William Lecky

Mark Nixon (University of Reading)
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Born in 1838 in County Dublin to a very wealthy father of Scottish roots and an English mother, William Lecky's outlook was British and European, although he always considered himself an Irishman. Under the early influence of positivism, he turned from a suggested career in the church to law, but never practised despite being called to the Bar. He began his literary career as a poet, publishing under the name of 'Hibernicus' in 1859. His next two books of contemporary history were published anonymously, but his fourth book was published under his name – and was an instant success. This book,

The History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe

(1865), when coupled with its natural associate, his

History of European Morals from Augustus to Charlemagne

(1869),…

346 words

Citation: Nixon, Mark. "William Lecky". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 March 2002 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2663, accessed 19 March 2024.]

2663 William Lecky 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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