Page:Men of the Time, eleventh edition.djvu/732

 LOWELL— LOWTHEE.

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Astronomical, the Geological, the Linnsean, the Meteorological, the Zoological, and the Horticultural Societies.

LOWELL, James Bussell, LL.D., D.C.L., born at Cambridge, Massachusetts, Feb. 22, 1819. He graduated at Harvard College in 1838, and studied law, but soon abandoned law for literature. He commenced authorship before leaving college, by the publication of a class })oem. A volume of miscel- laneous poems, entitled " A Year's Life," appeared in 1841 ; a new col- lection containing "A Legend of Brittany," " Prometheus,^' and others, in 1844 ; " Conversations on some of the Old Poets," containing a series of well-studied criticisms, both in prose and verse, giving in- dications of Mr. Lowell's interest in the various political and philan- thropic questions of the day, and of his attachment to those principles of which he has since been the champion, in 1845 ; a third collec- tion of poems, and " The Vision of Sir Launfal," founded on a legend of the Search for the San Graal, in 1848; **A Fable for Critics," in which he satirically passes in re- view the literati of the United States, and his most remarkable work, " The Biglow Papers," a col- lection of humorous poems on poli- tical subjects, written in the Yankee dialect, in 1848. "Fire- side Travels," including eraphic papers on Cambridge in old times, and the second series of the " Big- low Papers " appeared in 1864. In 1869 he published " Under the WU- lows, and other poems ; " and near the close of the same year, "The Cathedral," an epic poem ; in 1870, a collected volume of essays, en- titled " Among my Books j " and in 1871, "My Study Windows." "Three Memorial Poems" ap^ peared in 1876 ; and in 1881, a new edition of his complete works in 5 vols, was issued. In 1855 he suc- ceeded Longfellow as Professor of Modern Languages and BeUes-

Lettres in Harvard College. The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him in 1874, by the English Uni- versity of Cambridge, and that of D.C.L. by Oxford. From 1857 to 1862 he was editor of the Atlantic Monthly, and he had previously been connected editorially or otherwise with The Pioneer, a magazine of high character, the Anti-Slavery Standard, Putnam's Monthly ; and from 1863 to 1872 was editor of the North American Review. He has also been a lecturer before the Lowell Institute, in Boston, on the British poets. Towards the close of 1874 he was offered the post of Minister to Bussia, which he declined ; but in 1877 accepted that of Minister to Spain; from which he was transferred in Jan., 1880, to that of Minister to Great Britain.

LOWTHEE, The Eight Hon. James, M.P., younger son of Sir Charles Hugh Lowther, Bart., by Isabella, daughter of the late Eev. Eobert Morehead, D.D., Eector of Easington-cum-Liverton, York- shire, was born at SwiUington- House, Leeds, in 1840, and edu- cated at Westminster School and at Trinity College, Cambridge (B.A., 1862 ; M.A., 1866). He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1864. The next year he was elected M.P. for York in the Conservative interest, and con- tinued to sit for that city until

1880. He finsuccessfully contested East Cumberland in February,

1881, and in September of the same year was elected member for North Lincolnshire, which constituency he now represents. He was Parlia- mentary Secretajry to the Poor Law Board from Aug. to Dec., 1868, and Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies from Feb., 1874, till Feb., 1878, when he was appointed Chief Secretary of Ireland, which office he held until the resignation of Lord Beaconsfield's Government in May, 1880. Mr. Lowther is a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for the North Eiding of York.