Arthur Christopher Benson

Born in 1862, A. C. Benson was an English writer, poet, and academic whose career was closely tied to some of Britain's best-known schools and universities. He was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge, and later became a schoolmaster at Eton before serving as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Benson wrote across several forms, including essays, poetry, criticism, memoir, and supernatural fiction. Many readers know him best for writing the lyrics for Edward Elgar's Coronation Ode, which gave the world the words later associated with "Land of Hope and Glory." He also kept extensive journals and built a reputation for thoughtful, intimate prose that often feels conversational even when tackling serious subjects.

Alongside his more public literary work, Benson had a lasting appeal as a writer of ghost stories, bringing a subtle, psychological edge to the genre. He died in 1925, but his writing still attracts readers who enjoy elegant English prose, reflective personal essays, and classic tales with a chill in them.