Men of the Time, eleventh edition/Besant, Walter
BESANT, Walter, was born at Portsmouth, in 1838, and educated at King's College, London, and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated in high mathematical honours. He was intended for the Church, and obtained several theological prizes, but abandoned this career. Then he was appointed Senior Professor in the Royal College of Mauritius, but was compelled by ill health to resign, and returned to England, where he has since resided. In 1868 he produced his first work, "Studies in Early French Poetry." In 1873 he brought out "The French Humourists;" in 1877, "Rabelais," for the "Ancient and Foreign Classics;" in 1879, "Coligny;" and in 1881, "Whittington," for the "New Plutarch" series, of which he is one of the editors. Mr. Besant has acted for many years as secretary of the Palestine Exploration Fund, in which capacity he wrote in 1871 a "History of Jerusalem," with the late Professor Palmer; and he is now editor of the great work entitled "The Survey of Western Palestine." He has contributed to most of the magazines. In 1871 he entered into the partnership with the late Mr. James Rice, which produced the series of novels that bear their joint name. Mr. Besant has also written, under his own name, "The Revolt of Man," and "All Sorts and Conditions of Men: an impossible story," 1882. He also, with Mr. Rice, put on the stage two plays, one performed at the Royal Court, a dramatic version of "Ready Money Mortiboy;" and the other, "Such a Good Man," the play from which their story bearing the same title was written. Mr. Besant's most recent literary productions are a biography of the late Professor Palmer (1883); and "The Captain's Room," a novel (1883).