Samuel Warren
Samuel Warren was a notable British writer of the nineteenth century, recognized for his diverse literary contributions that included short stories, serialized fiction, political satire, and textbooks. Initially trained in medicine and law, Warren developed a passion for writing early in his life, receiving encouragement from literary figures such as Sir Walter Scott. His works gained significant popularity, rivaling those of contemporaries like Charles Dickens, particularly with his serialized stories "Passages from the Diary of a Late Physician," which offered moral insights woven into narratives about medical practice.
Warren's writing often reflected his conservative views, particularly during the politically charged atmosphere of the 1820s and 1830s, where he advocated for reform while opposing certain political changes, such as Catholic emancipation. His most famous novel, "Ten Thousand a-Year," published in the early 1840s, showcased his controversial stance on various issues, gaining both acclaim and criticism. Beyond his literary career, Warren held several significant positions, including Recorder of Hull and Master in Lunacy, demonstrating his active engagement in both literary and civic spheres. Despite a decline in popularity later in life, Samuel Warren's contributions to literature and his reflections on societal issues remain noteworthy.
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Samuel Warren
- Born: May 23, 1807
- Birthplace: Denbigshire, Wales
- Died: July 29, 1877
Biography
Samuel Warren was a nineteenth century British writer who produced short stories, serialized fiction, political fiction, and satires, as well as textbooks. He was a conservative reform writer in England whose opposition to political reform during the 1820’s and 1830’s was balanced by his advocacy for reform of the morally corrupt of all walks of society. His writing rivaled that of Charles Dickens in popularity during his most prolific years, but his popularity diminished considerably with time.
Born the son of Wesleyan minister Samuel Warren and Annie Williams Warren, details of Warren’s youth remain obscure. Records indicate that the younger Samuel Warren studied medicine between 1821 and 1827 and then studied law at the University of Edinburgh from 1827 to1828. At age seventeen while still a law student, Warren became keenly aware of his passion for writing and consulted Sir Walter Scott for advice concerning his desire to publish his works.
Receiving no advice from Scott, Warren was undeterred in his ambition. He was awarded a prize for his poetry during his law- school years. His pamphlet rejecting the idea of Catholic emancipation was circulated during those years as well. He became a barrister in 1828 and a member of the Royal Society in 1835. His wife was a daughter of James Ballinger. The couple became the parents of two sons, Samuel Lilckendy and Edward Walpole, and one daughter, Emily.
Warren’s “Passages from the Diary of a Late Physician,” were fictional pieces serialized in a conservative publication, Blackwood’s Magazine. These stories had been rejected for publication by three other magazines before being printed in Blackwood’s. However, the novel, comprised of the collected serializations, became as popular as serializations had been. Although Warren first published these stories anonymously, his reputation as a writer was enhanced in England and abroad when he acknowledged authorship. Warren’s fictional account of medical practice as depicted in “Passages from the Diary of a Late Physician” presents the underlying causes of many medical problems as moral problems of the particular patients which leads the reader to moral lessons.
Warren began penning legal texts, both nonfiction and fiction, the most famous being the novel Ten Thousand a-Year, published in multiple parts between 1840 and 1841 after first appearing in Blackwood’s Magazine. Ten Thousand a- Year, which presented Warren’s stance as opposed to Catholic emancipation and disestablishment of the Church of England, became his most successful if controversial novel. Warren was named Recorder of Hull in 1852 and served in the House of Commons from 1856 to 1859, at which time he became Master in Lunacy, a post he held until 1877.