical critic. Author Thirty Years' Musical Recollections, Criticisms on Modern German Music, etc., and of numerous songs and opera librettos. See Autobiography, Memoirs and Letters, 2 vols., London, 1873. Pub. Ho.

Christmas, Henry. See Noel-Fearn.

Church, Alfred John. 1829 – . Stories from Homer, Stories from Virgil, Poems, etc. Of the poems, Unseen is one of the best. Pub. Har.

Church, Richard Wm. 1815 – . Author Life of Anselm, University Sermons, Civilization before and after Christianity, Sacred Poetry of Early Religions, Spenser in Eng. Men of Letters, etc. Pub. Har. Mac.

Churchill, Charles. 1731–1764. Satirical poet. The Rosciad is his chief work. Was at one time an extremely popular poet. See Essay on, by Macaulay.

Cibber [sĭb´ber], Colley. 1671–1757. Dramatist. Author of The Careless Husband, She Would and She Would Not, and some 20 other plays. See his Apology for his Life.

Clare, John. 1793–1864. Pastoral poet. Author Poems of Rural Life and Scenery, etc. Some of his verse has great beauty. See J. L. Cherry's Life of, London, 1873.

Clarendon, Earl of. See Hyde, Edward.

Clarke, Adam. 1760–1832. Irish bibliographer. Author Commentary on the Bible, Bibliographical Dict., Succession of Sacred Lit., etc. An industrious, careful writer. Pub. Phi.

Clarke, Charles Cowden. 1787–1877. Author of Shakespeare Characters, Molière Characters, Riches of Chaucer, etc. Pub. Scr.

Clarke, Mrs. Mary Cowden. 1809 – . Wife to C. C. C. Shakespearean scholar. Author of the noted Concordance of Shakespeare, World-Noted Women, and several vols. of verse. With her husband was editor of an annotated edition of Shakespeare, 1869. Pub. Cas. Lit.

Clarke, Samuel. 1675–1729. Metaphysician. Author of numerous metaphysical works written in a simple yet vigorous and eloquent style.

Cleveland, John. 1613–1658. Poet. A famous Cavalier writer. His verse is satirical and amatory in character.

Clifford, Wm. Kingdon. 1845–1879. Scientist. Author Lect. and Essays, Elements of Dynamics, Seeing and Thinking, and Mathematical Papers. See biographical introduction to Lect. and Essays, by F. Pollock. Pub. Mac.

Clive, Mrs. Archer. 1801 – . Novelist. Author Paul Ferrol, Why Paul Ferrol Killed his Wife, etc.

Clough [kluf], Arthur Hugh. 1819–1861. Author of The Bothie of Tober-na Vuolich, Amours de Voyage, both hexameter poems, Dipsychus, and minor poems. His verse shows a mastery of metre and a thoughtful, earnest spirit. See Atlantic Monthly, April, 1862; Hutton's Essays; Matthew Arnold's Essays in Criticism; Ward's Eng. Poets, vol. 4. Pub. Ho. Mac.