Edward Forster (writer)
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Edward Forster FRS FSA (1769–1828) was an English cleric and
miscellany A miscellany (, ) is a collection of various pieces of writing by different authors. Meaning a mixture, medley, or assortment, a miscellany can include pieces on many subjects and in a variety of different forms. In contrast to anthologies, w ...
writer.


Life

Forster was born at
Colchester, Essex Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the site of Camulodunum, the fi ...
, on 11 June 1769, the only son of Nathaniel Forster, D.D., rector of All Saints in that town. After receiving some instruction at home, he was sent to
Norwich grammar school Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private selective day school in the cathedral close, close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the List of the oldest schools in the ...
, then under his father's close friend
Samuel Parr Samuel Parr (26 January 1747 – 6 March 1825), was an English schoolmaster, writer, minister and Doctor of Law. He was known in his time for political writing, and (flatteringly) as "the Whig Johnson", though his reputation has lasted less wel ...
. On 5 May 1788 he matriculated at
Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...
. To renew contact with Parr, Forster took a house at
Hatton, Warwickshire Hatton is a village and civil parish about west-northwest of Warwick, in the Warwick (district), Warwick District of Warwickshire in England. The parish had a population of 1,078 at the United Kingdom 2001 census, 2001 Census, increasing to 2, ...
, where he resided for some time. Having married, he ultimately became a member of
St. Mary Hall, Oxford St Mary Hall was a medieval academic hall of the University of Oxford. It was associated with Oriel College from 1326 to 1545, but functioned independently from 1545 until it was re-incorporated into Oriel College in 1902. History In 13 ...
, where he graduated B.A. on 21 February 1792, and entered
Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...
on 15 June of the same year. Deciding, however, to become a clergyman, he was ordained priest by
Beilby Porteus Beilby Porteus (or Porteous; 8 May 1731 – 13 May 1809), successively Bishop of Chester and of Bishop of London, London, was a Church of England reform movement, reformer and a leading Abolitionism#Great Britain, abolitionist in England. He w ...
,
bishop of London The bishop of London is the Ordinary (church officer), ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. By custom the Bishop is also Dean of the Chapel Royal since 1723. The diocese covers of 17 boroughs o ...
, in 1796. He proceeded M.A. on 16 February 1797. In 1803, Forster was presented to the rectory of Aston Somerville, Gloucestershire, by an old friend,
Lord Somerville Lord Somerville is a title in the Peerage of Scotland which is subject to a number of ambiguities. The date of creation is not known with certainty but it was probably created about 1435 for Thomas Somerville, Justiciar of Scotia, Justiciar of ...
, who had procured for him the appointment of chaplain to the
Duke of Newcastle Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne was a title that was created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first grant of the title was made in 1665 to William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle, Willi ...
in 1796. There was no parsonage-house on the living, and Forster settled in London, where his pulpit oratory was in demand. He was from 1800 to 1814 successively morning preacher at Berkeley and Grosvenor chapels; and at Park Street and King Street chapels, in which he shared the duty with
Sydney Smith Sydney Smith (3 June 1771 – 22 February 1845) was an English wit, writer, and Anglican cleric. Besides his energetic parochial work, he was known for his writing and philosophy, founding the ''Edinburgh Review'', lecturing at the Royal Inst ...
, Stanier Clarke,
Thomas Frognall Dibdin Thomas Frognall Dibdin (177618 November 1847) was an English bibliographer, born in Calcutta to Thomas Dibdin, the sailor brother of the composer Charles Dibdin. Dibdin was orphaned at a young age. His father and mother died in 1780 while re ...
, and other fashionable preachers. After the peace of 1815 Forster moved with his family to Paris, his finances having suffered by losses on his publications. About a year later he began to preach in the
Temple Protestant de l'Oratoire du Louvre The Église réformée de l'Oratoire du Louvre, is a historic Protestant church located at 145 rue Saint-Honoré – 160 rue de Rivoli in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, across the street from the Louvre. It was founded as a Catholic church in 161 ...
, and eventually obtained a grant from the consistory for the use of the church when it was not required for French service. Here he officiated until the autumn of 1827, when ill-health compelled him to resign. In 1818, he was appointed to the post, founded at his suggestion, of chaplain to the British embassy, which he continued to hold until his death. In 1824, the
Earl of Bridgewater Earl of Bridgewater was a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England, once for the Daubeny family (1538) and once for the Egerton family (1617). From 1720 to 1803, the Earls of Bridgewater also held the title of Duke of Bridgewa ...
made him his chaplain. Forster had been elected Fellow of the
Royal Society The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, re ...
on 10 December 1801, and Fellow of the
Society of Antiquaries of London The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a Charitable organization, registered charity. It is based ...
. He was also an active supporter of the
Royal Institution The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...
from its foundation, was appointed honorary librarian by the directors, and was engaged to deliver lectures there during three successive seasons.


Death and burial

Forster died in Paris on 18 February 1828, after a lingering illness, and was buried in
Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (, , formerly , ) is the largest cemetery in Paris, France, at . With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Buried at Père Lachaise are many famous figures in the ...
.


Works

Forster entered into an engagement with a bookseller, William Miller of Old Bond Street, subsequently of Albemarle Street, to issue tastefully printed editions of the works of standard authors, illustrated by the best artists of the day. His first venture was an edition of
Charles Jervas Charles Jervas (also Jarvis and Jervis; c. 1675 – 2 November 1739) was an Irish portrait painter, translator, and art collector of the early 18th century. Early life Born in Shinrone, County Offaly, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland around 1675, ...
's translation of ''
Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...
'' (1801). Having been successful in this, he published some lesser works of less importance, while he was preparing for the press a new translation, from the French of
Antoine Galland Antoine Galland (; 4 April 1646 – 17 February 1715) was a French orientalist and archaeologist, most famous as the first European translator of ''One Thousand and One Nights'', which he called '' Les mille et une nuits''. His version of the ta ...
, of the ''
Arabian Nights ''One Thousand and One Nights'' (, ), is a collection of Middle Eastern folktales compiled in the Arabic language during the Islamic Golden Age. It is often known in English as ''The Arabian Nights'', from the first English-language edition () ...
'' (1802), with twenty-four engravings from pictures by Robert Smirke, R.A. During the same year he brought out an edition of ''Anacreon'', for which William Bulmer furnished a Greek font; the title-plates and vignettes were by Lavinia Forster. Editions of dramatic authors followed, under the titles of ''British Drama'', ''New British Theatre'', and ''English Drama''. An edition of '' Rasselas'', with engravings by
Abraham Raimbach Abraham Raimbach (16 February 1776 in London17 January 1843), was an English engraver of Swiss descent. He was born in Cecil Court in the West End of London. Weinreb, Ben & Hibbert, Christopher (1983): ''The London Encyclopaedia,'' p. 129. Ed ...
from pictures painted by Smirke, was issued by Forster in 1805; it was followed in 1809 by a small privately printed volume of verse, entitled ''Occasional Amusements'', which appeared without his name. Forster's major publication was the folio serial entitled ''The British Gallery of Engravings'', consisting of highly finished
line engraving Line engraving is a term for engraved images printed on paper to be used as prints or illustrations. The term is mainly used in connection with 18th- or 19th-century commercial illustrations for magazines and books or reproductions of paintings. ...
s. Descriptions in English and French accompany each engraving. The first number of this work appeared in 1807, and in 1813 the first volume only was completed, when it was abandoned for financial reasons. When he left for Paris, Forster was engaged in publishing a ''Plautus''. Three volumes were completed when it was stopped by the sudden death of the printer.


Family

Towards the end of 1790 Forster married Elizabeth, widow of Captain Addison, and youngest daughter of Philip Bedingfeld of Ditchingham Hall, Norfolk; his wife, by whom he had no children, lived only four years after their union. On 3 August 1799, then resident at Weston, Oxfordshire, he married as his second wife Lavinia, only daughter of Thomas Banks, R.A., the sculptor. He left a widow and three daughters, for whose benefit were published ''Sermons preached at the Chapel of the British Embassy, and at the Protestant Church of the Oratoire, in Paris, by Edward Forster, with a short Account of his Life'', edited by Lavinia Forster, 2 vols. Paris, 1828.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Forster, Edward 1769 births 1828 deaths 19th-century English writers 18th-century English Anglican priests 19th-century English Anglican priests Fellows of the Royal Society People educated at Norwich School Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery