George Henry Lewes (18 April, 1817 – 30 November, 1878) was an English literature and theatre critic.
Fun Facts about George Henry Lewes:
- George Henry Lewes was the legitimate son of poet John Lee Lewes, son of actor Charles Lee Lewes.
- When he was six years old, his mother, Elizabeth Ashweek, married a retired sea captain. The family moved around a lot and young Mr. Lewes was educated in London, Jersey, Brittany, and lastly in Greenwich.
- At first, George Henry Lewes wanted to be a merchant or a doctor but abandoned those careers to become an actor. While he did actin a few plays, he settled on philosophy, science, and literature.
- One of his interests was studying physiology and nutrition, especially on the affects sugar has on teeth.
- Mr. Lewes was a philosopher who encouraged discussions and skepticism.
- Agnes Jervis, daughter of writer Swynfen Stevens Jervis, married George henry Lewes when she was 19 years old. The couple agreed to have an open marriage but produced four sons. She also gave birth to four more children fathered by Thornton Hunt, her husband’s best friend. Since one of her illegitimate children’s birth certificated named Mr. Lewes as the father, he was considered complicit in adultery and the co0le was unable to get a divorce.
- In 1854, Mr. Lewes left his wife to live openly with his soulmate Mary Ann Evans. Ms. Evans was also a writer and credited Mr. Lewes with enriching her writings. She wrote under the pen name George Eliot.
- George Henry Lewes body of work, including philosophy books, criticism, science and biology books, biographies, and novels shows versatility and literary taste.
- His volumes of psychology books are well known especially since they combine psychology and philosophy.
- George henry Lewes is buried in Highgate Cemetery, besides his soulmate Mary Ann Evans (George Eliot).
Zohar — Man of la Book
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Sources:
George Henry Lewes | Wikipedia
George Henry Lewes: English philosopher, actor, and scientist | Britannica
