author
Bonamy Dobrée
1891–1974
A lively English critic and teacher, he helped make eighteenth-century literature feel vivid and human for generations of readers and students. His career ranged from wartime service to university life, with a lasting influence on literary study at Leeds.
1 Audiobook
Timotheus : or, The future of the theatre
by Bonamy Dobrée
About the author
Born on 2 February 1891, Bonamy Dobrée was a British academic, critic, and man of letters who became especially known for his work on Restoration and eighteenth-century literature. He studied at Cambridge and, after a period as an independent scholar, also taught in Cairo before taking up major university posts in Britain.
Dobrée served with the Royal Artillery in both world wars, later attaining the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1936 he became Professor of English Literature at the University of Leeds, where he remained until 1955 and played a major part in shaping the university's cultural and literary life.
Alongside teaching, he wrote widely on English literature, including work on major figures such as John Wesley, Restoration dramatists, and Rudyard Kipling. He died on 3 September 1974, and he is still remembered as an engaging literary scholar who brought warmth and personality to criticism.