Meredith, George

George (1828-1909), an English novelist. He was born in Hampshire. He received his education in Germany but returned to England to study law. He began his literary labors with poetry, but soon took to writing stories. His first novel of importance was The Ordeal of Richard Feverel which appeared in 1859. Other novels are Evan Harrington, Rhoda Fleming, The Egoist, The Adventures of Harry Richmond--probably his most popular story--The House on the Beach, and Diana of the Crossways. While not popular with the average reader, Meredith's novels are liked by those who appreciate the discussion of difficult social problems. They are ranked high by the critics, who place Meredith with Thomas Hardy as one of the greatest novelists of his time.