Laurence Oliphant
Laurence Oliphant was a notable figure born in South Africa in the late 1820s, descending from a prominent Scottish family. He experienced a childhood marked by travel, moving to England with his chronically ill mother, and later returning to South Africa where he served as his father's private secretary after his father's appointment as chief justice of Ceylon. Oliphant was a prolific traveler and writer; his adventures took him across Europe, Nepal, Russia, and the United States, with his first book published in 1852, detailing his journey to Kathmandu. He continued to document his explorations in several works, including accounts of his travels in North America, where he worked as superintendent of Indian affairs. Over time, his writings evolved to include political themes, reflecting his engagement with global politics and intrigue. In his later years, he published a memoir of his adventures and a philosophical work inspired by his deceased wife. Oliphant passed away in 1888, leaving behind a legacy of travel literature and political commentary.
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Laurence Oliphant
Author
- Born: 1829
- Birthplace: Cape Town, South Africa
- Died: December 23, 1888
Biography
Laurence Oliphant was born in South Africa in the late 1820’s. He was the son of the attorney general and the descendant of an established Scottish family. Oliphant’s mother was chronically unwell and left South Africa with Oliphant when he was a young child to convalesce in England. The pair returned in 1841 when Oliphant’s father was named chief justice of Ceylon.
Oliphant’s family was fond of travel, and in 1846, Oliphant put off attending school to join his parents on an extended journey through Europe. Upon his return to South Africa, Oliphant became his father’s private secretary, though Oliphant did take leave to travel abroad again, this time to Nepal. In 1852, Oliphant published his first book, A Journey to Katmandu (the Capital of Nepaul) with the Camp of Jung Bahadoor, Including a Sketch of the Nepaulese Ambassador at Home, recounting his journey to Nepal. After the publication of his book, Oliphant relocated to London, where he began studying law. He was soon traveling again, though, this time to Russia. His journey resulted in the 1853 book The Russian Shores of the Black Sea in the Autumn of 1852, with a Voyage down the Volga, and a Tour Through the Country of the Don Cossacks.
Oliphant’s next adventure took him to the United States, where he explored the Midwest. In 1855, he produced Minnesota and the Far West. Oliphant also spent time in Washington, D.C., serving as a secretary to a British envoy, and then traveled to Quebec, where he was named superintendent of Indian affairs. Oliphant explored more of North America in this capacity, visiting Maine, Lake Superior, Dubuque, and Chicago, which of course led to a new volume recounting his journeys.
Future trips found Oliphant in Constantinople, Japan, China, Singapore, Palestine, and the Philippines. Oliphant documented all of his journeys in his books. He became involved in world politics and international intrigue, and his interest in both subjects began to feature more prominently in his literature. By the 1860’s, most of Oliphant’s works were political in nature.
Some of his later titles include On the Present State of Political Parties in America and Traits and Travesties, Social and Political. Late in his life, Oliphant published a memoir of his early travels, Episodes in a Life of Adventure: Or, Moss from a Rolling Stone. His final book, a blend of philosophy and personal theology, was 1888’s Scientific Religion: Or, Higher Possibilities of Life and Practice through the Operation of Natural Forces, which was inspired, he claimed, by the spirit of his late wife. Oliphant passed away later that year.