New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-02
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.

DR. Thomas Dunn English was born on June %.
1919 In Philadelphia, and came Of an old Norman
Irish family that settled IN Burlington County over
two centuries ago His mother was born I'm Ire
land. At early he developed taste for
literature and composition. and while student of
medicine wrote articles for the newspapers. In
1899 he received the degree of Doctor of Medicine
from the University of Pennsylvania. and then
studied law. and in 1872 admitted TO the Phila-
delphia bar practise Ills natural bent how
ever was literature. He became acquainted with
Edgar A Poe y p Wills and other we'll known
writer's of the day. When Graham started his
literary magazine English. Poe. Willis and all the
leading literary men OF the day contributed TO its
columns 1t vas this period that Poe and
English quarrecd and contracted mutual bitter
ness that even survived P"e's death
..Graham's Magazine became valuable prop
ertv English was a frequent contributor. II Is
noteworthy that Graham, after owning The Phila-
delphia North American" and The Philadelphia
Bulletin" finally drifted Newark. engaged in
editorial work The Newark Evening Journal
became blind. and died in obscurtty. DR. English
practised his law profession in desultory way
and placed his main reliance the fruits of his
pen He was n prolific writer, and possessed
wonderful versatility. 1t was in The Mirror
that Ben Bolt first appeared. in lSi2 The author
never had much OF idea OF the composition as
literary effort and always annoyed of late
years when he was introduced or aduteSseu DIS ''ie
For several Years DR.. English lived in Virginia
him the degree OF Doctor of Laws. In 1863-'64 he
was A member OF the House Of Assembly OF New
Jersey and was an opponent Of the administration
In It's war policy. or this ne was after"aro
criticised While he lived in Virginia he was
Mayor OF a small town. He took frequent horse
hack rides through the mountains of the state TO
gather material for his literary work
DR. English was the author of more than twenty
dramas and of several novels, mostly pseudony,
nous These are acknowledged: Walter Woolle
0AD "MDCCCXLIV: or The Power OF the 5 r;
a noitcal expose and Ambrose Freit QS6D. IL
was in 1915 that he published his ,idlloWs Goers
a vigorous poem widely circulated during the aeita-
ton of the question of capital punishment in
1e,5 he printed a volume of his poems, out sup
pressed its publication In 1880 his fugitive poems
were again collected in book form and published
and In 1892 a revised and enlarged edition; hand
editorial writer for The Newark Morning Reg
iSter,' and renamed WIN 'lie paper >'hD""' 'iio
year. 49,,
ueeklies until 1890. when he became the Demo
cratic candidate for Congress IN the With New
Jersey District, and elected by a plurality or
80 He reelected in 1892 and defeated IN
1894 After the political revolution in the state the
nartv managers placed his name on the Demo-
cratic Assembly ticket In Essex County to give 1t
strength. but he again defeated That ended
bts n6liticai life Besides his purely literary work
Tr English has written speeches and lectures FOR
others. -. -.
In 1884 he contracted cancerous growth at the
root Of his tongue and heroicaiy submitted to an
nneration for its removal without the OF anses
tbetics His wife died some years ago, and he
leaves daughter and a SON.