The Ridpath Library of Universal Literature

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898. Excerpt: ... GREEN, John Richard, an English historian, born at Oxford, December 12 (?), 1837; died at Mentone, France, March 9, 1883. His delicate constitution prevented him from pursuing the usual educational course, and he studied mainly under private tutors until the age of eighteen, when he obtained a scholarship at Jesus College, Oxford. He did not compete for University honors, but devoted himself chiefly to historical study. While an undergraduate, he contributed to the Oxford Chronicle a series of papers upon "Oxford in the Eighteenth Century," which attracted the special notice of Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, then Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History at Oxford. Mr. Green took Holy Orders in 1860, and through the influence of Stanley was appointed curate of St. Barnabas's, a populous but poor parish in London. In 1862 he was presented to the vicarage of Stepney, a position which he held until 1869, when he resigned on account of feeble health, and was appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury Librarian at Lambeth, where he had ample opportunity for prosecuting historical labors. His first work was a Short History of the English People (1875), which was expanded into the History of the English People (1878-80.) This work, completed before the author had passed his forty-second year, is in many respects the best complete history which has been produced of England, from the earliest times to the battle of Waterloo. He then began the composition of historical works involving more minute details. These are The Making of England, being the history of the period of the Saxon Heptarchy (1882), and The Conquest of England by the Normans (1884), the last pages of which were written while he was in daily expectation of death, which occurred before the work was publishe...