CURTIS, GEORGE WILLIAM (1824-92). An American critic, essayist, and publicist, horn in Providence, 11. I., February 24, 1824. After a few years at school he began life as a clerk, in New York, joined the Brook Farm Community at West Roxbury, Mass., in 1842, went thence. after eighteen months. to Concord, Mass., and afterwards spent some years in Italy, Ger many, and the Orient. Returning to America in 1850, he became well known through his books of travel and his editorship of Putnam's Monthly. In Harper's Monthly he published a series of papers called The Editor's Easy ('hair, from I553 onward, which increased his reputation. lIe was popular also as an anti-slavery orator and lecturer, was long the chief editor of Harper's Weekly, took an active part as Ifepubliean ( till 1884) in polities. and after 1871 in the agitation fur civil-service reform. Ile declined offers of diplomatic service abroad. Shortly before his death, which occurred at West, Brighton, S. 1., August 31, 1892, lie became chancellor of the Uni versity of New York. Ile was the master of an „ttractive style, and his books of travel and light essays paved the way for the more important services rendered by his polished lectures and orations and by his single-hearted, patriotic labors in behalf of a pure civil service. 11 is strictly
literary reputation seems hardly so well assured as it did a few years since, lint the man and orator are still remembered with pleasure and gratitude. Ms youthful years spent at Brook Farm are charmingly set forth in his letters exchanged with John S. Dwight, which have been published in a volume (1898). llis most impor tant publications are: Nile Notes of a Howadji (1851) ; The Ilowadji in Syria (1852) ; Lotus Eating (1852) ; The Potiphar Papers (1853), a satire on New York social life; Prue and 1 (1856), generally thought the best of his early books; Trumps: A Novel (1861) ; Eulogy on Wendell Phillips (1881) ; three series of essays from the "Easy Chair" (1892, 1893, 1894, etc.). He edited the Correspondence of Motley in 1889 (2 N'o16.). Charles Eliot Norton edited his Orations and Addresses in 1893-94 (3 vols.). Edward Cary wrote his biography for the "Ameri can Men of Letters Series" (Boston, 1894).