author
Frederic Harrison
1831–1923
A British jurist, historian, and influential advocate of Positivist philosophy, Frederic Harrison wrote widely on history, law, literature, religion, and politics. His books on Oliver Cromwell, William the Silent, John Ruskin, and the meaning of history reflect a lifelong interest in how ideas shape public life.
2 Audiobooks
Studies in Early Victorian Literature
by Frederic Harrison
Theophano : the crusade of the tenth century : a novel
by Frederic Harrison
About the author
Born in London on October 18, 1831, Frederic Harrison was educated at King’s College School and Wadham College, Oxford, where he earned a first-class degree in classics in 1853. At Oxford, he encountered the Positivist philosophy associated with Auguste Comte, an influence that shaped his social, political, and religious thinking.
Harrison worked in legal reform and became known as a writer, lecturer, and public intellectual. His interests ranged from history and law to literature, religion, international affairs, and democratic reform. He was also involved in progressive politics and municipal affairs, and in 1886 he unsuccessfully stood for Parliament for London University.
Among his best-known works are The Meaning of History, The Choice of Books, and biographies of Oliver Cromwell, William the Silent, John Ruskin, and the Earl of Chatham. He died on January 14, 1923, leaving behind a broad body of writing marked by intellectual curiosity and strong social convictions.