Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jennings, Hargrave
JENNINGS, HARGRAVE (1817?–1890), miscellaneous writer, born about 1817, contributed at the age of fifteen an anonymous series of sea-sketches to the ‘Metropolitan Magazine,’ then under the editorship of Captain Marryat. For many years he acted as secretary to Colonel Mapleson in the management of the Italian Opera. It is supposed that he was the original of the character of Ezra Jennings in Wilkie Collins's story, ‘The Moonstone.’ He died on 11 March 1890 at the residence of his brother, Mr. F. W. Jennings, Ambassadors' Court, St. James's Palace.
Jennings claimed to be the first explorer in various fields of occult learning. His writings include: 1. ‘My Marine Memorandum Book,’ a collection of marine sketches, 3 vols. 12mo, London, 1845. 2. ‘The Ship of Glass; or, the Mysterious Island; a Romance,’ with ‘Atcherley,’ a novel, 3 vols. 12mo, London, 1846. 3. ‘The Opera; or, Views before and Peeps behind the Curtain,’ 8vo, London, 1847. 4. ‘St. George, a Miniature Romance,’ 8vo, London, 1853. 5. ‘Pebblestones by Peregrine, edited by H. Jennings,’ 8vo, London, 1853. 6. ‘The Indian Religions; or, Results of the Mysterious Buddhism, by an Indian Missionary’ [anon.], 12mo, London, 1858; another edit. 1890. 7. ‘War in London; or, Peace in London. Remonstrance addressed to the People of England,’ 8vo, London, 1859. 8. ‘Curious Things of the Outside World. Last Fire,’ 2 vols. 12mo, London, 1861. 9. ‘The Rosicrucians, their Rites and Mysteries; with Chapters on the Ancient Fire-and Serpent-Worshippers,’ 8vo, London, 1870; other editions 1879, and 2 vols. 1887. The book originally occupied twenty years in composition, from 1850 to 1870. 10. ‘Live Lights or Dead Lights: (Altar or Table?),’ 8vo, London, 1873, written in conjunction with two members of the church of England. 11. ‘One of the Thirty: a Strange History, now for the first time told … edited by H. Jennings,’ 8vo, London (1873), a story of the thirty pieces of silver received by Judas for the betrayal of Jesus. 12. ‘The Obelisk: Notices of the Origin, Purpose, and History of Obelisks,’ 8vo, London, 1877. 13. ‘The Childishness and Brutality of the Time: some plain truths in plain language: supplemented by … Essays,’ 8vo, London, 1883. 14. ‘Phallicism, Celestial and Terrestrial, Heathen and Christian: its connexion with the Rosicrucians and the Gnostics, and its foundation in Buddhism; with an Essay on Mystic Anatomy,’ 2 vols. 8vo, with appendix of plates, London, 1884, issued to subscribers only. 15. ‘Charon: Sermons from Styx,’ 8vo, London, 1886. Shortly before his death Jennings was engaged in writing his reminiscences and completed them. He also wrote an introduction to the reprint of Dr. Everard's translation of ‘The Divine Pymander of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus,’ 4to, London, 1884, one of the ‘Bath Occult Reprint’ series.
[Athenæum, 15 and 22 March 1890; Times, 13 and 14 March 1890.]