BULWER-LYT'TON, EDWARD GEORGE EARLE, first Lord Lytton (1803-73). An English novelist, born in London, May 25, 1803. Tie vat the youngest son of William Earle Bulwer of Ileydon Hall, Norfolk, and Elizabeth Barbara I.ytton of Knebworth, Hertfordshire. Ills father died in 1807; and on the death of his mother in IS13. linlwer assumed her surname. After at tending various schools, he proceeded to Cam bridge, and graduated B.A. from Trinity Ilall in 1826. At the university he read extensively in history, won the chancellor's medal for a poem, and was regarded as one of the best speakers in the Union Society. Parts of 1825 and 1826 be passed in Paris, where he was ZHIMitied into the 'most brilliant houses of the old noblesse.' He returned to England, a typical dandy of the period, and married (1827) a clever Irish girl named Rosina Doyle Wheeler. As the marriage caused an estrangement between mother and son, Ilitiwer was thrown largely on his own resources for a living. He wrote extensively for the maga zines and the annuals, and produced novel after novel. The marriage proved most unhappy, and a legal separation was granted June 14, 1836. On the death of his mother, lie succeeded to the Knebworth estate. Bulwer sat in Parliament during two long periods, first as a Protectionist Liberal and then as a Conservative (1831-41 and 1852-66). In 1858 lie was appointed Secretary for the Colonies, and in 1866 was raised to the peerage as Baron Lytton. Though not a ready debater, lie succeeded well with prepared speech es. He died in Torquay, January 18, 1873, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. Bulwer was a versatile writer. He composed verse at the age of seven and published a volume when a school boy (IS20). Other volumes followed in 1823, 1825, and 1827. At this time Pulver was pass ing through several phases of Byronic influence. Among his later poems are The Neu- Tinian IS46), King Arthur (184S), and Saint Ste phens (1860). The first has become memorable for a tierce assault on Tennyson and for Tenny son's reply in Punch. Of the various metres Bulwer essayed, he succeeded best in the heroic couplet. lie wrote several plays. which, though mediocre as literature, have long kept the stage: among them are The Lady of Lyons (1838), Richelieu ( IS38), and lfoney (IS-to). Attempt ing the work of Gibbon, he wrote Meng, Its Rise and Pall (1837) , but it was never completed.
As a novelist lie played many parts, adapting himself to public taste. He began with Falkland (I827). an interesting imitation of the Sorrows of Werther. His success as a novelist was assured by Pelham (1828), deemed by many critics the most delightful of all his books. He had now passed beyond the influence of Byron and Ger man sentimentalism, and presented the public with a new type of gentleman, the cynic in black waistcoat moving in high society. Pelham be came in a way the type of the novel of contempo rary manners to which Bulwer reverted at inter vals: as in Ernest Haltrarrrs ( IS:37); Alice ( 1 S38 ) ; Night and Morning (1841); The ('as tons (1850); .1Iy Novel (1853); and Krnelm Chillingly (1873). The last three have the aim of humor in the manner of Sterne. Taking up the criminal novel as left by William Godwin, Bulwer published Paul Clifford (IS30) and Eu gene Arum (IS32). An experiment with the historical novel in Del-et-ens (1829) led to the widely popular Last Days of Pompeii (1834) ; Rienzi (1835) ; Leila, or the Siege of Granada (1838) ; The Last of the Barons (1843), by far his most solid achievement in historical fiction; Harold (1843) : and Pausanius the INpar tan (1876). Romance was essayed in The Pil grims of the Rhine (1834) ; Zanoni (1842.) ; The Haunted and the Haunters ( IS59). a capital ghost story; and .1 Strange Story (1862) and The Race (1871). With the critics Bul wer has never found much favor. His work pos sesses none of the art of the great craftsmen and it is affected in sentiment and style. But in spite of these faults, which were often pointed out by his reviewers, Bulwer gained the attention ot the public at large, and still holds it. The Cartons and The Coming Race. though published anonymously to test the public, were as well received as any of the other novels. Bnlwer's continued popularity rests upon the fact that he had something to say that is still of interest. His manner is wisely overloqked. Consult: Life. Letters and Literary Remains of Edirard Bulwer, by his son, the Earl of Lytton (London, 1883). containing the fragment of a poetic autobiog raphy; and the biographies by Cooper (London, 1873) and ten Brink (Leyden, 1882).