DIsraeli

D'Israeli, Isaac (1766-1848), an English man of letters, was born at Enfield, in Middlesex, his father, Benjamin D'Israeli, being a Spanish Jew who came from Venice to England in 1748, and made a, fortune. The son Isaac had no turn for commerce, but displayed a great taste for literature, which he was allowed to follow up. His first work was upon the abuse of satire, which was directed against "Peter Pindar." In 1791-1793 appeared the work by which most people know him - The Curiosities of Literature. In 1795 he published an Essay on the Literary Character, and later The Loves of Mejneun a.nd Leila. In 1828-1831 appeared The Life and Beiyn of diaries I. Trouble with his eyes put a stop to other projected works, but in 1841 he produced Amenities of Literature. His son Benjamin D'Israeli (Lord Beaconsfield) published in 1849 an edition of his works, preceded by a notice of his life.