George Henry Miles
Encyclopedia
George Henry Miles was an American writer.
, Maryland
to William Miles and Sarah Mickle. His father was a merchant and former commercial agent of the United States to Haiti
. George Henry was a dramatist and man of letters. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, in 1842, and then took up the study of law, commencing to practise later in his native city. But the profession of law was ill-suited to his temper of thought and to his literary talents, which had early evinced themselves in a tendency to turn many neat verses. His first appearance in print was with an historical tale, The Truce of God, which appeared serially in the United States Catholic Magazine, followed shortly by The Governess, and in 1849, by Loretto, which won a $50 prize offered by the Catholic Mirror. The following year, when but twenty-six years of age, with his tragedy of Mahommed he won the $1000 prize offered by Edwin Forrest
. The law was now definitely abandoned for the drama. In 1859 he scored his first success with the tragedy of De Soto, produced at the Broadway Theatre, New York City
, and during the same season his comedy, Mary's Birthday, was performed. In 1859 Señor Valiente earned the distinction of being presented in New York, Boston, and Baltimore on the same night. During the season 1860-61 the Seven Sisters, based on the theme of Secession, was produced at Laura Keene's Theatre, New York City. Other dramatic ventures were not so successful, and his most pretentious effort, Cromwell, a Tragedy, remains unfinished. In 1851 he was dispatched to Spain by President Millard Fillmore
on official business. He was again in Europe in 1864 and, on his return, published in the Catholic World a series of charming sketches, Glimpses of Tuscany, and, in 1866, Christine: a Troubadour's Song, and a volume of verse, Christian Poems. In 1859 he had been appointed professor of English Literature at Mount St. Mary's, in which year he married Adaline Tiers, of New York, and moved from Baltimore to Thornbrook, a cottage near Emmitsburg, where he lived until his death.
In addition to works of creative fancy, Miles delivered in 1847 a Discourse in Commemoration of the Landing of the Pilgrims of Maryland, and, shortly before his death, contemplated a series of critical estimates on William Shakespeare
's characters. Only one, that upon Hamlet
, was published (in the Southern Review), which won no mean measure of appreciation from contemporary scholars in England.
Biography
Miles was born in BaltimoreBaltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
to William Miles and Sarah Mickle. His father was a merchant and former commercial agent of the United States to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. George Henry was a dramatist and man of letters. He graduated from Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, in 1842, and then took up the study of law, commencing to practise later in his native city. But the profession of law was ill-suited to his temper of thought and to his literary talents, which had early evinced themselves in a tendency to turn many neat verses. His first appearance in print was with an historical tale, The Truce of God, which appeared serially in the United States Catholic Magazine, followed shortly by The Governess, and in 1849, by Loretto, which won a $50 prize offered by the Catholic Mirror. The following year, when but twenty-six years of age, with his tragedy of Mahommed he won the $1000 prize offered by Edwin Forrest
Edwin Forrest
Edwin Forrest was an American actor.-Early life:Forrest was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of Scottish and German descent. His father died and he was brought up by his mother, a German woman of humble origins. He was educated at the common schools in Philadelphia, and early evinced a taste...
. The law was now definitely abandoned for the drama. In 1859 he scored his first success with the tragedy of De Soto, produced at the Broadway Theatre, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and during the same season his comedy, Mary's Birthday, was performed. In 1859 Señor Valiente earned the distinction of being presented in New York, Boston, and Baltimore on the same night. During the season 1860-61 the Seven Sisters, based on the theme of Secession, was produced at Laura Keene's Theatre, New York City. Other dramatic ventures were not so successful, and his most pretentious effort, Cromwell, a Tragedy, remains unfinished. In 1851 he was dispatched to Spain by President Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
on official business. He was again in Europe in 1864 and, on his return, published in the Catholic World a series of charming sketches, Glimpses of Tuscany, and, in 1866, Christine: a Troubadour's Song, and a volume of verse, Christian Poems. In 1859 he had been appointed professor of English Literature at Mount St. Mary's, in which year he married Adaline Tiers, of New York, and moved from Baltimore to Thornbrook, a cottage near Emmitsburg, where he lived until his death.
In addition to works of creative fancy, Miles delivered in 1847 a Discourse in Commemoration of the Landing of the Pilgrims of Maryland, and, shortly before his death, contemplated a series of critical estimates on William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's characters. Only one, that upon Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
, was published (in the Southern Review), which won no mean measure of appreciation from contemporary scholars in England.