George MacDonald

George MacDonald, 10 December 1824, Huntly, Aberdeenshire - 18 September 1905, Ashtead

• Scottish novelist, lecturer, poet, preacher and father of six sons and five daughters. Friend of Mark Twain and Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, 1832-98) who photographed George his wife, Louisa, and their eleven children.
• His funeral was at St Giles' Church on 21 September and his remains were cremated and taken for burial to Bordighera, Italy, where his wife had been interred (having died in 1902). From 1880 they had often spent the winter in Bordighera. For the last few months of his life George had moved in with his daughter Winifred and her husband Edward Troup, in a house in Ashtead. There is a memorial to him in Drumblade Churchyard, Aberdeenshire
• We regret to record the death of Dr. George MacDonald which occurred at "Sagamore" on September 18th, in his 81st year. Ever since he came to reside in Ashtead, with his daughter and son-in-law, about a year ago, he was almost entirely confined to his room, and thus was not personally known to many in the parish, but his fame as a poet and novelist is world-wide. George MacDonald was born in Huntly, in Aberdeenshire, in December, 1824, and received his early education in his native place, and also at Aberdeen University where he took his degree with great distinction. He afterwards entered the Nonconformist Ministry, and had charge of the Congregational Church at Arundel, in Sussex; and later on he held a similar charge at Manchester, which post, however, he soon afterwards resigned, and he became a lay member of the Church of England. He won his first success as a man of letters with his poem "Within and Without," published in 1856. This was followed by "A hidden Life," "The Disciple," and other poems, including some charming ones written expressly for children, of whom Dr. MacDonald was intensely fond. Of his novels, "David Elginbrod," "Alec Forbes," and "Robert Falconer," - all published in the "sixties" - and "Lillith" (1895) - are probably the best known. His many writings all shew that he was a great thinker, somewhat of a mystic, deeply religious, and of a loving and most sympathetic nature.
  The Burial Service was performed at Ashtead Church, a considerable number of relatives and friends being present. The service was choral, the officiating ministers being the Rev. K. Jameson (son-in-law) and the Rector. The body was subsequently taken to the Woking Crematorium.

• J. Joseph Flynn, David Edwards, Rolland Hein, C.S. Lewis, Greville MacDonald, Ronald MacDonald, David Neuhouser, Cynthia Marshall, D.S. Robb, Raphael B. Shaberman, Kathy Triggs, Harry Verploggh
• The Golden Key: The George MacDonald WWW Page
• The George MacDonald Society
• George MacDonald
• The Cyber Hymnal
• George MacDonald, excellent site from the Victorian Web; mirror site
• Mark Twain & George MacDonald, excellent piece by Kathryn Lindskoog
• George MacDonald, excellent piece by Gisbert Kranz in German
• Novelist of Scottish life, poet, and writer of Christian allegories of man's pilgrimage back to God, who is remembered chiefly, however, for his allegorical fairy stories, which have continued to delight children and their elders. He became a Congregational minister, then a free-lance preacher and lecturer. In 1855 he published a poetic tragedy, Within and Without, and after that he made literature his profession. Of his literature for adults, Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women (1858) and Lilith (1895) are good examples. Although his best known book for children is At the Back of the North Wind (1871), his best and most enduring works are The Princess and the Goblin (1872) and its sequel, The Princess and Curdie (1873).

See also full Encyclopædia Britannica article George MacDonald

• Born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, he was educated at King's College, Aberdeen, and Highbury Theological College, and became a Congregationalist pastor at Arundel. However, his unorthodox views - especially his belief in purgatory, and in a place in heaven for everyone, even animals - caused conflict with his parishioners, and finally brought about his resignation. After the successful publication of his poem Within and Without (1856), he turned to writing and lecturing, publishing the allegorical novel Phantastes (1858), which met with a cold reception. He followed this with a series of novels, including David Elginbrod (1863), Robert Falconer (1868) and Lilith (1895), confessing that he used his books as his pulpit. He is now best known for his children's books, among them At the Back of the North Wind (1871) and The Princess and Curdie (1888), but his adult works have enjoyed a revival, especially among evangelical Christians.

• Poet and novelist; MA, King's College, Aberdeen, 1845; hon. LL D, 1868; settled in Manchester, 1853; published narrative poem, Within and Without (1855, admired by Tennyson and Lady Byron), and Phantastes (1858), a faerie romance in prose; thenceforth largely engaged in prose fiction-either of mystical character, as David Elginbrod (1863), or descriptive of Scottish humble life, as Alec Forbes (1865) and Robert Falconer (1868); long preached as a layman at Manchester; settled in London for life, 1860; friend of F.D. Maurice, Browning, Ruskin, Carlyle, William Morris, and Tennyson; lectured in London and in America, 1872; granted civil list pension, 1877; spent part of each year at Bordighera, 1881-1902; his works include the children's stories At the Back of the North Wind (1871) and The Princess and the Goblin (1872), and Unspoken Sermons (3 vols., 1867-89) and Letters from Hell (1884); a collected edition, excluding novels, appeared in 1886 (10 vols.), and his Poetical Works (2 vols.) in 1893.

• Scottish novelist and children's writer. David Elginbrod 1863 and Robert Falconer 1868 are characteristic novels but his children's stories, including At the Back of the North Wind 1871 and The Princess and the Goblin 1872, are today more often read. Mystical imagination pervades all his books and this inspired later writers including G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

• Scottish novelist and children's writer. David Elginbrod 1863 and Robert Falconer 1868 are characteristic novels but his children's stories, including At the Back of the North Wind 1871 and The Princess and the Goblin 1872, are now better known. He was much influenced by the German Romantics, and mystical imagination pervades all his books, most notably Lilith (1895) His work inspired later writers including G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.

• See also W. Raeper's book George MacDonald (1987)

• At the Back of the North Wind - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• The Light Princess - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• The Day Boy and the Night Girl (The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris) - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Lilith - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Donal Grant - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Sir Gibbie - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• David Elginbrod - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
• Robert Falconer - Christian Classics Ethereal Library

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		Adela Cathcart George MacDonald: Published 1994 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, 462 pages, hardback First published 1864
		Alec Forbes of Howglen George MacDonald: Published 1995 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback First published 1865
		Alec Forbes and His Friend Annie George MacDonald, Michael R. Phillips: Published 1990 by Bethany House Publishers, 254 pages, hardback First published ?
		Annals Of A Quiet Neighborhood George MacDonald: Published 1995 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback First published 1867 by Harper & Bros
		At the Back of the North Wind George MacDonald: Published 1988 by David R. Godine, 307 pages, hardback George MacDonald, illustrated by Arthur Hughes: First published 1871 At the Back of the North Wind - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
		At the Back of the North Wind George MacDonald: Published 1993 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, 307 pages, hardback, facsimile of 1886 edition George MacDonald, illustrated by Arthur Hughes: First published 1871 At the Back of the North Wind - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
		The Baron's Apprenticeship George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 1986 by Bethany House, 300 pages
		A Book of Strife George MacDonald: Published 1880
		A Cabinet of Gems George MacDonald: Published c1891 by McClurg
		Castle Warlock George MacDonald: Published 1992 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback, facsimile of 1890 edition First published ?
		The Complete Fairy Tales George MacDonald, editor U.C. Knoepflmacher: Published 2000 by Penguin, 384 pages This volume brings together 11 of George MacDonald's shorter fairy stories as well as his essay "The Fantastic Imagination".
		Complete Original Works of George MacDonald George MacDonald: Published 1997 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback, facsimile of 1864 edition
		Cross Purposes and the Shadows George MacDonald: Published 1890
		David Elginbrod George MacDonald: Published 1995 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback First published 1863 by Hurst and Blackett
		The Day Boy and the Night Girl - The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris George MacDonald: Published 1904 The Day Boy and the Night Girl (The Romance of Photogen and Nycteris) - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
		Dealings with the Fairies George MacDonald: Published 1867 Five tales on fairies: The Light Princess; The Giant's Heart; The Shadows; Cross Purposes; and The Golden Key
		Diary of an Old Soul - 366 Writings for Devotional Reflection George MacDonald: Published 1994 by Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 128 pages
		Diary of an Old Soul George MacDonald: Published 2001 by SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge), 128 pages, paperback
		The Disciple and Other Poems George MacDonald: Published 1867 by Strahan & Co
		Discovering the Character of God George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 2000 by Bethany House, 317 pages
		Dish of Orts George MacDonald: Published 1996 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback, facsimile of 1895 edition First published ?
		Donal Grant George MacDonald: Published 1992 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback, facsimile of 1900 edition First published 1883 by Lothrop sequel to Sir Gibbie
		A Double Story George MacDonald: Published 1876 by Dodd and Mead
		The Elect Lady George MacDonald: Published 1888???, pre 1888???
		England's Antiphon George MacDonald: Published 1996 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback, facsimile of 1897 edition First published 1869 by Lippincott, or 1868?/69? by Macmillian
		Evenor George MacDonald: Published ?
		Exotics George MacDonald: Published 1867
		An Expression of Character George MacDonald, editor Glenn Edward Sadler: Published 1994 by Wm B Eerdmans, 414 pages, hardback First published ?
		The Fairy Fleet George MacDonald: Published ?
		Far Above Rubies George MacDonald: Published 1898 by Dodd, Mead and Company
		The Flight of the Shadow George MacDonald: Published 1994 by Johannesen Printing & Publishing, hardback First published 1891 by Appleton
		George MacDonald George MacDonald: Published 1986 by Prentice Hall & IBD, paperback
		George MacDonald - An Anthology : 365 Readings George MacDonald, editor C.S. Lewis: Published 1996 by Simon & Schuster Books, paperback
		George MacDonald George MacDonald, editor Gary Deddo & Cathy Deddo, also James B. Torrance & Michael Jinkins: Published 1996 by Saint Andrews Press, 144 pages, paperback
		The Giants Heart George MacDonald: Published ?
		The Gifts of the Child Christ - And Other Stories and Fairy Tales George MacDonald, editor Glenn Edward Sadler: Published 1996 by William B. Eerdmans, 584 pages First published 1882
		The Golden Key George MacDonald: Published ?
		The Golden Key and Other Stories George MacDonald, Craig Yoe: Published 1980 by Wm. B. Eerdmans, 165 pages, paperback
		The Gold Coast Past and Present - A Short Description of the Country and its People George MacDonald: Published ? by Greenwood Press, hardback First published 1898 by Longmans, Green and Co
		The Gray Wolf and Other Fantasy Stories George MacDonald: Published ?
		Guild Court - a London Story George MacDonald: Published 1868? George MacDonald: Published 1883 by George Routledge & Sons
		Gutta Percha Willie George MacDonald: Published 1873

		The Heart of George MacDonald - A One-Volume Collection of His Most Important Fiction, Essays, Sermons, Drama, Poetry, Letters George MacDonald, editor Rolland Hein: Published 1994 by Harold Shaw Publications, 448 pages, hardback
		Heather and Snow George MacDonald: Published 1893 by Harper & Bros
		Home Again George MacDonald: Published 1887
		The Hope of the Gospel George MacDonald: Published 1892
		Knowing the Heart of God George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 2000 by Bethany House, 357 pages, paperback
		Lays of Chinatown and Other Verses George MacDonald: Published 1899 by Kimball
		Letters from Hell George MacDonald: Published 1884
		The Light Princess George MacDonald: Published 1891 The Light Princess - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
		The Light Princess - and Other Fairy Tales George MacDonald: Published 1893 by G P Putnam This volume consists of the five fairy tales that in 1867 had formed MacDonald's volume DEALING WITH THE FAIRIES, plus "The Carosyn" (which had first appeared in book form in the 1871 ten-volume edition of MacDonald's WORKS OF FANCY AND IMAGINATION), plus "Little Daylight" (which had been a chapter in AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND). This Putnam edition includes as its preface the first appearance of MacDonald's essay on the nature of the fairy tale; that same year this essay also appeared (as "The Fantastic Imagination") in MacDonald's volume A Dish of Orts.
		Lilith George MacDonald: Published 1895 Lilith - Christian Classics Ethereal Library
		The Lost Princess George MacDonald: Published 1895
		The Maiden's Bequest George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 1985 by Bethany House, 288 pages, paperback
		The Maiden's Bequest, the Minister's Restoration, the Laird's Inheritance - Three Novels in One Volume George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 1998 by Bethany House, 640 pages, hardback
		Malcolm - A Romance George MacDonald: Published 1875 by J.B. Lippincott & Co
		The Marquis of Lossie - A Romance George MacDonald: Published 1877 by J.B. Lippincott & Co
		Mary Marston - a novel George MacDonald: Published 1881 by D. Appleton and Co
		The Miracles of our Lord George MacDonald: Published 1870
		Orts George MacDonald: Published 1882
		The Parish Papers - Three Complete Novels in One George MacDonald, editor Dan Hamilton: Published 1996 by Victor Books, 679 pages, paperback
		Paul Faber, Surgeon George MacDonald: Published 1879 by J.B. Lippincott Co
		Phantastes - A Faerie Romance for Men and Women George MacDonald: Published 1981 by Wm. B. Eerdmans, paperback First published 1858
		Poems of George MacDonald George MacDonald: Published 1857? George MacDonald: Published 1887 by E.P. Dutton & Co
		The Poetical Works, 2 vols George MacDonald: Published 1893
		The Portent - A Story of the Inner Vision of the Highlanders, Commonly Called The Second Sight George MacDonald: Published 1864 by Loring Serialised in 1860 in Cornhill Magazine without the happy ending
		The Princess and Curdie George MacDonald, Illustrator: Helen Stratton: Published 1996 by Puffin Books, paperback First published 1873??? 1888???
		The Princess and the Goblin George MacDonald, Illustrator: Arthur Hughes: Published 1993 by Everyman's Library Children's Classics, 208 pages, hardback First published 1871 (but dated 1872) by Strahan First appeared serially in "Goods Words for the Young" from Nov. 1870 through June 1871
		The Princess and the Goblin George MacDonald, Illustrator: Arthur Hughes: Published 1996 by Puffin Books, 256 pages, paperback First published 1871 (but dated 1872) by Strahan First appeared serially in "Goods Words for the Young" from Nov. 1870 through June 1871
		Rampoli George MacDonald: Published 1897
		Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood George MacDonald: Published 1871 by Lippincott
		Robert Falconer George MacDonald: Published 1868
		A Rough Shaking George MacDonald: Published 1891
		Salted with Fire George MacDonald: Published 1897 by Hurst & Blackett
		Scotch Songs And Ballads George MacDonald: Published 1893 by John Rae Smith
		The Seaboard Parish George MacDonald: Published 1868
		The Shadows and Little Daylight George MacDonald: Published 1904
		Sir Gibbie - A Faerie Romance for Men and Women George MacDonald: Published 1879 by J.B. Lippincott & Co
		A Song for Christians George MacDonald: Published 1887
		St George and St Michael George MacDonald: Published 1876
		Stephen Archer and Other Tales George MacDonald: Published ? by George Routledge and Sons
		There and Back George MacDonald: Published 1891
		Thomas Wingford, Curate George MacDonald: Published 1989 by Sunrise Books, hardback
		A Threefold Cord George MacDonald: Published 1883
		A Time to Harvest - George MacDonald Classic Devotionals George MacDonald, editor Michael R. Phillips: Published 1991 by Bethany House, 127 pages, paperback
		The Tragedies of Hamlet George MacDonald: Published 1885
		Unspoken Sermons, 3 vols George MacDonald: Published 1867-89
		The Vicar's daughter - An Autobiographical Story George MacDonald: Published 1872 by Roberts Bros George MacDonald: Published 1872 by Hunter, Rose & Co
		Warlock O'Glenwarlock George MacDonald: Published 1881 by D. Lothrop Published in UK as Castle Warlock in 1882
		Wee Sir Gibbie of the Highlands - George MacDonald Classics for Young Readers George MacDonald, Michael R. Phillips: Published 1990 by Bethany House, 239 pages, hardback
		Weighed and Wanting George MacDonald: Published 1882 by D. Lothrop
		What's Mine's Mine George MacDonald: Published 1886
		Wilfrid Cumbermede - An Autobiographical Story George MacDonald: Published 1872 by Charles Scribner & Co
		Wisdom to Live by George MacDonald: Published 1996 by Sunrise Books, 218 pages, hardback
		The Wise Woman and Other Fantasy Stories George MacDonald, Illustrator: Craig Yoe: Published 1980 by Wm. B. Eerdmans, 239 pages, paperback First published 1875
		Within and Without - a dramatic poem George MacDonald: Published 1855 by Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans
		Works of Fancy and Imagination George MacDonald: Published 1871 by Strahan & Co A boxed set Ten sixteenmo volumes including his first book, Within and Without, a long dramatic poem, A Hidden Life, Phantastes (two volumes), The Portent, numerous short stories, poems, songs, and ballads.
		The Wow o' Rivven George MacDonald: Published 1868

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