# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Ellis, George (1753-1815)

​ELLIS, GEORGE (1753–1815), author, the only and posthumous son of George Ellis (d. 1753), member of the house of assembly of St. George (Grenada, West Indies), by Susanna Charlotte, daughter of Samuel Long, member of the council of Jamaica, was born in 1753. He made his début in literature as the author of some mock heroic couplets on Bath, its beauties and amusements, published anonymously in 1777, 4to. In 1778 appeared 'Poetical Tales by Sir Gregory Gander,' a 12mo volume which was at once attributed to Ellis and had much vogue. Horace Walpole calls the tales 'pretty verses' (Letter to the Earl of Strafford, 24 June 1783). Sir Gilbert Elliot, first earl of Minto, had 'never read anything so clever, so lively, and so light.' Years afterwards Scott refers to them in the introduction to the fifth canto of 'Marmion,' which is addressed to Ellis. In 1783 Horace Walpole (ut supra) notes as a sign of the anglomania prevailing in France that Ellis was 'a favourite' at Versailles. Ellis was one of the contributors to the 'Rolliad,' and in particular is said to have written the severe attack on Pitt beginning 'Pert without fire, without experience sage,' in the second number of the first part. In December 1784 he accompanied Sir James Harris, afterwards Lord Malmesbury, on his mission to the Hague, and was employed by him in diplomatic business, thus gaining an insight into the secret springs of the Dutch revolution of 1785–7, of which he wrote a history, published anonymously in 1789, and translated by 'Monsieur,' afterwards Louis XVIII, ​into French. A 'Memoir of a Map of the Countries comprehended between the Black Sea and the Caspian,' published anonymously in 1788, has also been ascribed to Ellis. In 1790 he published a volume of selections from our early poetical literature, entitled 'Specimens of the Early English Poets,' which obtained a well-merited reputation as one of the most judicious of such compilations. It was issued in an enlarged form, with an historical sketch of the progress of English poetry prefixed, in 1801, and again in 1803, 3 vols. 8vo; a fourth edition appeared in 1811, a fifth in 1845, a sixth in 1851. In 1791 Ellis made a tour in Germany and Italy with Lord and Lady Malmesbury. He entered parliament in 1796 as junior member for Seaford, one of the Cinque ports, his cousin, Charles Rose Ellis [q. v.], afterwards Baron Seaford, being the senior member. He never spoke in the house, and did not stand for re-election. He accompanied Lord Malmesbury to the conference at Lille in 1797, and wrote a long letter to Canning defending the English plenipotentiary's conduct of the negotiations. Shortly after his return to England he was introduced to Pitt, and in concert with Canning founded the 'Anti-Jacobin.' His connection with the 'Rolliad,' however, though condoned, was not forgotten, and once in Pitt's presence he was pressed to give some account of it. He hesitated and showed some embarrassment, which Pitt promptly dispelled by the urbane and gracious manner in which he turned to him with the words of Dido to Æneas: 'Immo age, et a prima dic, hospes, origine nobis' (Æn. i. 753). Ellis appears to have been a constant contributor to the 'Anti-Jacobin.' He also edited in 1796, with a preface, notes, and appendix, Gregory Lewis Way's translations of select 'Fabliaux' of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, taken from the collection of Legrand d'Aussy; a second edition appeared in 1800, and a third in, 1815, 3 vols. 8vo. In 1801 he made the acquaintance of Scott, an acquaintance which soon ripened into an intimacy only terminated by death. A portion of the voluminous correspondence which passed between them will be found in Lockhart's 'Life of Scott,' from which also we learn that on his visits to London Scott was accustomed to stay with Ellis at his house at Sunninghill, near Ascot. 'Mr. Ellis,' says Scott, 'was the first converser I ever knew; his patience and good breeding made me often ashamed of myself going off at score upon some favourite topic' (Diary, 29 Aug. 1826). In 1806 Ellis published 'Specimens of Early English Romances in Metre,' 3 vols. 8vo, a second edition of which appeared in 1811, 8 vols. cr. 8vo. The work was also edited by J. G. Halliwell, F.R.S., in 1848. Ellis wrote the review of the 'Lady of the Lake' in the 'Quarterly Review,' May 1811. He began, but did not live to finish, an edition of the diary of his friend William Windham. The introductory sketch of Windham was, however, complete, and will be found in Mrs. Henry Baring's edition of the diary, published in 1866. Ellis was a fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries. His labours on the early poetical dramatic literature of England obtained for him the designation of the Tressan and the St. Palaye of England. He married on 10 Sept. 1800 Anne, daughter of Sir Peter Parker, first baronet of Basingbourn, admiral of the fleet, and died without issue on 10 April 1815.
[Burke's Peerage (Howard de Walden — family of Ellis); Life and Letters of Sir Gilbert Elliot, first Earl of Minto, i. 189–90, 388–402; Lists of Members of Parliament (Official Return of); Diaries and Corresp. of the first Earl of Malmesbury, iii. 429 et seq.; Gent. Mag. 1815, pt. i. p. 371; Brit. Mus. Cat.; Lond. Libr. Cat.]
J. M. R.