Charles G. Leland
Charles G. Leland (1824-1903) was an American author, poet, and folklorist known for his contributions to literature and the study of folklore. Born in Pennsylvania and educated at prestigious institutions including the College of New Jersey (Princeton), Leland's early career included his role as editor of Graham's Magazine, where he published the popular German dialect poem "Hans Breitmann's Party." In 1862, he founded and edited the Continental Monthly to support the Union cause during the American Civil War.
Leland's later work involved extensive travel and research into languages and folklore, producing over fifty books that explored various cultures, particularly gypsy traditions. His engagement with gypsy culture led to the establishment of the Gypsy Lore Society, where he became the first president. Notably, he developed a friendship with Marty Cooper, the King of the Gypsies, who taught him the Romany language; however, Leland's acceptance within the gypsy community was complex and took years to develop. His influential work, "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches," offered insights into Italian witchcraft and contributed to the contemporary interest in pagan and Aryan traditions, shaping the development of Wicca and modern neopaganism. Additionally, in the 1880s, Leland promoted industrial and craft arts in American education.
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Charles G. Leland
Humorist
- Born: August 15, 1824
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: March 20, 1903
- Place of death: Florence, Italy
Biography
Charles G. Leland was born in 1824 in Pennsylvania. He graduated from the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton. He studied at Heidelberg, Munich, and Paris. In 1857, Leland became the editor of Graham’s Magazine. During his editorship, he printed a German dialect poem, Hans Breitmann’s Party. This became so popular that he wrote a collection of them and published it in 1869.
In 1862, Leland founded and edited the Continental Monthly in Boston in order to support the Union cause. After his career in journalism came to an end, Leland traveled the world studying languages and folklore. He wrote more than fifty books in his lifetime, several of which were about the gypsy culture. His works in this area thrived on the contemporary interest in pagan and Aryan traditions. These works influenced the development of Wicca and modern neopaganism.
He founded and was the first president of the Gypsy Lore Society. Leland was able to develop a trusting friendship with Marty Cooper, the King of the Gypsies in England, who then personally taught Leland to speak Romany, the language of the Gypsies. However, the gypsies still did not see Leland as one of their own for a number of years thereafter. Another of his more famous literary works was Aradia: Gospel of the Witches, which reported traditional beliefs of Italian witchcraft.
In the 1880’s, Leland introduced industrial and craft arts in American schools. He died in 1903.