Leslie Stephen
- Born:
- 28 November 1832, Kensington Gore, London, England
- Died:
- 22 February 1904, Kensington, London, England
- Nationality:
- British
- Profession(s):
- Author, Critic, Editor, Mountaineer
Early Life and Education
- Born into a prominent intellectual family; son of Sir James Stephen, Undersecretary of State for the Colonies.
- Educated at Eton College, then Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he took a Bachelor of Arts degree with mathematical honors in 1854, and a Master of Arts degree in 1857.
- Ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1855, but resigned his orders in 1875 due to his growing agnosticism.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his writing career contributing to various periodicals and journals.
- Served as the editor of The Cornhill Magazine from 1871 to 1882, where he published works by leading writers of the time.
- Known for his contributions to literary criticism and philosophical essays.
- Authored numerous books on history, philosophy, and literature.
- A pioneer in mountaineering; President of the Alpine Club from 1865 to 1868.
- Most notably, he initiated the project that became the Dictionary of National Biography.
- From 1882 to 1891, he edited the first 26 volumes of the Dictionary of National Biography, a monumental achievement in biographical scholarship, offering detailed biographies of english writers and other notable Britons.
Notable Works
- Essays on Freethinking and Plainspeaking (1873)
- History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century (1876)
- The Science of Ethics (1882)
- An Agnostic's Apology (1893)
- Social Rights and Duties (1896)
- Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (1882-1891)
Legacy and Impact
Leslie Stephen was a significant figure in Victorian intellectual life, remembered for his contributions to literary criticism, philosophy, and his editorship of the Dictionary of National Biography. His work left a lasting impact on biographical scholarship and the understanding of English intellectual history.