William Leonard Courtney

William Leonard Courtney (5 January 1850 – 1 November 1928) was an English writer, philosopher and journalist. From 1876 to 1890 he taught philosophy at New College, Oxford University. From 1890 until his death in 1928 Courtney had a successful career as a journalist, editor and drama and literary critic, working principally for The Daily Telegraph and The Fortnightly Review. He was a published author of over twenty works and a playwright.

Biography

Early life

William Leonard Courtney was born on 5 January 1850 at Poona, India, the son of William Courtney, of the Indian Civil Service, and Ann Edwards (née Scott). He was the youngest of six children, having two brothers and three sisters.

William was educated at the Somersetshire College at Bath. The prestigious Somersetshire College was located at The Circus, a circle of townhouses in Bath, and had been founded in 1858 when a private home was converted to school rooms and offices. The school's stated aim was to provide for the sons of gentlemen "a course of education similar to that of our best public schools, with more attention to individual boys than their larger numbers render possible".

Academia

In 1868 Courtney was admitted as a scholar to University College, Oxford University. After a successful undergraduate career in which he achieved a first-class grade in the classics course Literae Humaniores, Courtney was elected to a fellowship at Oxford's Merton College. However Courtney wished to marry and all four tutorial fellowships allowed for married men at Merton were already filled. During 1873 the position of headmaster at his old school, Somersetshire College, became vacant and Courtney's academic successes induced the governors to offer him the position. He accepted the offer, resigned his fellowship and left Oxford for Bath.

On 14 July 1874 Courtney married Cordelia Blanche Place at Norley in Cheshire. The couple had seven children, born between 1875 and 1888. Courtney remained as headmaster of Somersetshire College at Bath until 1876. He was offered a tutorial fellowship, that could be held by a married man, at Oxford University's New College. He gratefully accepted and began to teach moral philosophy for the Literae Humaniores course.

Courtney participated in Oxford theatrical activities as an amateur actor. He was in the cast of a performance of Agamemnon at the Balliol College Hall in June 1880. Courtney took an active part in the movement that led to the foundation in 1886 of the New Theatre, which placed the Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) "on a sound and recognised footing in the University". He was involved in the production of Stafford, King John and other plays performed by the OUDS in the early days of the New Theatre. The play was performed at St. James's Theatre in London with Arthur Bourchier in the lead role.

Journalism

Photograph of William Leonard Courtney, published in The Critic, January 1902.

In 1890 Courtney left Oxford to join The Daily Telegraph newspaper, beginning a 38-year career on Fleet Street, writing general articles as well as drama and literary criticism.

In 1894 Courtney became editor of The Fortnightly Review. He continued in that role until his death in 1928. Books during this time included The Feminine Note in Fiction (1904).

Courtney wrote at least nine plays beginning with Kit Marlowe's Death in 1890, though their performances were not commercially successful. Courtney's play, Undine, described as "a dream play in three acts", was published in 1902 by William Heinemann of London. Undine was performed in 1906.

Courtney's wife Cordelia died on 12 May 1907 at St. Pancras in London, "after a long and distressing illness".

William Leonard Courtney died on 1 November 1928 in London.

Janet Courtney wrote a biography of her late husband, The Making of an Editor: W. L. Courtney, 1850-1928, published in 1930.

Publications

The Metaphysics of John Stuart Mill (1879), London: Kegan Paul & Co. Studies on Philosophy: Ancient and Modern (1882), London: Rivingtons. Constructive Ethics (1886), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Studies: New and Old (1888), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Life of John Stuart Mill (1889), London: W. Scott; New York: T. Whittaker. Studies at Leisure (1892), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Hubert Herkomer (Royal Academician): His Life and Work (1892), London: Art Journal Office. The Idea of Tragedy in Ancient and Modern Drama (1900) The Development of Maurice Maeterlinck and Other Sketches of Foreign Writers (1904), London: G. Richards. The Feminine Note in Fiction (1904), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. The Literary Man's Bible (1907), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd.

Dramas and Diversions (1908), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Rosemary's Letter Book (1909), London: Andrew Melrose. In Search of Egeria: Episodes in the Life of Maurice Westerton (1911), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Soul of a Suffragette, and Other Stories (1913), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Armageddon – and After (1914), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Meaning of Life (c. 1914), London : B. T. Batsford. The Literary Man's New Testament (1915), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. Pillars of Empire: Studies and Impressions (with Janet Elizabeth Courtney) (1918), London: Jarrolds Publishers Ltd. Old Saws and Modern Instances (1918), London: Chapman & Hall Ltd. The Passing Hour (1925), London: Hutchinson & Co.