JEFFREY, jisfri, FRANCIS, Lord (1773-1850) . A Scottish critic and lawyer, born in Edinburgh, October 23, 1773. He was educated at the Edin burgh High School, attended for a short time the University of Glasgow and Queen's College, Ox ford, and studied law in Edinburgh. During this early period he read widely, and practiced both verse and prose writing. In 1794 he was called to the bar. Two years before this he became a member of the Speculative Society (in connection with the University of Edinburgh). Jeffrey soon became prominent among the members by the keenness and liveliness of his intellect, and the eloquence of his style; but his progress at the Lar was slow, partly on account of the antipathy which then existed to literary lawyers, and partly on account of his political opinions, which were Whig. Meanwhile he and several other young men then in Edinburgh. ambitious of finding a wider outlet for their talent than the discussion in the Speculative Society or the practice of the bar afforded. planned a critical journal. The first proposer of the scheme was Sydney Smith. The result was the establishment of the Edin burgh Reriele (q.v.), of which Jeffrey soon be came editor. an office he retained till 1829. In
polities the Review was Whig. Jeffrey, however. confined himself mostly to literary reviews, in which he criticised with great severity the new school of poetry. represented by Coleridge. Words worth. Byron. and Shelley. This criticism is now generally it was. nevertheless. shrewd and brilliant. After some years Jeffrey's practice at the bar began to increase: in jury trials he shone to great advantage. particularly in the trials for sedition between 1S17 and IS•20. In 1830 he became Lord Advocate for Scotland: and after the passing of the Reform bill lie was returned to Parliament for the city of Edin burgh. which he continued to represent till 1834.
when he gladly retired to accept a judgeship in the Court of Session-. During the latter years of his life Jeffrey resided at Craigcrook Castle, near Edinburgh, he died January 26, 1830. Ile was twice NI, II is second wife being Charlotte Wilkes of New York. Consult Cock burn. The Life of Lord Jeffrey ( Edinburgh, 1852; reissue, 1872) : Carlyle, Reminiscences. vol. ii. (London. 1'041) ; and for literary estimate, Three in Literature (New York, 1899).