author
Sir Frank T. (Frank Thomas) Marzials
1840–1912
A Victorian man of letters with an unusual double life, he moved between government service and literary work, writing biographies of figures such as Charles Dickens and Molière. Born in Lille and later active in London, he also translated and wrote poetry, bringing a continental background to English literary culture.
1 Audiobook
Life of Charles Dickens
by Sir Frank T. (Frank Thomas) Marzials
About the author
Born in Lille in 1840, Frank Thomas Marzials later moved with his family to London and became known in Britain as both a civil servant and a writer. Reliable reference sources describe him as a poet, biographer, and Accountant-General of the Army, and note that he was the brother of the poet Theo Marzials.
His literary reputation now rests mainly on his lively short biographies and translations. Among the best-known are studies of Charles Dickens and Molière, along with other work connected to French literature and historical writing. That mix of public service and literary activity gives him a slightly unusual place among late Victorian authors.
Marzials died in 1912. While he is not as widely read today as some of the figures he wrote about, his work remains of interest to readers who enjoy older literary biography and the world of nineteenth-century letters.