CHANNING, Edward Tyrrel, American scholar: b. Newport, R. I., 12 Dec. 1790; d. Cambridge, Mass., 8 Feb. 1856. He was a brother of William Ellery Channing, 1780-1842 (q.v.). He studied law with his elder brother, Francis Dana Channing, in Boston, and was admitted to the bar. He gave his attention chiefly to literature and carried forward a care ful and critical study of the Greek and Roman classics, with that of the great writers of Eng land. The North American Review, the earli est permanent periodical in America, had its origin in a club of young men, who, in the win ter of 1814-15, projected a bi-monthly maga zine. Willard Phillips, afterward author of the celebrated works on the law of insurance and of patents, was to be its editor. The committee on politics was composed of George Cabot, James Lloyd, John Lowell, Josiah Quincy and others. The chief managers were to be President Kirk land, Jared Sparks, George Ticknor, Mr. Chan ning, Richard H. Dana and John Gallison. At this time, William Tudor, author of the 'Life of James Otis,' returned from Europe with a matured plan for a quarterly review; and as the field was not large enough for two such works, the plan of the magazine was merged in that of Mr. Tudor, and the first number of the
North American Review was issued in May 1815, as a bi-monthly, the quarterly publication not being adopted until the commencement of the eighth volume. Tudor edited it for two years and in 1817 it passed under the control of a club. Jared Sparks was chief editor for one year when the duty was undertaken by Channing, aided by his cousin, Richard H. Dana. In October 1819, Mr. Channing was succeeded in the editorship of the Review by Edward Everett, having been appointed Boyl ston professor of rhetoric and oratory in Har vard University. This post he held for 32 years, resigning it in 1851. During all this time, the department of rhetoric and oratory, including the charge of all the English compo sitions of the students which had great in fluence over their reading and taste, was filled by him with more than satisfaction to the pub lic of reading and thinking men. A volume of his letters was published in 1856 with a me moir by R. H. Dana.