A. C. Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson (24 April, 1862 – 17 June, 1925), was a British essayist, poet and author, and the 28th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Benson was one of six children of Edward White Benson, a late nineteenth-century Archbishop of Canterbury. An uncle of the family was philosopher Henry Sidgwick. The Benson family was exceptionally literate and accomplished, but their history was somewhat tragic. A son and daughter died young, and another daughter, as well as Arthur himself, suffered badly from a mental condition that was probably manic-depressive psychosis, which they had inherited from their father. None of the children ever married.

Despite his illness, Arthur was a distinguished academic and a most prolific author. He was associated with Eton College, and was Master of Magdalene College of Cambridge University from 1915 to 1925.

His poems and volumes of essays, such as "From a College Window," were famous in his day, and he left one of the longest diaries ever written, some four million words. Today he is best remembered as the author of the words to one of Britain's best-loved patriotic songs, "Land of Hope and Glory," and as a brother to novelist E. F. Benson.

Works

*Poems set to music by Edward Elgar: "In the Dawn", "Speak, Music", "Speak, my Heart!", and the "Coronation Ode" including "Land of Hope and Glory" (1901-1902)
*"The Hill of Trouble and Other Stories" (1903)
*"The Isles of Sunset" (1904)
*"The Child of the Dawn" (1911)
*"Paul the Minstrel and Other Stories" (1911)
*"Escape and Other Essays" (1916)
*"Basil Netherby" (1926)

References

*cite book | last=Tuck | first=Donald H. | authorlink=Donald H. Tuck | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy | location=Chicago | publisher=Advent | pages=39 | date=1974|id=ISBN 0-911682-20-1

*Wilson, Keith. "A. C. Benson," in Robert Beum, ed., "Dictionary of Literary Biography: British Essayists, 1880-1960." Detroit: Gale, 1990, 192-204.

External links

* [http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poet/374.html Representative Poetry Online]
*gutenberg author|id=Arthur_Christopher_Benson|name=A. C. Benson
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5935485 Picture of grave of A. C. Benson, Ascension Parish Burial Ground, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge]