Значение слова STEPHEN в Литературной энциклопедии

STEPHEN

1) SIR JAMES (1789-1859).-Statesman and historical writer, _s._ of James S., Master in Chancery, _ed._ at Camb., and called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn 1811. After practising with success, accepted appointment of permanent counsel to Colonial Office and Board of Trade 1825, and was subsequently, 1826-47, permanent Under-Sec. for the Colonies, in which capacity he exercised an immense influence on the colonial policy of the empire, and did much to bring about the abolition of the slave trade. Impaired health led to his resignation, when he was made K.C.B. and a Privy Councillor. He was afterwards Prof. of Modern History at Camb. 1849-59, and of the same subject at the East India Coll. at Haileybury 1855-57. He wrote _Essays in Ecclesiastical Biography_ (1849) and _Lectures on the History of France_ (1852). 2) STEPHEN, SIR LESLIE (1832-1904).-Biographer and critic, _s._ of the above, was _b._ in London, and _ed._ at Eton, King's Coll., London, and Camb., where he obtained a tutorial Fellowship, and took orders. He came under the influence of Mill, Darwin, and H. Spencer, and devoted himself largely to the study of economics. His religious views having undergone a change, he gave up the clerical character and his Fellowship, and became a pronounced Agnostic. In 1865 he definitely adopted a literary career, and contributed to the _Saturday Review_, _Fraser's Magazine_, and other periodicals. In 1873 he _pub._ a collection of his essays as _Free Thinking and Plain Speaking_, which he followed up with _An Agnostic's Apology_ (1893). He became ed. in 1871 of the _Cornhill Magazine_, in which appeared the essays afterwards _coll._ as _Hours in a Library_ (3 series, 1874-79). His chief work was _The History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century_ (1876-81). He also wrote _Science of Ethics_ (1882), and biographies of _Dr. Johnson_ (1878), _Pope_ (1880). _Swift_ (1882), and _George Eliot_ (English Men of Letters Series). In 1882 he became ed. of the _Dictionary of National Biography_, to which he devoted much labour, besides contributing many of the principal articles. _The English Utilitarians_ appeared in 1900. As a biographical and critical writer he holds a very high place. His first wife was a _dau._ of Thackeray. In recognition of his literary eminence he was made a K.C.B. _Life and Letters_ by F.W. Maitland (1906).

Литературная энциклопедия.