The New International Encyclopædia/Wells, Charles J

WELLS, Charles J. (c.1799-1870). An English poet, born probably in London. He was a friend of Keats, who dedicated a sonnet to him. Under the name of H. L. Howard, Wells published a volume called Stories After Nature (prose) in 1822, and in 1824 Joseph and His Brethren, a Scriptural Drama. These having met with no success, he abandoned literature, removed to Brittany, and practiced law. Within the last twenty years the drama has been lavishly praised by critics of the Swinburnian school, and in 1876 a revision of it was published with a critical introduction by Mr. Swinburne. It is distinguished by brilliant character-study and extreme richness of diction.