LEWES, GEORGE HENRY ( 1817-78 ) . An Eng lish author. lle was born in London, April IS, 1817; was educated at various schools, entered upon a commercial career, studied medicine, and finally resolved to devote himself to authorship. In his twenty-first year he proceeded to Ger many. where he remained for two years, studying the life, language and literature, and philosophy of that country. On his return to England he took up his residence in London, and began to write for the newspapers and magazines, till finally he became one of the most successful of litterateurs. Lewes edited with admirable tal ent the Leader, from 1849 to 1854; composed novels, comedies, and tragedies, and ultimately turned his active mind to the study of physiology and cognate branches of science. in which he won considerable repute. He married Agnes Jervis in 1840, but the union was unhappy and he sepa rated from her in 1854 to live with 3Iarian Evans (George Eliot) as man and wife. His principal
works are: his Biographical History of Philosophy front Thalcs to Comte (1845), a new edition of which, much enlarged, was afterwards published: The Spanish Drama. Lope de Vega and Calderon. (1846) ; Comte's Philosophy of the Schnecs, a work which is not a mere translation of the French savant. hut in several parts a complete remodeling; Life and Works of Co, Ho (18551: Seaside Studies at Ilfracombe (18581; PhyRiol ogy of Common Life (1850) ; of Life and Mind ( 1874-791 : On Actors and the .trt of Acting ( 18751. In 1865 Lewes founded the Fortnightly Review, and for a time was its edi tor. De died November 30. 1878. In philosophy he was a positivist. (See Post-tivisNt.) His His tory was written to prove the unattainability of metaphysical truth, although in his later writings Ile admitted the possibility of an empirical metaphysics.