Henry Thomas Mackenzie Bell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mackenzie Bell
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Mackenzie Bell 1890
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| Born | Henry Thomas Mackenzie Bell 2 March 1856 Liverpool, England, U.K. |
| Died | 13 December 1930 (aged 74) London, England |
| Pen name | Mackenzie Bell |
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| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Fiction, poetry, non-fiction, biographies, essay, literary criticism |
| Notable works | A Forgotten Genius: Charles Whitehead, Christina Rossetti: A Biographical and Critical Study |
Henry Thomas Mackenzie Bell (born March 2, 1856 – died December 13, 1930) was an English writer, poet, and literary critic. He was known by his pen name, Mackenzie Bell. He wrote for many popular magazines during the Victorian era, especially the London Academy. He also published several books of poetry between 1879 and 1893.
Mackenzie Bell traveled a lot around the world. He met many famous writers in Britain and other countries. He was a close friend of the poet Christina Rossetti and wrote a book about her life. He also wrote about other English poets like Algernon Swinburne and Charles Whitehead. He wrote about their literary work too. He also added biographies to the Dictionary of National Biography, which is a collection of life stories of important British people.
Bell was also interested in politics. He was a member of W. E. Forster's Imperial Federation Committee. He gave talks for the Social and Political Education League. He also ran for election four times in St George Hanover Square for the Liberal Party. He was a member of the Athenaeum for many years.
Mackenzie Bell's Life
Early Life and Travels
Henry Thomas Mackenzie Bell was born in Liverpool, England, on March 2, 1856. He was the youngest child of Thomas Bell, a merchant, and Margaret Mackenzie. His uncle was Lord Thomas Mackenzie, a Scottish judge. As a child, Bell had poor health. A fall caused a minor paralytic stroke, which is a problem with the brain that can affect movement. Because of his health, he was taught at home.
He was trained to become a lawyer at Cambridge University. But Bell decided to study abroad instead. He lived in countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, and Madeira. During his travels, he became good friends with the poet Christina Rossetti. After she passed away, he wrote a book about her life. When he was a young man, he published his first poetry books. These included The Keeping of the Vow and Other Verses (1879), Verses of Varied Life (1882), and Old Year Leaves (1883).
Becoming a Writer
In 1884, Bell came back to Great Britain. He settled in Ealing, London, and became a professional writer. In the same year, he published a well-liked book about Charles Whitehead called A Forgotten Genius (1884). He started working for the London Academy magazine. He eventually became its main literary critic, meaning he wrote reviews and opinions about books and literature.
Bell also wrote articles, poems, and letters for many other popular magazines of the Victorian era. These included The Fortnightly Review, The Pall Mall Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Athenaeum, The Speaker, The Literary World, Temple Bar, The Lady's Realm, and Black and White. He also wrote articles for the Dictionary of National Biography, The Poets and the Poetry of the Century, and the Savage Club Papers.
Later Works and Politics
During the 1890s, he published more poetry collections. These were Spring's Immortality and Other Poems (1893), Pictures of Travel and Other Poems (1898), and Collected Poems (1901). Four years after Christina Rossetti died, he published her biography. It was called Christina Rossetti: A Biographical and Critical Study (1898).
Bell was also active in politics during this time. He supported the Liberal Party. He was a founding member of W. E. Forster's Imperial Federation Committee. He gave lectures for the Social and Political Education League. He also ran for election four times in St George Hanover Square. For several years, he was a member of the Athenaeum. Mackenzie Bell passed away at his home in Bayswater, London, on December 13, 1930.
