Laurence Oliphant: Memoir of the life of Laurence Oliphant and of Alice Oliphant, his wife

"Lowry" - Laurence Oliphant - was born the son of Sir Anthony Oliphant (1793-1859) who, at the time of his son's birth, was Attorney-General in Cape Colony, but was soon appointed as Chief Justice in Ceylon. Although a very clever man and a delightful companion, full of high aspiration and noble feeling, Laurence Oliphant was only partially sane. In any case, his education was ludicrously inappropriate for a man who aspired to be an authority on religion and philosophy. He had gone through no philosophical discipline in his early life, and knew next to nothing of the subjects with regard to which he imagined it was in his power to pour a flood of new light upon the world. His shortcomings and eccentricities, however, did not prevent his being a brilliant writer and talker, and a notable figure in any society. In 1892, his cousin, Scottish novelist and historical writer Margaret Oliphant (1828-1897), wrote this biography of Laurence Oliphant, now edited and annotated in one volume by Duncan Robinson.