Landor

Landor, Walter Savage (1775-1864), was born at Warwick. He distinguished himself at Rugby by his skill in writing Latin verse, but had to be removed for his intractable conduct. He showed the same qualities and defects at Oxford, and was rusticated by the authorities of Trinity College. He quarrelled also with his father and with his wife, whom he married immediately after meeting her at a ball in Bath. He adopted no profession, but lived on an allowance during his father's life. In 1798 he published Gebir, which was admired by Southey, Coleridge, and Shelley, but was little read. On the death of his father in 1805 Landor went to live at Bath. In 1808 he made the acquaintance of Southey, who became his life-long friend and warmest admirer. In the same year he served for some months in Spain against the French, and on his return joined in the denunciation of the Convention of Cintra. Count Julian was composed in the winter of 1810-11, and published by the help of Southey. The next few years were spent at Llanthony Priory, a place Landor had bought in Wales. Here he was unfortunate, and in 1814 had to go to Jersey. After a short time in France he went to live in Italy. In 1835, after another quarrel with his wife, he again came to England, where he remained till 1858, when he was driven away by an. unpleasant libel action, in which heavy damages were given against him. He was now entirely dependent upon his family, and, after lingering for six years longer, died at Florence. His greatest work was undoubtedly in prose, The Imaginary' Conversations, Pericles and Aspasia, and The Pentameron.