Chapter Massinger to Maurice of M by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

His chief work, however, was The Pursuits of Literature (1794), an undiscriminating satire on his literary contemporaries which went through 16 ed., but is now almost forgotten.

Maturin, Charles Robert (1782-1824).—Novelist, born in Dublin of Huguenot ancestry, was educated at Trinity College there, and taking orders held various benefices. He was the author of a few dramas, one of which, Bertram, had some success. He is, perhaps, better known for his romances in the style of Mrs. Radcliffe and “Monk” Lewis. The first of these, The Fatal Revenge appeared in 1807, and was followed by, among others, The Milesian Chief (1812), Women, which was the most successful, and lastly by Melmoth, in which he outdoes his models in the mysterious, the horrible, and indeed the revolting, without, except very occasionally, reaching their power. His last work, The Albigenses, in a somewhat different style, was published in the year of his death.

Maurice, Frederick Denison (1805-1872).—Divine, son of a Unitarian minister, was born at Normanston, near Lowestoft, and studied at Cambridge, but being then a Dissenter, could not graduate. He went to London, and engaged in literary work, writing for the Westminster Review and other periodicals, and for a short time edited the Athenæum. His theological views having changed, he joined the Church of England, went to Oxford, graduated, and was ordained 1834. He became Chaplain to Guy’s Hospital, and held other clerical positions in London. In 1840 he was appointed Professor of English Literature and History at King’s College, and subsequently Professor of Theology. He became a leader among the Christian socialists, and for a short time edited their paper. On the publication of his Theological Essays in 1853 he was asked to resign his professorship at King’s College In 1854 he was one of the founders of the Working Men’s College, of which he became Principal, and in 1866 he was made Professor of Moral Philosophy at Cambridge Among his writings are The Religions of the World and their Relation to Christianity, Moral and Metaphysical Philosophy, The Prophets and Kings of the Old Testament (1853), The Doctrine of Sacrifice, and Theological Essays. Maurice’s style was copious, and was often blamed as obscure; nevertheless, he exercised an extraordinary influence over some of the best minds of his time by the originality of his views, and the purity and elevation of his character.