A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature Part 19

GARDINER, SAMUEL RAWSON (1829-1902).--Historian, _b._ at Alresford, Hants, was _ed._ at Winchester and Oxf. In 1855 he _m._ Isabella, _dau._ of Edward Irving (_q.v._), the founder of the Catholic Apostolic Church, which he joined, and in which he ultimately held high office. About the time of his leaving Oxf. he had planned his great work, _The History of England from the Accession of James I. to the Restoration_, and the accomplishment of this task he made the great object of his life for more than 40 years. The first two vols. appeared in 1863 as _The History of England from the Accession of James I. to the Disgrace of Chief Justice Cooke_, and subsequent instalments appeared under the following t.i.tles: _Prince Charles and The Spanish Marriage_ (1867), _England under Buckingham and Charles I._ (1875), _Personal Government of Charles I._ (1877), _The Fall of the Government of Charles I._ (1881); these were in 1883-4 re-issued in a consolidated form ent.i.tled _History of England from the Accession of James I. to the Outbreak of the Civil War_. The second section of the work, _History of the Great Civil War_, followed in three vols. _pub._ in 1886, 1889, and 1891 respectively, and three more vols., _History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate_ in 1894, 1897, and 1901, brought the story down to 1656, when the health of the indefatigable writer gave way, and he _d._ in 1902. In addition to this monumental work G. wrote many school and college historical text-books, and contributed to the Epochs of Modern History Series, _The Thirty Years' War_ (1874), and _The First Two Stuarts_ (1876); he also wrote _Outlines of English History_, three parts (1881-3), and _Students' History of England_, three parts (1891). From 1871-85 he was Prof. of History at King's Coll., London, and lecturer on history for the London Society for the Extension of Univ. Teaching. He also ed. many of the historical doc.u.ments which he unearthed in his investigations, and many of those issued by the "Camden," "Clarendon," and other societies. He was ed. of _The English Historical Review_, and contributed largely to the _Dictionary of National Biography_. The sober and unadorned style of G.'s works did little to commend them to the general reader, but their eminent learning, accuracy, impartiality, and the laborious pursuit of truth which they exhibited earned for him, from the first, the respect and admiration of scholars and serious students of history; and as his great work advanced it was recognised as a permanent contribution to historical literature.

In 1882 he received a civil list pension, and was elected to Research Fellowships, first by All Souls' Coll., and subsequently by Merton. He held honorary degrees from the Univ. of Oxford, Gottingen, and Edinburgh.

GARNETT, RICHARD (1835-1906).--Biographer and writer on literature, _s._ of Richard G., an a.s.sistant keeper of Printed Books in the British Museum. _B._ at Lichfield, and _ed._ at a school in, Bloomsbury, he entered the British Museum in 1851 as an a.s.sistant librarian. There he remained for nearly 50 years, and rose to be Keeper of Printed Books. He acquired a marvellous knowledge of books, and of everything connected with pure literature. He made numerous translations from the Greek, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, and wrote books of graceful verse, _The Twilight of the G.o.ds and other Tales_ (1888), various biographical works on Carlyle, Milton, Blake, and others, _The Age of Dryden_, a _History of Italian Literature_, and contributed many articles to encyclopaedias, and to the _Dictionary of National Biography_.

GARRICK, DAVID (1717-1779).--Actor and dramatist, _b._ at Hereford, but got most of his education at Lichfield, to which his _f._ belonged. He was also one of the three pupils who attended Johnson's School at Edial.

With his great preceptor, whom he accompanied to London, he always remained on friendly terms. He took to the stage, and became the greatest of English actors. He also wrote various plays, and adaptations, and did not scruple to undertake "improved" versions of some of Shakespeare's greatest plays including _Cymbeline_, _The Taming of the Shrew_, and _The Winter s Tale_, performing the same service for Jonson and Wycherley, in the last case with much more excuse. Of his original plays _The Lying Valet_ and _Miss in her Teens_ are perhaps the best.

GARRISON, WILLIAM LLOYD (1805-1879).--Orator, was _b._ at Newburyport, Ma.s.s. Though chiefly known for his eloquent advocacy of negro emanc.i.p.ation, he is also remembered for his _Sonnets and other Poems_ (1847).

GARTH, SIR SAMUEL (1661-1719).--Physician and poet, _b._ at Bolam in the county of Durham, and _ed._ at Camb., he settled as a physician in London, where he soon acquired a large practice. He was a zealous Whig, the friend of Addison and, though of different political views, of Pope, and he ended his career as physician to George I., by whom he was knighted in 1714. He is remembered as the author of _The Dispensary_, a satire, which had great popularity in its day, and of _Claremont_, a descriptive poem. He also ed. a translation of Ovid's _Metamorphoses_, to which Addison, Pope, and others contributed. Perhaps, however, the circ.u.mstance most honourable to him is his intervention to procure an honourable burial for Dryden, over whose remains he p.r.o.nounced a eulogy.

GASCOIGNE, GEORGE (1525 or 1535-1577).--Poet and dramatist, _s._ of Sir John G., and descended from Sir William G., the famous Chief Justice to Henry IV., he was _ed._ at Camb., and entered Gray's Inn 1555. While there he produced two plays, both translations, _The Supposes_ (1566) from Ariosto, and _Jocasta_ (1566) from Euripides. Disinherited on account of his prodigality, he _m._ in order to rehabilitate his finances, a widow, the mother of Nicholas Breton (_q.v._). He had, nevertheless, to go to Holland to escape from the importunities of his creditors. While there he saw service under the Prince of Orange, and was taken prisoner by the Spaniards. Released after a few months, he returned to England, and found that some of his poems had been surrept.i.tiously _pub._ He thereupon issued an authoritative ed. under the t.i.tle of _An Hundred Sundrie Floures bound up in one Poesie_ (1572). Other works are _Notes of Instruction_, for making English verse, _The Gla.s.se of Government_ (1575), and _The Steele Gla.s.se_ (1576), a satire. He also contributed to the entertainments in honour of Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth and appears to have had a share of Court favour. G. was a man of originality, and did much to popularise the use of blank verse in England.

GASKELL, ELIZABETH CLEGHORN (STEVENSON) (1810-1865).--Novelist, _dau._ of William Stevenson, a Unitarian minister, and for some time Keeper of the Treasury Records. She _m._ William G., a Unitarian minister, at Manchester, and in 1848 _pub._ anonymously her first book, _Mary Barton_, in which the life and feelings of the manufacturing working cla.s.ses are depicted with much power and sympathy. Other novels followed, _Lizzie Leigh_ (1855), _Mr. Harrison's Confessions_ (1865), _Ruth_ (1853), _Cranford_ (1851-3), _North and South_ (1855), _Sylvia's Lovers_ (1863), etc. Her last work was _Wives and Daughters_ (1865), which appeared in the _Cornhill Magazine_, and was left unfinished. Mrs. G. had some of the characteristics of Miss Austen, and if her style and delineation of character are less minutely perfect, they are, on the other hand, imbued with a deeper vein of feeling. She was the friend of Charlotte Bronte (_q.v._), to whom her sympathy brought much comfort, and whose _Life_ she wrote. Of _Cranford_ Lord Houghton wrote, "It is the finest piece of humoristic description that has been added to British literature since Charles Lamb."

GATTY, MRS. ALFRED (MARGARET SCOTT) (1809-1873).--_Dau._ of Rev. A.J.

Scott, D.D., a navy chaplain, who served under, and was the trusted friend of, Nelson. She _m._ the Rev. Alfred Gatty, D.D., Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, and became a highly useful and popular writer of tales for young people. Among her books may be mentioned _Parables from Nature_, _Worlds not Realised_, _Proverbs Ill.u.s.trated_, and _Aunt Judy's Tales_.

She also conducted _Aunt Judy's Magazine_, and wrote a book on British sea-weeds. Juliana Ewing (_q.v._) was her daughter.

GAUDEN, JOHN (1605-1662).--Theologian, _b._ at Mayfield in Ess.e.x, and _ed._ at Camb. His claim to remembrance rests on his being the reputed author of _Eikon Basilike_ (the Royal Image), a book purporting to be written by Charles I. during his imprisonment, and containing religious meditations and defences of his political acts. _Pub._ immediately after the King's execution, it produced an extraordinary effect, so much so that Charles II. is reported to have said that, had it been _pub._ a week earlier, it would have saved his father's life. There seems now to be little doubt that Gauden was the author. At all events he claimed to be recompensed for his services, and was made Bishop successively of Exeter and Worcester, apparently on the strength of these claims. The work pa.s.sed through 50 ed. within a year, and was answered by Milton in his _Iconoclastes_ (the Image-breaker).

GAY, JOHN (1685-1732).--Poet and dramatist, _b._ near Barnstaple of a good but decayed family. His parents dying while he was a child he was apprenticed to a silk-mercer in London, but not liking the trade, was released by his master. In 1708 he _pub._ a poem, _Wine_, and in 1713 _Rural Sports_, which he dedicated to Pope, whose friendship he obtained.

A little before this he had received an appointment as sec. in the household of the d.u.c.h.ess of Monmouth. His next attempts were in the drama, in which he was not at first successful; but about 1714 he made his first decided hit in _The Shepherd's Week_, a set of six pastorals designed to satirise Ambrose Philips, which, however, secured public approval on their own merits. These were followed by _Trivia_ (1716), in which he was aided by Swift, an account in mock heroic verse of the dangers of the London streets, and by _The Fan_. G. had always been ambitious of public employment, and his aspirations were gratified by his receiving the appointment of sec. to an emba.s.sy to Hanover, which, however, he appears to have resigned in a few months. He then returned to the drama in _What d'ye call It_, and _Three Hours after Marriage_, neither of which, however, took the public fancy. In 1720 he _pub._ a collection of his poems, which brought him 1000, but soon after lost all his means in the collapse of the South Sea Company. After producing another drama, _The Captive_, he _pub._ his _Fables_ (1727), which added to his reputation, and soon after, in 1728, achieved the great success of his life in _The Beggar's Opera_, a Newgate pastoral, suggested by Swift, in which the graces and fantasticalities of the Italian Opera were satirised. A sequel, _Polly_, was suppressed by the Lord Chamberlain as reflecting upon the Court, but was _pub._ and had an enormous sale. The last few years of his life were pa.s.sed in the household of the Duke of Queensberry, who had always been his friend and patron. He _d._ after three days' illness, aged 47. G. was an amiable, easy-going man, who appears to have had the power of attracting the strong attachments of his friends, among whom were Pope and Swift. He seems to have been one of the very few for whom the latter had a sincere affection. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Of all he has written he is best remembered by one or two songs, of which the finest is _Black-eyed Susan_.

GEDDES, ALEXANDER (1737-1802).--Theologian and scholar, of Roman Catholic parentage, was _b._ at Ruthven, Banffshire, and _ed._ for the priesthood at the local seminary of Scalan, and at Paris, and became a priest in his native county. His translation of the _Satires_ of Horace made him known as a scholar, but his liberality of view led to his suspension. He then went to London, where he became known to Lord Petre, who enabled him to proceed with a new translation of the Bible for English Roman Catholics, which he carried on as far as Ruth, with some of the Psalms, and which was _pub._ in 3 vols. (1792-6). This was followed by _Critical Remarks on the Hebrew Scriptures_, in which he largely antic.i.p.ated the German school of criticism. The result of this publication was his suspension from all ecclesiastical functions. G. was also a poet, and wrote _Linton: a Tweedside Pastoral_, _Carmen Seculare pro Gallica Gente_ (1790), in praise of the French Revolution. He _d._ without recanting, but received absolution at the hands of a French priest, though public ma.s.s for his soul was forbidden by the ecclesiastical powers.

GEOFFREY of MONMOUTH (1100?-1154).--Chronicler, was probably a Benedictine monk, and became Bishop of St. Asaph. He wrote a Latin _History of British Kings_. _Merlin's Prophecies_, long attributed to him, is now held to be not genuine. The history is rather a historical romance than a sober history, and gave scandal to some of the more prosaic chroniclers who followed him. It was subsequently translated into Anglo-Norman by Gaimar and Wace, and into English by Layamon.

GERARD, ALEXANDER (1728-1795).--Philosophical writer, _s._ of Rev.

Gilbert G., was _ed._ at Aberdeen, where he became Prof., first of Natural Philosophy, and afterwards of Divinity, and one of the ministers of the city. As a prof. he introduced various reforms. In 1756 he gained the prize for an _Essay on Taste_ which, together with an _Essay on Genius_, he subsequently _pub._ These treatises, though now superseded, gained for him considerable reputation.

GIBBON, EDWARD (1737-1794).--Historian, was _b._ at Putney of an ancient Kentish family. His _f._ was Edward G., and his mother Judith Porten. He was the only one of a family of seven who survived infancy, and was himself a delicate child with a precocious love of study. After receiving his early education at home he was sent to Westminster School, and when 15 was entered at Magdalen Coll., Oxf., where, according to his own account, he spent 14 months idly and unprofitably. Oxf. was then at its lowest ebb, and earnest study or effort of any kind had little encouragement. G., however, appears to have maintained his wide reading in some degree, and his study of Bossuet and other controversialists led to his becoming in 1753 a Romanist. To counteract this his _f._ placed him under the charge of David Mallet (_q.v._), the poet, deist, and ed.

of Bolingbroke's works, whose influence, not unnaturally, failed of the desired effect, and G. was next sent to Lausanne, and placed under the care of a Protestant pastor, M. Pavilliard. Various circ.u.mstances appear to have made G. not unwilling to be re-converted to Protestantism; at all events he soon returned to the reformed doctrines. At Lausanne he remained for over four years, and devoted himself a.s.siduously to study, especially of French literature and the Latin cla.s.sics. At this time also he became engaged to Mademoiselle Suzanne Curchod; but on the match being peremptorily opposed by his _f._ it was broken off. With the lady, who eventually became the wife of Necker, and the mother of Madame de Stael, he remained on terms of friendship. In 1758 G. returned to England, and in 1761 _pub._ _Essai sur l'Etude de la Litterature_, translated into English in 1764. About this time he made a tour on the Continent, visiting Paris, where he stayed for three months, and thence proceeding to Switzerland and Italy. There it was that, musing amid the ruins of the Capitol at Rome on October 15, 1764, he formed the plan of writing the history of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He returned to England in 1765, and in 1770 his _f._ _d._, leaving him the embarra.s.sed estate of Buriton, which had been his usual home when in England. With a view to recovering his affairs, he left his estate and lived in London where, in 1772, he seriously set himself to realise the great plan which, since its conception, had never been out of his thoughts. The first chapter was written three times, and the second twice before he could satisfy himself that he had found the style suited to his subject. The progress of the work was delayed by the fact that G. had meanwhile (1774) entered the House of Commons, where, as member for Liskeard, he was a steady, though silent, supporter of Lord North in his American policy. He subsequently sat for Lymington, and held office as a Commissioner of Trade and Plantations 1779-82. The first vol. of the _Decline and Fall_ appeared in 1776, and was received with acclamation, and it was not until some time had elapsed that the author's treatment of the rise of Christianity excited the attention and alarm of the religious and ecclesiastical world. When, however, the far-reaching nature of his views was at length realised, a fierce and prolonged controversy arose, into which G. himself did not enter except in one case where his fidelity as an historian was impugned. The second and third vols. appeared in 1781, and thereafter (1783) G. returned to Lausanne, where he lived tranquilly with an early friend, M. Deyverdun, devoting his mornings to the completion of his history, and his evenings to society. At length, on the night of June 27, 1787, in the summer-house of his garden, the last words were penned, and the great work of his life completed. Of the circ.u.mstances, and of his feelings at the moment, he has himself given an impressive account. The last three vols. were issued in 1788, G. having gone to London to see them through the press. This being done he returned to Lausanne where, within a year, his beloved friend Deyverdun _d._ His last years were clouded by ill-health, and by anxieties with regard to the French Revolution. In 1793, though travelling was a serious matter for him, he came to England to comfort his friend Lord Sheffield on the death of his wife, took ill, and _d._ suddenly in London on January 16, 1794.

The place of G. among historians is in the first rank, and if the vast scale of his work and the enormous ma.s.s of detail involved in it are considered along with the learning and research employed in acc.u.mulating the material, and the breadth of view, lucidity of arrangement, and sense of proportion which have fused them into a distinct and splendid picture, his claims to the first place cannot be lightly dismissed. His style, though not pure, being tinged with Gallicisms, is one of the most n.o.ble in our literature, rich, harmonious, and stately; and though sources of information not accessible to him have added to our knowledge, and have shown some of his conclusions to be mistaken, his historical accuracy has been comparatively little shaken, and his work is sure of permanence. As a man G. seems to have been somewhat calm and cool in his feelings, though capable of steady and affectionate friendships, such as those with Deyverdun and the Sheffields, which were warmly reciprocated, and he appears to have been liked in society, where his brilliant conversational powers made him shine. He was vain, and affected the manners of the fine gentleman, which his unattractive countenance and awkward figure, and latterly his extreme corpulence, rendered somewhat ridiculous. He left an interesting _Autobiography_.

SUMMARY.--_B._ 1737, _ed._ Westminster and Oxf., became Romanist and sent to Lausanne 1753, where he returned to Protestantism, _pub._ _Essay on Study of Literature_ 1761, visited Rome 1764 and resolved to write his _Decline and Fall of Roman Empire_, began to write it 1772, _pub._ 1776-87, _d._ 1794.

_Decline and Fall_ (Sir W. Smith, 8 vols., 1854-55), another (J.B. Bury, 7 vols., 1896-1900). _Autobiography_ (Lord Sheffield, 1796), often reprinted.

GIFFORD, RICHARD (1725-1807).--Poet, was _ed._ at Oxford and took orders.

He was the author of a poem, _Contemplation_. He also wrote theological and controversial works.

GIFFORD, WILLIAM (1756-1826).--Critic and poet, was _b._ of humble parentage at Ashburton, Devonshire, and after being for a short time at sea, was apprenticed to a cobbler. Having, however, shown signs of superior ability, and a desire for learning, he was befriended and _ed._, ultimately at Oxf., where he _grad._ Becoming known to Lord Grosvenor, he was patronised by him, and in course of time produced his first poem, _The Baviad_ (1794), a satire directed against the Delia Cruscans, a clique of very small and sentimental poets, which at once quenched their little tapers. This was followed by another satire, _The Maeviad_, against some minor dramatists. His last effort in this line was his _Epistle to Peter Pindar_ (Dr. Walcot), inspired by personal enmity, which evoked a reply, _A Cut at a Cobbler_. These writings had established the reputation of G. as a keen, and even ferocious critic, and he was appointed in 1797 ed. of the _Anti-Jacobin_, which Canning and his friends had just started, and of the _Quarterly Review_ (1809-24). He also brought out ed. of Ma.s.singer, Ben Jonson, and Ford. As a critic he had acuteness; but he was one-sided, prejudiced, and savagely bitter, and much more influenced in his judgments by the political opinions than by the literary merits of his victims. In his whole career, however, he displayed independence and spirit in overcoming the disadvantages of his early life, as well as grat.i.tude to those who had served him. He held various appointments which placed him above financial anxiety.

GILDAS (516?-570?).--British historian, was a monk who is believed to have gone to Brittany about 550, and founded a monastery. He wrote a history, _De Excidio Britanniae_ (concerning the overthrow of Britain). It consists of two parts, the first from the Roman invasion until the end of the 4th century, and the second a continuation to the writer's own time.

It is obscure and wordy, and not of much value.

GILDER, RICHARD WATSON (1844-1909).--Poet, _b._ at Borderstown, New Jersey, was successively a lawyer, a soldier, and a journalist, in which last capacity he ed. _Scribner's_ (afterwards the _Century_) _Magazine_.

He holds a high place among American poets as the author of _The New Day_ (1875), _The Celestial Pa.s.sion_, _The Great Remembrance_, _Five Books of Song_ (1894), _In Palestine_ (1898), _In the Heights_ (1905), _A Book of Music_ (collection) (1906), etc.

GILDON, CHARLES (1665-1724).--Critic and dramatist, belonged to a Roman Catholic family, and was an unsuccessful playwright, a literary hack, and a critic of little ac.u.men or discrimination. He attacked Pope as "Sawny Dapper," and was in return embalmed in _The Dunciad_. He also wrote a Life of Defoe.

GILFILLAN, GEORGE (1813-1878).--Poet and critic, _s._ of a dissenting minister at Comrie, Perthshire, studied at Glasgow Univ., and was ordained minister of a church in Dundee. He was a voluminous author.

Among his writings are _Gallery of Literary Portraits_, and a Series of British Poets with introductions and notes in 48 vols. He also wrote Lives of Burns, Scott, and others, and _Night_ (1867), a poem in nine books. His style was somewhat turgid, and his criticism rather sympathetic than profound.

GILFILLAN, ROBERT (1798-1850).--Poet, _b._ at Dunfermline, was latterly Collector of Police Rates in Leith. He wrote a number of Scottish songs, and was favourably mentioned in _Noctes Ambrosianae_ (see Wilson, J.). He was the author of the beautiful song, _Oh, why left I my Hame?_

GILLESPIE, GEORGE (1613-1648).--Scottish Theologian, was _b._ at Kirkcaldy, and studied at St. Andrews. He became one of the ministers of Edin., and was a member of the Westminster a.s.sembly, in which he took a prominent part. A man of notable intellectual power, he exercised an influence remarkable in view of the fact that he _d._ in his 36th year.

He was one of the most formidable controversialists of a highly controversial age. His best known work is _Aaron's Rod Blossoming_, a defence of the ecclesiastical claims of the high Presbyterian party.

GILLIES, JOHN (1747-1836).--Historian, _b._ at Brechin and _ed._ there and at Glasgow, wrote a _History of Greece_ (1786) from a strongly anti-democratic standpoint, a _History of the World from Alexander to Augustus_ (1807), and a _View of the Reign of Frederick II. of Prussia_.

He also made various translations from the Greek. He succeeded Princ.i.p.al Robertson as Historiographer Royal for Scotland.

GIRALDUS CAMBRENSIS (literary name of GERALD DE BARRI) (1146?-1220?).--Geographer and historian, was _b._ of a Norman family settled in Wales, which intermarried with the Royal family of that country. He was an eminent scholar and Churchman, whose object of ambition was the Bishopric of St. David's, to which he was twice elected by the chapter, but from which he was kept out by the opposition of the King. When travelling in Ireland with Prince John (1185) he wrote _Topographia Hibernica_, a valuable descriptive account of the country, and in 1188 he wrote _Itinerarium Cambriae_, a similar work on Wales. He left several other works, including an autobiography, _De Rebus a se Gestis_ (concerning his own doings).

GISSING, GEORGE (1857-1903).--Novelist, _b._ at Wakefield. In his novels he depicted the environment and struggles of the lower and lower middle cla.s.ses with a somewhat pessimistic and depressing realism, although his last work, _The Private Papers of Henry Ryecroft_, seemed to usher in the dawn of a somewhat brighter outlook. His other novels include _Demos_ (1886), _Thyrza_ (1887), _The Nether World_ (1889), _New Grub Street_ (1891), _Born in Exile_ (1892), _In the Year of Jubilee_ (1894), and _The Town Traveller_ (1898). He _d._ at St. Jean de Luz in the Pyrenees.

GLADSTONE, WILLIAM EWART (1809-1898).--Statesman, scholar, and man of letters, fourth _s._ of Sir John G., a merchant in Liverpool, was of Scottish ancestry. He was _ed._ at Eton and Christ Church, Oxf. From his youth he was deeply interested in religious and ecclesiastical questions, and at one time thought of entering the Church. In 1832 he entered Parliament as a Tory, and from the first gave evidence of the splendid talents for debate and statesmanship, especially in the department of finance, which raised him to the position of power and influence which he afterwards attained. After holding the offices of Pres. of the Board of Trade, Colonial Sec., and Chancellor of the Exchequer, he attained the position of Prime Minister, which he held four times 1868-74, 1880-85, 1885-86, and 1892-93. His political career was one of intense energy and activity in every department of government, especially after he became Prime Minister, and while it gained him the enthusiastic applause and devotion of a large portion of the nation, it exposed him to a correspondingly intense opposition on the part of another. The questions which involved him in the greatest conflicts of his life and evoked his chief efforts of intellect were the disestablishment of the Irish Church, the foreign policy of his great rival Disraeli, and Home Rule for Ireland, on the last of which the old Liberal party was finally broken up. In the midst of political labours which might have been sufficient to absorb even his tireless energy, he found time to follow out and write upon various subjects which possessed a life-long interest for him. His first book was _The State in its Relations with the Church_ (1839), which formed the subject of one of Macaulay's essays. _Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age_ (1858), _Juventus Mundi_ (1869), and _Homeric Synchronism_ (1876), _The Impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture_ (1890), _The Vatican Decrees and Vaticanism_ (1874-75), and _Gleanings of Past Years_ (1897), 8 vols., were his other princ.i.p.al contributions to literature. G.'s scholarship, though sound and even brilliant, was of an old-fashioned kind, and his conclusions on Homeric questions have not received much support from contemporary scholars. In his controversies with Huxley and others his want of scientific knowledge and of sympathy with modern scientific tendencies placed him at a disadvantage. His character was a singularly complex one, and his intellect possessed a plasticity which made it possible to say of him that he never _was_ anything, but was always _becoming_ something. His life was a singularly n.o.ble and stainless one, and he must probably ever remain one of the great figures in the history of his country.

_Life_ by J. Morley (3 vols.), others by J. M'Carthy, Sir Wemyss Reid, and many others.

GLANVILL, JOSEPH (1636-1680).--Controversialist and moral writer, _b._ at Plymouth, and _ed._ at Oxf., took orders, and held various benefices, including the Rectory of Bath Abbey and a prebend at Worcester. He came under the influence of the Camb. Platonists, especially of Henry More (_q.v._). His contendings were chiefly with the English Nonconformists, against whom (with the exception of Baxter whom he held in great esteem) he exhibited great bitterness. His chief work is the _Vanity of Dogmatizing_ (1661) which contains the story of "The Scholar Gipsy," in later days turned to such fine account by Matthew Arnold. G. wrote a fine literary style, at its best recalling that of Sir Thomas Browne.