Matthew Gregory Lewis

Author profile

born

July 09, 1775 in London, England, The United Kingdom

died

May 14, 1818

gender

male

genre

Gothic, Literature & Fiction

About this author

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Matthew Gregory Lewis was an English novelist and dramatist, often referred to as "Monk" Lewis, because of the success of his classic Gothic novel, The Monk.

Matthew Gregory Lewis was the firstborn child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. His father, Matthew Lewis was the son of William Lewis and Jane Gregory. He was born in Jamaica in 1750. He attended Westminster School before proceeding to Christ Church, Oxford where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1769 and his master’s in 1772. That same year, he was appointed as the Chief Clerk in the War Office. The following year, Lewis married Frances Maria Sewell, a young woman who was very popular at court. She was the third daughter born to Sir Thomas Sewell and was one of eight child...more Matthew Gregory Lewis was an English novelist and dramatist, often referred to as "Monk" Lewis, because of the success of his classic Gothic novel, The Monk.

Matthew Gregory Lewis was the firstborn child of Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell Lewis. His father, Matthew Lewis was the son of William Lewis and Jane Gregory. He was born in Jamaica in 1750. He attended Westminster School before proceeding to Christ Church, Oxford where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1769 and his master’s in 1772. That same year, he was appointed as the Chief Clerk in the War Office. The following year, Lewis married Frances Maria Sewell, a young woman who was very popular at court. She was the third daughter born to Sir Thomas Sewell and was one of eight children born in his first marriage. Her family, like Lewis’, had connections with Jamaica. As a child, she spent her time in Ottershaw. In December 1775, in addition to his post as the Chief Clerk in the War Office, Lewis became the Deputy-Secretary at War. With one exception, he was the first to hold both positions at that same time (and earning both incomes). Lewis owned considerable property in Jamaica, within four miles of Savanna-la-Mer, or Savanna-la-Mar, which was hit by a devastating earthquake and hurricane in 1779. His son would later inherit this property.

In addition to Matthew Gregory Lewis, Matthew and Frances had three other children: Maria, Barrington, and Sophia Elizabeth. On 23 July 1781, when Matthew was six and his youngest sister was one and a half years old, Frances left her husband, taking the music master, Samuel Harrison, as her lover. During their estrangement, Frances lived under a different name, Langley, in order to hide her location from her husband. He still, however, knew her whereabouts. On 3 July 1782, Frances gave birth to a child. That same day, hearing of the birth, her estranged husband returned. Afterwards, he began to arrange a legal separation from his wife. After formally accusing his wife of adultery through the Consistory Court of the Bishop of London on 27 February 1783, he petitioned the House of Lords for permission to bring about a bill of divorce. However, as these bills were rarely granted, it was rejected when brought to voting. Consequently, Matthew and Frances remained married until his death in 1812. Frances, though withdrawing from society and temporarily moving to France, was always supported financially by her husband and then later, her son. She later returned to London and then finally finished her days at Leatherhead, rejoining society and even becoming a lady-in-waiting to the Princess of Wales. Frances and her son remained quite close, with her taking on the responsibility of helping him with his literary career. She even became a published author, much to her son’s dislike.

Matthew Gregory Lewis began his education at a preparatory school under Reverend Dr. John Fountain, Dean of York at Maryleborne Seminary, a friend of both the Lewis and Sewell families. Here, Lewis learned Latin, Greek, French, writing, arithmetic, drawing, dancing, and fencing. Throughout the school day, he and his classmates were only permitted to converse in French. Like many of his classmates, Lewis used the Maryleborne Seminary as a stepping stone, proceeding from there to the Westminster School, like his father, at age eight. Here, he acted in the Town Boys’ Play as Falconbridge in King John and then My Lord Duke in High Life Below Stairs. Later, again like his father, he began studying at Christ Church, Oxford on 27 April 1790 at the age of fifteen. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1794. He later earned a master's degree from the same school in 1797.(less)

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Books by Matthew Gregory Lewis

Average rating: 3.72 · 998 ratings · 42 reviews · 46 distinct works

	The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis, Christopher MacLachlan 3.77 avg rating — 4,090 ratings — published 1796 — 104 editions	My rating:
	The Castle Spectre 3.73 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 1990 — 17 editions	My rating:
	Journal of a West India Proprietor: Kept During a Residence in the Island of Jamaica 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1970 — 14 editions	My rating:
	The Bravo of Venice 3.43 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2004 — 25 editions	My rating:
	The New Monk 3.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2007	My rating:
	Alfonso, King of Castile: A Tragedy in Five Acts (1801) 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2007 — 4 editions	My rating:
	The Monk 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 1796	My rating:
	Adelmorn, the Outlaw: A Romantic Drama, in Three Acts (1801) 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2008 — 4 editions	My rating:
	The Anaconda 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2003 — 7 editions	My rating:
	Village Virtues: A Dramatic Satire. in Two Parts 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating — published 2010	My rating:

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Quotes by Matthew Gregory Lewis

“An author, whether good or bad, or between both, is an animal whom every body is privileged to attack: for though all are not able to write books, all conceive themselves able to judge them.”
― Matthew Gregory Lewis, The Monk

tags: criticism , writing

9 people liked it

“She sealed his lips with a wanton kiss; 'Though I forgive your breaking your vows to heaven, I expect you to keep your vows to me.”
― Matthew Gregory Lewis, The Monk

tags: heaven , kiss , vows

6 people liked it

“Authorship is a mania to conquer which no reasons are sufficiently strong.”
― Matthew Gregory Lewis, The Monk

4 people liked it

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Our genre for our discussion beginning on April 12 will be classics. Please vote for your favorite.

Jane Austen

4 votes, 36.4%

Mary Shelley

2 votes, 18.2%

Matthew Gregory Lewis

2 votes, 18.2%

Albert Camus

1 vote, 9.1%

John Steinbeck

1 vote, 9.1%

Charles Dickens

1 vote, 9.1%

11 total votes

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Matthew Gregory Lewis

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Books by Matthew Gregory Lewis