Motley

Motley, John Lothrop (1814-77), the American historian, was born at Dorchester, Massachusetts. After leaving school he went to Harvard, where he graduated in 1831. His education was completed in Germany. In 1837 Motley was married, and two years later published an historical novel. In 1856 he made his reputation by the publication of his History of the Dutch Republic, which had taken him ten years to write. It was followed by the History of the United Netherlands, the last part of which appeared in 1868, and by The Life and Death of John Barneveld. During the Civil War Motley wrote some interesting letters to the Times. He was United States minister at Vienna from 1861 to 1868, and in the following year was transferred to Great Britain, but was recalled almost immediately on account of his friendship with Sumner, with whom President Grant had quarrelled. He died, however, in England.