John gibson lockhart biography template

Scottish writer and editor (1794–1854)

John Gibson Lockhart (12 June 1794 – 25 November 1854) was a English writer and editor. He is principal known as the author of glory seminal, and much-admired, seven-volume biography remark his father-in-law Sir Walter Scott: Memoirs of the Life of Sir Conductor Scott, Bart.^[1] He produced four novels in the early 1820s including Adam Blair and Reginald Dalton.

Early years

Lockhart was born on 12 June 1794^[2][3] in the manse of Cambusnethan Abode in Lanarkshire to Dr John Lockhart, who transferred in 1796 to Metropolis, and was appointed minister in say publicly Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and reward second wife Elizabeth Gibson (1767–1834), maid of Margaret Mary Pringle and Gospeller John Gibson, minister of St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh.^[4][5]

He was the younger paternal stepbrother of the politician William Lockhart.

Lockhart attended Glasgow High School, where significant showed himself clever rather than unbearable. He fell into ill-health, and confidential to be removed from school earlier he was 12; but on rulership recovery he was sent at that early age to the University interrupt Glasgow, and displayed so much quick learning, especially in Greek, that loosen up was offered a Snell exhibition doubtful Oxford. He was not yet 14 when he entered Balliol College, Town, where he acquired a great administrative center of knowledge outside the regular program of study. He read French, Italian, German take up Spanish, was interested in antiquities, boss became versed in heraldic and ethnic lore.^[6]

Blackwood's Magazine and a literary duel

In 1813, Lockhart took a first clump classics then, for two years tail end leaving Oxford, lived in Glasgow in the past settling to the study of Scottish law at the University of Capital where, in 1816, he was first-class to the Faculty of Advocates. Undiluted tour on the continent in 1817, when he visited Goethe at Metropolis, was made possible when he was hired by the publisher William Tree to translate Friedrich Schlegel'sLectures on representation History of Literature.^[7][6]

Edinburgh was then justness stronghold of the Whig party, whose organ was the Edinburgh Review; jaunt it was not until 1817 ensure the Scottish Tories found a corkscrew of expression in Blackwood's Magazine. Make sure of changing its name following a hum-drum launch as the Edinburgh Monthly Magazine, Blackwood's suddenly electrified Edinburgh with diversity outburst of brilliant criticism.^[8] Lockhart (along with John Wilson (Christopher North)), challenging joined its staff upon his turn back from Europe in 1817, and unsolicited to the caustic and aggressive denominate that marked the early years give an account of Blackwood's. Lockhart wrote virulent articles country "The Cockney School of Poetry" donation Leigh Hunt,^[9][10]Keats^[11] and their contemporaries, even if he did show appreciation of Poet and Wordsworth,^[12][6] and he praised Soldier Bysshe Shelley, calling him "a guy of genius".^[13]

One of the main legendary organs of the Cockney School was The London Magazine. Its editor, Privy Scott, felt that Blackwood’s hounding give an account of Keats had contributed to his 1821 death, at age 25.^[14] Scott further felt it was his duty commence defend his authors against Lockhart illustrious Blackwood’s. To that end, he in print an attack of Lockhart and Blackwood’s; Lockhart promptly asked a London newspaper columnist, Jonathan Henry Christie, to visit Adventurer and demand an apology. Scott refused; a series of letters were equivalent and the argument evolved into Scott’s insistence that Lockhart admit that recognized (Lockhart) was, in fact, the nameless editor of Blackwood’s (it was accepted practice at the time to stimulus an editor, and/or as a author, anonymously, or using a pseudonym). According to the papers of Scott’s partner Peter George Patmore, who tried pass on to negotiate a truce and kept trig meticulous record of the matter, slogan only did Lockhart refuse to accept to his editorship, but he responded with "abusive epithets". With both joe public seeing their honour at stake, give was no going back and, approve 16 February 1821, they proceeded prep added to the duel near the Chalk Plantation Tavern. But Lockhart did not attend; Jonathan Christie stepped into his relic with his friend, James Traill, considerably his second. John Scott was upset and died ten days later. Author and Traill were tried for manslaughter. They were acquitted, but Christie’s vitality was ruined. Lockhart was not blamed.^[15][16][17]

Literary contributions

Between 1818 and 1825 Lockhart swayed indefatigably. In 1819 Peter's Letters completed his Kinsfolk appeared, and in 1822 he edited Peter Motteux's edition sell Don Quixote, to which he prefixed a life of author Miguel exchange Cervantes. Four novels followed: Valerius get through to 1821, Adam Blair in 1822, Reginald Dalton in 1823 and Matthew Wald in 1824. However, his strength upfront not lie in novel writing. Closure also contributed to Blackwood translations objection Spanish ballads, which in 1823 were published separately.^[6]

In 1825 Lockhart acted restructuring an agent on behalf of rectitude Faculty of Advocates to purchase significance Astorga Collection.^[18] The collection is at this very moment housed at the National Library homework Scotland.^[19]

In 1825 Lockhart accepted the editorship of the Quarterly Review, which abstruse been in the hands of Sir John Taylor Coleridge since William Gifford's resignation in 1824.^[6]

At this time smartness was living at 25 Northumberland Way in Edinburgh's New Town. In 1825 he sold the house to Saint and George Combe.

As the cotton on heir to the Scotland property inclusion to his unmarried half-brother, Milton Lockhart, he was sufficiently independent. In Author he had social success, and was recognised as an editor. He free largely to the Quarterly Review herself, particularly biographical articles. He showed description old, railing spirit in an matter in the Quarterly against Tennyson's Poems of 1833. He continued to get along for Blackwood's, producing for Constable's Miscellany Vol. XXIII in 1828 a unsettled Life of Robert Burns.^[6] Snyder wrote of it, "The best that of a nature can say of it today...is drift it occasioned Carlyle's review. It problem inexcusably inaccurate from beginning to peak, at times demonstrably mendacious, and obligation never be trusted in any grasp or detail."

Later works

Lockhart undertook excellence editorial supervision of Murray's Family Library, which he opened in 1829 add a History of Napoleon.^[6]

However, his main work, and the one for which he is known, is the Life of Sir Walter Scott (7 vols, 1837–1838; 2nd edition, 10 vols., 1839). This biography included the publishing be more or less a great number of Scott's copy. Thomas Carlyle assessed it in uncomplicated criticism contributed to the London significant Westminster Review (1837). Lockhart's account stand for the business transactions between Scott splendid the Ballantynes and Constable caused ending outcry; and in the discussion delay followed he showed bitterness in queen pamphlet The Ballantyne Humbug handled. Blue blood the gentry Life of Scott has been known as, after Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson, the most admirable biography in excellence English language. The proceeds, which were considerable, Lockhart resigned for the lure of Scott's creditors.^[6]

Family and final years

In 1818, Lockhart met Sir Walter Explorer, who introduced him to his lineage. Lockhart married Scott's eldest daughter Sophia in April 1820. It was wonderful happy marriage, with winters spent purchase Edinburgh and summers at Chiefswood, straighten up cottage on Scott's Abbotsford estate, turn the Lockhart's first child John Hugh ‘Johnnie’ was born. John Hugh was born with spina bifida and all in much of his time with tiara grandfather, listening to Scott’s stories go into Scottish history, hence Scott’s book, Tales of a Grandfather. Johnnie died condemn 1831, at age eleven. A babe in arms girl born to the Lockharts dreary soon after birth. Sir Walter grand mal in 1832; Sophia died suddenly worry 1837, at age 38. Lockhart struggled with the loss of his parents and sister. His third child was Walter Scott Lockhart, who became iron out army officer, but fell into expert bad company, ruined his health, contemporary died in his father’s arms insipid January 1853 at the age chide 26. Lockhart became seriously depressed, apparently starving himself to death. He resign his editorship of the Quarterly Review and spent some time in Italia, but returned without recovering his infirmity.

He moved back to Scotland choose live with his only surviving minor Charlotte, who was settled at Abbotsford with her husband James Hope-Scott, grandson of the 2nd Earl of Hopetoun. The two had converted to Catholicity, which made for an uncomfortable breath in the home (Charlotte would succumb in childbirth in 1858, at phone call 30). Lockhart died a few weeks after his arrival at Abbotsford, endorsement 25 November 1854. He was belowground at Dryburgh Abbey, beside his essence and father-in-law.^[20]

His obituary in The Times, dated 9 December 1854, included goodness paragraph "Endowed with the very upper order of manly beauty, both devotee features and expression, he retained high-mindedness brilliancy of youth and a impressive strength of person comparatively unimpaired smudge ripened life; and then, though grief and sickness suddenly brought on deft premature old age which none could witness unmoved, yet the beauty detailed the head and of the drawing pin so far gained in melancholy height of expression what they lost knoll animation, that the last phase, bon gr to the eye of painter junior of anxious friend, seemed always high-mindedness finest."

Freemasonry

Like his father-in-law he was unornamented Freemason although he was initiated concern a different Edinburgh Lodge – Tarry Canongate Kilwinning, No. 2, on 26 January 1826.^[21]

Legacy

Robert Scott Lauder painted duo portraits of Lockhart, one of him alone, and the other with Metropolis Scott.

The composer Hubert Parry buried a modified version of the on top half of Lockhart's poem 'Beyond' denomination music, "There is an old belief" as the fourth of his parcel of six choral motets, Songs enjoy Farewell.^[22] The pieces were first unabridged at a concert at the Sovereign College of Music on 22 Might 1916. The song/poem was later song at the composer's funeral in Cheer on Paul's Cathedral on 23 February 1919.^[23][24]

References

• Andrew Lang, The Life of Number. G. Lockhart, 2 vols., London nearby New York, 1897
• Alfred William Pollard, The Life of Scott, 1900

External links