Bulwer-Lytton, Edward George Earle

Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)

bool'wer-litton, Edward George Earle (1803-1873), an English novelist. He was a native of London. Lytton was his mother's family name, which he appended to his own on inheriting the Lytton estates. He sat in Parliament and, as colonial secretary. became a member of the cabinet. He is credited with liberal views in the setting up of the government of Australia. In 1866 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Lytton. Bulwer produced a few dramas and many novels. His collected writings fill 110 volumes. By far the greater number of his stories belong to that class which Taine calls "the novel of manners." A few are historical and some have psychological and occult themes. Bulwer did not possess a powerful imagination, nor did he have high ideals. There seems, moreover, a lack of human sympathy in his stories. His novels, however, show versatility and great range of power. They are full of incident and present interesting and instructive pictures of contemporary life. The Last of the Barons, The Last Days of Pompeii, and Riensi and Harold are powerful historical novels that merit place in every well selected library. The Lady of Lyons and Richelieu are the best of the dramas. Among other novels may be mentioned Eugene Aram , The Caxtons, Alice, or the Mysteries, Ernest Maltravers, and My Novel. Bulwer was one of the most industrious literary craftsmen of the Victorian Era.--Nicoll. QUOTATIONS. Curses are like young chickens, And still come home to roost. Beneath the rule of men entirely great, The pen is mightier than the sword. In the lexicon of youth, which fate reserves For a bright manhood, there is no such word As "fail."