The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Wells, Charles Jeremiah

WELLS, Charles Jeremiah, English poet: b. probably London, about 1799; d. Marseilles, France, 17 Feb. 1879. He was a schoolfellow of a younger brother of the poet John Keats, and was the subject of a sonnet by the poet; later, however, he lost his friendship, as well as that of Haslitt. He wrote extensively but not successfully, and upon his wife's death he destroyed most of his work. He was for a time a solicitor in London, but retired to Wales about 1830, removed to Hertfordshire in 1835, and after 1840 lived abroad. Of his work there remains a volume of prose “Stories After Nature” (1822; reprinted 1891); and the Biblical drama, “Joseph and His Brethren” (1824). The drama met with little favor until it came to the notice of Rossetti in 1863 and was warmly praised by him, a judgment later confirmed by Swinburne. It was reprinted in 1876 and brought a considerable meed of praise to the author in his last years.