Educated at various schools in London, Brittany and Jersey, Lewes finished his training at Dr. Burney's school at Greenwich. He then embarked on a commercial career, changed to medicine and finally abandoned that to concentrate on literature, philosophy and science. In 1845, he published The Biographical History of Philosophy and the following year his first attempt at fiction, Ranthorpe, appeared. In 1850, together with Leigh Hunt, he formed the Leader, and became its literary editor. In 1854, he left his wife to live with Mary Ann Evans, the author George Eliot, and they remained together until his death. In 1855, he published The Life of Goethe, undoubtedly his best work in the field of literature. After this, his work was primarily in science and philosophy and included Seaside Studies (1858), Physiology of Common Life (1859), Studies in Animal Life (1862), and Aristotle, a Character From the History of Science (1864). In 1865, Lewes became the editor of the Fortnightly Review. His other works include The Spanish Drama (1846), Rose, Blanche and Violet (1848), Robespierre (1849), Comte's Philosophy of the Sciences (1853), Lawyers (1853), Problems of Life and Mind (1874) and Principles of Success in Literature (1891 Posthumous). |
