Francis Espinasse (1823–1912) was a Scottish journalist and follower of

Thomas Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (4 December 17955 February 1881) was a Scottish essayist, historian and philosopher. A leading writer of the Victorian era, he exerted a profound influence on 19th-century art, literature and philosophy. Born in Ecclefechan, Dum ...

Life

Espinasse came from a Gascon French background. He was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

, and studied at

Edinburgh University The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1582 ...

. As a young man, he was warned against life as a

man of letters An intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the reality of society, and who proposes solutions for the normative problems of society. Coming from the world of culture, either as a creator or a ...

Francis Jeffrey Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey (23 October 1773 – 26 January 1850) was a Scottish judge and literary critic. Life He was born at 7 Charles Street near Potterow in south Edinburgh, the son of George Jeffrey, a clerk in the Court of Session ...

and

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Ballads'' (1798). Wordsworth's ' ...

. Espinasse went to London in 1843, to work for the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

as an assistant; but he left his post after a clash with

Anthony Panizzi Sir Antonio Genesio Maria Panizzi (16 September 1797 – 8 April 1879), better known as Anthony Panizzi, was a naturalised British citizen of Italian birth, and an Italian patriot. He was a librarian, becoming the Principal Librarian (i.e. head ...

. He became close to the Carlyles, and

supported his career, which took him to Manchester and back to Edinburgh. He published on 20 October 1847 in the ''

Manchester Examiner The ''Manchester Examiner'' was a newspaper based in Manchester, England, that was founded around 1845–1846. Initially intended as an organ to promote the idea of Manchester Liberalism, a decline in its later years led to a takeover by a group w ...

'' an article on

Ralph Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champ ...

, who was starting out on a British lecture tour, in terms which set a pattern for later coverage. When the Lancashire Public School Association was set up in 1848, he became its secretary, assisted by

Edwin Waugh Edwin Waugh (1817–1890) was an English poet. Life The son of a shoemaker, Waugh was born in Rochdale, Lancashire, England and, after some schooling, was apprenticed to a printer, Thomas Holden, at the age of 12. While still a young man he w ...

. In 1849 he was promoting the memory of Joseph Arkwright in a lecture at the Manchester Mechanics' Institute. A prolific freelance writer, Espinasse became a major contributor to ''

The Critic ''The Critic'' was an American primetime adult animated sitcom revolving around the life of New York film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by Jon Lovitz. It was created by writing partners Al Jean and Mike Reiss, who had previously worked as writers a ...

'' in the early 1850s, introduced by

William Maccall William Maccall (1812–1888) was a Scottish author and Unitarian minister. Life Born at Largs, Ayrshire, on 23 February 1812, he was eldest son of John Maccall, a tradesman, and his wife Elizabeth Murdoch. He was intended for the Presbyterian m ...

. Under the pseudonym Herodotus Smith he gave an insider's view of the literary world (other pseudonyms—he used at least three—were Lucian Paul and Frank Grave). He edited the ''Edinburgh Evening Courant'' from 1864 to 1867, taking over when James Hannay moved to London, and being replaced by the new owner, Charles Wescomb, by James Scot Henderson. The long-lived Espinasse was in the end thought of as "the Nestor of Victorian journalism". He was remembered as a biographer of French philosophers, and substantial contributor to the ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' (he is one of those credited with its conception). He became a Poor Brother of the

London Charterhouse The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Farringdon, London, dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square, and lies within the London Borough of Islington. It was originally built ( ...

, supplying a pension.

Works

*''Life and Times of François-Marie Arouet, calling himself Voltaire'', 3 vols., 1866 *''Lancashire Worthies'' (2 vols.) *''Literary Recollections and Sketches'', 1893 *''Life of Renan'', 1895

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Espinasse, Francis 1823 births 1912 deaths Scottish journalists Scottish newspaper editors Scottish biographers Alumni of the University of Edinburgh