Chapter Morison to Myers of M by Biographical Dictionary of English Literature

in Minstrelsy, Ancient and Modern (1827), a collection of Scottish ballads with an historical introduction. In 1830 he became editor of the Glasgow Courier, and in 1832 he collected and published his poems. He also joined Hogg in edited the Works of Burns.

Motley, John Lothrop (1814-1877).—Historian, born at Dorchester, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, was educated at Harvard, where O. W. Holmes (q.v.), afterwards his biographer, was a fellowstudent. After graduating he went to Europe, studied at Göttingen and Berlin, and visited Italy. On his return he studied law, and was admitted to the Bar in 1837. He did not, however, practise, and was in 1840 sent to St. Petersburg as Sec. of Legation. Meanwhile, having published two novels, Morton’s Hope and Merry Mount, which had little success, he turned to history, and attracted attention by some essays in various reviews. Having decided to write an historical work on Holland, he proceeded in 1851 to Europe to collect materials, and in 1856 published The Rise of the Dutch Republic. It was received with the highest approval by such critics as Froude and Prescott, and at once took its place as a standard work. It was followed in 1860 by the first two vols. of The United Netherlands. The following year Motley was appointed Minister at Vienna, and in 1869 at London. His latest works were a Life of Barneveldt, the Dutch statesman, and A View of … the Thirty Years’ War. Motley holds a high place among historical writers both on account of his research and accuracy, and his vivid and dramatic style, which shows the influence of Carlyle.

Moultrie, John (1799-1874).—Poet, educated at Eton and Cambridge, took orders and was Rector of Rugby. He wrote several books of poetry, his best known pieces are My Brother’s Grave, and Godiva.

Mulock, Dinah Maria (Mrs. Craik) (1826-1887).—Novelist, daughter of a Nonconformist minister of Irish descent. Beginning with stories for children, she developed into a prolific and popular novelist. Her best and most widely known book is John Halifax, Gentleman (1857), which had a wide popularity, and was translated into several languages. Others are The Head of the Family, Agatha’s Husband, A Life for a Life, and Mistress and Maid. She also wrote one or two vols. of essays.

Munday, Anthony (1553-1633).—Dramatist, poet, and pamphleteer, son of a draper in London, appears to have had a somewhat chequered career. He went to Rome in 1578, and published The Englyshe Romayne Life, in which he gives descriptions of rites and other matters fitted to excite Protestant feeling; and he appears to have acted practically as a spy upon Roman Catholics. He had a hand in 18 plays, of which four only are extant, including two on Robert, Earl of Huntingdon (Robin Hood) (1598), and one on the Life of Sir John Oldcastle. He was ridiculed by Ben Jonson in The Case is Altered. He was also a ballad-writer, but nothing of his in this kind survives, unless Beauty sat bathing in a Spring be correctly attributed to him. He also wrote city pageants, and translated popular romances, including Palladino of England, and Amadis of Gaule. He was made by Stow the antiquary (q.v.) his literary executor, and published his Survey of London (1618).

Mure, William (1799-1860).—Scholar, laird of Caldwell, Ayrshire, educated at Westminster, Edinburgh, and Bonn, sat in Parliament for Renfrewshire 1846-55. He was a sound classical scholar, and published A Critical History of the Language and Literature of Ancient Greece (5 vols., 1850-57). He held the view that the Iliad and Odyssey are now substantially as they were originally composed. Mure was Lord Rector of Glasgow University 1847-48.

Murphy, Arthur (1727-1805).—Actor and dramatist, born in Ireland, and educated at St. Omer, went on the stage, studied for the Bar, to which he was ultimately admitted after some demur on account of his connection with the stage. His plays were nearly all adaptations. They include The Apprentice (1756), The Spouter, and The Upholsterer. He also wrote an essay on Dr. Johnson, and a Life of Garrick.

Murray, Lindley (1745-1826).—Grammarian, was born in Pennsylvania, and practised as a lawyer. From 1785 he lived in England, near York, and was for his last 16 years confined to the house. His English Grammar (1795) was long a standard work, and his main claim to a place in literature. His other writings were chiefly religious.