Chapter Henty to Herrick of H by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

Henty to Herrick

Henty, George Alfred (1832-1902).—Boy’s novelist, wrote over 80 books for boys, which had great popularity. Among them are By England’s Aid, Dash for Khartoum, Facing Death, In Freedom’s Cause, Out on the Pampas, etc., all full of adventure and interest, and conveying information as well as amusement.

Heraud, John Abraham (1799-1887).—Poet, born in London, of Huguenot descent, he contributed to various periodicals, and published two poems, which attracted some attention, The Descent into Hell (1830), and The Judgment of the Flood (1834). He also produced a few plays, miscellaneous poems, books of travel, etc.

Herbert, of Cherbury, Edward, 1st Lord (1583-1648).—Philosopher and historian, was the eldest son of Richard Herbert, of Montgomery Castle, and was born there or at Eyton, Shropshire. He was at Oxford, and while there, at the age of 16, he married a kinswoman four years his senior, the daughter of Sir William H. Thereafter he returned to the University and devoted himself to study, and to the practice of manly sports and accomplishments. At his coronation in 1603 James I. made him a Knight of the Bath, and in 1608 he went to the Continent, where for some years he was engaged in military and diplomatic affairs, not without his share of troubles. In 1624 he was created an Irish, and a few years later, an English, peer, as Baron Herbert, of Cherbury. On the outbreak of the Civil War he sided, though somewhat half-heartedly, with the Royalists, but in 1644 he surrendered to the Parliament, received a pension, held various offices, and died in 1648. It was in 1624 that he wrote his treatise, De Veritate, “An empirical theory of knowledge,” in which truth is distinguished from (1) revelation, (2) the probable, (3) the possible, (4) the false. It is the first purely metaphysical work written by an Englishman, and gave rise to much controversy. It was reprinted in 1645, when the author added two treatises, De Causis Errorum (concerning the Causes of Errors), and De Religione Laici (concerning the Religion of a Layman). His other chief philosophical work was De Religione Gentilium (1663), of which an English translation appeared in 1705, under the title of The Ancient Religion of the Gentiles and Cause of their Errors considered. It has been called “the charter of the Deists,” and was intended to prove that “all religions recognise five main articles—(1) a Supreme God, (2) who ought to be worshipped, (3) that virtue and purity are the essence of that worship, (4) that sin should be repented of, and (5) rewards and punishments in a future state. Among his historical works are Expeditio Buckinghamii Ducis (1656), a vindication of the Rochelle expedition, a Life of Henry VIII. (1649), extremely partial to the King, his Autobiography, which gives a brilliant picture of his contemporaries, and of the manners and events of his time, and a somewhat vainglorious account of himself and his doings. He was also the author of some poems of a metaphysical cast. On the whole his is one of the most shining and spirited figures of the time.

Autobiography edited by S. Lee (1886). Poems edited by J. Churton Collins, etc.

Herbert, George (1593-1633).—Poet, brother of above, was educated at Westminster School and Trinity Coll., Cambridge, where he took his degree in 1616, and was public orator 1619-27. He became the friend of Sir H. Wotton, Donne, and Bacon, the last of whom is said to have held him in such high esteem as to submit his writings to him before publication. He acquired the favour of James I., who conferred upon him a sinecure worth £120 a year, and having powerful friends, he attached himself for some time to the Court in the hope of preferment. The death of two of his patrons, however, led him to change his views, and coming under the influence of Nicholas Ferrar, the quietist of Little Gidding, and of Laud, he took orders in 1626 and, after serving for a few years as prebendary of Layton Ecclesia, or Leighton Broomswold, he became in 1630 Rector of Bemerton, Wilts, where he passed the remainder of his life, discharging the duties of a parish priest with conscientious assiduity. His health, however, failed, and he died in his 40th year. His chief works are The Temple, or Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations (1634). The Country Parson (1652), and Jacula Prudentium, a collection of pithy proverbial sayings, the two last in prose. Not published until the year after his death, The Temple had immediate acceptance, 20,000 copies, according to I. Walton, who was Herbert’s biographer, having been sold in a few years. Among its admirers were Charles I., Cowper, and Coleridge. Herbert wrote some of the most exquisite sacred poetry in the language, although his style, influenced by Donne, is at times characterised by artificiality and conceits. He was an excellent classical scholar, and an accomplished musician.