A. C. Benson

Early life and family

Benson was born on 24 April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire, as one of six children of Edward White Benson, the first headmaster of the college, who would later be Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 to 1896. His mother Mary (née Sidgwick) was a sister of the philosopher Henry Sidgwick.

Benson's literary family included his brothers Edward Frederic Benson, best remembered for his Mapp and Lucia novels, and Robert Hugh Benson, a priest of the Church of England before converting to Roman Catholicism, who wrote many popular novels. Their sister Margaret Benson was an artist, author, and amateur Egyptologist.

Though exceptionally accomplished, the Benson family met tragic times: a son and daughter died young, while another daughter and Arthur himself suffered from a mental condition that may have been bipolar disorder, seemingly inherited from their father. None of the children married.

Despite his illness, Benson became a distinguished academic and a prolific author. From ages 10 to 21, he lived in cathedral closes, first at Lincoln where his father was Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and subsequently at Truro, where his father was the first Bishop of Truro. He retained a love of church music and ceremony.

In 1874, he won a scholarship to Eton from Temple Grove School, a preparatory school in East Sheen. In 1881, he went up to King's College, Cambridge, where he was a scholar (King's College had closed scholarships for which only Etonians were eligible) and achieved first-class honours in the Classical tripos in 1884.

Career

From 1885 to 1903, Benson taught at Eton, but he returned to Cambridge in 1904 as a Fellow of Magdalene College to lecture in English Literature. He became president of the college (the Master's deputy) in 1912, and he was Master of Magdalene (head of the college) from December 1915 until his death in 1925. From 1906, he was a governor of Gresham's School.

The modern development of Magdalene was shaped by Benson, as a generous benefactor with a marked impact on the appearance of the college grounds; he appears in at least 20 inscriptions around the college. In 1930, the new Benson Court was named after him.

Benson worked with Lord Esher in editing the correspondence of Queen Victoria, which appeared in 1907. His poems and essay volumes, such as From a College Window and The Upton Letters (essays in the form of letters) were famous in his time; and he left one of the longest diaries ever written: some four million words. His literary criticisms of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward FitzGerald, Walter Pater and John Ruskin rank among his best work.

Benson wrote the lyrics of the Coronation Ode, set to music by Edward Elgar for the coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra in 1902. It has as its finale one of Britain's best-known patriotic songs, "Land of Hope and Glory".

Ghost stories

Like his brothers Edward Frederic and Robert Hugh, Benson was noted as an author of ghost stories. The bulk of them, in two volumes, The Hill of Trouble and Other Stories (1903) and The Isles of Sunset (1904), were written for his pupils as moral allegories. After Arthur's death, Fred Benson found a collection of unpublished ghost stories and included two in a book, Basil Netherby (1927). The title story was renamed "House at Treheale" and the volume completed by a long piece, "The Uttermost Farthing", but the fate of the other stories is unknown.

Paul the Minstrel and Other Stories (1911, reprinted 1977) collects the contents of The Hill of Trouble and Other Stories and The Isles of Sunset. Nine of Arthur's ghost stories are included in David Stuart Davies (ed.), The Temple of Death: The Ghost Stories of A. C. & R. H. Benson (Wordsworth, 2007), together with seven by his brother R. H. Benson, while nine of Arthur's and ten of Robert's appear in Ghosts in the House (Ash-Tree, 1996) – the contents of the joint collections are similar but not identical.

Views

In The Schoolmaster, Benson summarised his views on education after 18 years' experience at Eton. He criticised a trend he found prevalent in English public schools, to "make the boys good and to make them healthy" to the detriment of their intellectual development.

A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, he founded the Benson Medal in 1916 "in respect of meritorious works in poetry, fiction, history and belles lettres".

Death

A. C. Benson died of a cardiac arrest at Magdalene on 17 June 1925, and was buried at St Giles's Cemetery in Cambridge.

Critical reception

Horror critic R. S. Hadji included Benson's Basil Netherby on a list of "unjustly neglected" horror books.

Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch included Benson's poem "The Phoenix" in the first and second editions of The Oxford Book of English Verse.

In 2025 ''The Guardian'''s reviewer, Vernon Bogdanor, was unimpressed with Benson's edited diaries.

Works

By feathers green, across Casbeen

:The pilgrims track the Phoenix flown, By gems he strew'd in waste and wood,

:And jewell'd plumes at random thrown. Till wandering far, by moon and star,

:They stand beside the fruitful pyre, Where breaking bright with sanguine light

:The impulsive bird forgets his sire. Those ashes shine like ruby wine,

:Like bag of Tyrian murex spilt, The claw, the jowl of the flying fowl

:Are with the glorious anguish gilt. So rare the light, so rich the sight,

:Those pilgrim men, on profit bent, Drop hands and eyes and merchandise,

:And are with gazing most content.

• Memoirs of Arthur Hamilton, 1886
• Men of Might: Studies of Great Characters, with H. F. W. Tatham, 1892
• Le Cahier Jaune: Poems, 1892
• Poems, 1893
• Genealogy of the Family of Benson of Banger House and Northwoods, in the Parish of Ripon and Chapelry of Pateley Bridge, 1894
• Lyrics, 1895
• Lord Vyet & Other Poems, 1898
• Ode in Memory of the Rt. Honble. William Ewart Gladstone, 1898
• Thomas Gray, 1895
• Essays, 1896.
• Fasti Etonenses: A Biographical History of Eton, 1899
• The Professor: and Other Poems, 1900
• The Schoolmaster, 1902
• The Hill of Trouble and Other Stories, 1903
• The Isles of Sunset, 1904
• (as editor) Ionica by William Cory, 3rd edition, 1905
• Peace: and Other Poems, 1905
• The Upton Letters, 1905
• The Gate of Death: A Diary, 1906
• From a College Window, 1906
• Monnow: An Ode, 1906
• Rossetti, 1906
• Walter Pater, 1906
• The Thread of Gold, 1907
• The House of Quiet: An Autobiography, 1907
• The Altar Fire, 1907
• The Letters of One, a Study in Limitations, 1907
• Beside Still Waters, 1908
• At Large, 1908
• Tennyson, 1908
• Until the Evening, 1909
• The Poems of A. C. Benson, 1909
• The Child of the Dawn, 1911
• Paul the Minstrel and Other Stories, 1911
• The Leaves of the Tree: Studies in Biography, 1911
• Ruskin: A Study in Personality, 1911
• The Letters of Queen Victoria, 1907
• Thy Rod and Thy Staff, 1912
• The Beauty of Life: Being Selections from the Writings of Arthur Christopher Benson, 1912
• Joyous Gard, 1913
• The Silent Isle, 1913
• Along the Road, 1913
• Where No Fear Was: A Book About Fear, 1914
• The Orchard Pavilion, 1914
• Escape and Other Essays, 1916
• Meanwhile; A Packet of War Letters, 1916
• Father Payne, 1917
• Life and Letters of Maggie Benson, 1920
• Watersprings, 1920
• Hugh: Memoirs of a Brother, 1920
• The Reed of Pan; English Renderings of Greek Epigrams and Lyrics, 1922
• The Trefoil: Wellington College, Lincoln, and Truro, 1923
• Magdalene College, Cambridge: A Little View of Its Buildings and History, 1923
• Selected Poems, 1924
• Chris Gascoyne; An Experiment in Solitude, from the Diaries of John Trevor, 1924
• Everybody's Book of the Queen's Dolls' House, 1924
• Memories and Friends, 1924
• Edward Fitzgerald, 1925
• The House of Menerdue, 1925
• Rambles and Reflections, 1926
• Basil Netherby, 1926
• The Diary of Arthur Christopher Benson, 1926

Reviews of Benson's poetry

• "The Poetry of Mr. A. C. Benson", Sewanee Review, Volume 14 (Sewanee: University of the South, 1906), 110–111, 405–421.
• "Poets All", The Speaker, Volume 15, 13 February 1897 (London), 196
• "Mr. Benson's Poems", The Literary World, Volume 48, 3 November 1893 (London: James Clarke & Co.), 329
• "Selected Poetry of Arthur Christopher Benson" (1862–1925)
• "A Literary Causerie" in The Speaker, Volume 15, 13 March 1897 (London), 299

References

Citations

Sources

• A. C. Benson; David Newsome ed. (1981), Edwardian Excursions: From the Diaries of A. C. Benson 1898-1904, London: John Murray
• A. C. Benson; Eamon Duffy and Ronald Hyam eds. (2025), The Benson Diary (vol. I: 1885-1906; vol. II: 1907-1925), London: Pallas Athene
• David Newsome (1980), On the Edge of Paradise: A. C. Benson the Diarist, London: John Murray
• Edward Hewish Ryle (1925), Arthur Christopher Benson as Seen by Some Friends, London: G. Bell and Sons
• David Williams (1979), Genesis and Exodus: A Portrait of the Benson Family, London: Hamish Hamilton
• Keith Wilson (1990), "A. C. Benson," Robert Beum, ed., Dictionary of Literary Biography: British Essayists, 1880–1960. Detroit: Gale, 192–204.

References

1. (1907). "Benson, Arthur Christopher". Who's Who.
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3. Hensher, Philip. (2016-11-10). "No one turned a hair".
4. Hyam, R.. (23 September 2004). "Benson, Arthur Christopher (1862–1925), poet and college head".
5. Ridley, Jane. (9 July 2011). "The gay Lambeth way" (review of Rodney Bolt, ''As Good as God, as Clever as the Devil: The Impossible Life of Mary Benson'')". The Spectator.
6. "Selected Poetry of Arthur Christopher Benson, 1862–1925". [[University of Toronto]].
7. {{acad
8. ''[[The Times]]'' newspaper, 22 October 1906, p. 6, col. C.
9. "Twentieth Century". Magdalene College.
10. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66655 The colleges and halls – Magdalene] – British History Online. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
11. (2014). "Censoring Queen Victoria: how two gentlemen edited a queen and created an icon". Oneworld.
12. (26 October 1907). "Review of ''The Letters of Queen Victoria'' edited by A. C. Benson and Viscount Esher, 3 vols.". The Athenaeum.
13. Bogdanor, Vernon. (12 August 2025). "The Benson Diary by AC Benson review – musings of an Edwardian elitist". [[The Guardian]].
14. Extracts from the diaries are printed in ''Edwardian Excursions. From the Diaries of A. C. Benson, 1898–1904'', ed. David Newsome, London: John Murray, 1981.
15. [[Mike Ashley (writer). Mike Ashley]], "The Essential Writers: Blood Brothers" (Profile of E. F., A. C. and R. H. Benson). ''[[Twilight Zone literature. Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine]]'', pp. 63–70, May/June 1984.
16. Jack Sullivan, ed., ''The Penguin Encyclopedia of Horror and the Supernatural''. NY: Viking Penguin, 1986, p. 30.
17. Benson, A.C.. (2011). "The Schoolmaster". Peridot Press.
18. "The Benson Medal". The Royal Society of Literature.
19. "Arthur Christopher Benson Biography: His life and Works".
20. R. S. Hadji, "13 Neglected Masterpieces of the Macabre", ''[[Twilight Zone literature. Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine]]'', July–August 1983 . TZ Publications, Inc., p. 62.
21. (1899). "Men of Might: Studies of Great Characters". Arnold.
22. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1892). "Le Cahier Jaune: Poems". G. New.
23. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1894). "Genealogy of the Family of Benson of Banger House and Northwoods, in the Parish of Ripon and Chapelry of Pateley Bridge". New.
24. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1895). "Lyrics". John Lane.
25. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1898). "Ode in Memory of the Rt. Honble. William Ewart Gladstone". R. Ingalton Drake.
26. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1895). "Thomas Gray". Eton.
27. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1896). "Essays". New York.
28. (6 January 1900). "Review of ''Fasti Etonenses'' by A. C. Benson & ''A History of Eton College'' by Lionel Cust". The Athenæum.
29. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1900). "The Professor: And Other Poems". John Lane.
30. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1908). "The Schoolmaster: A Commentary Upon the Aims and Methods of an Assistant-master in a Public School". Putnam.
31. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1903). "The Hill of Trouble and Other Stories". London.
32. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1905). "The Isles of Sunset". Ibister.
33. Cory, William. (1905). "Ionica with Biographical Introduction and Notes by Arthur C. Benson". G. Allen.
34. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1905). "Peace: And Other Poems". J. Lane.
35. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1906). "The Gate of Death: A Diary". G. P. Putnam's sons.
36. "Project Gutenberg".
37. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1906). "Rossetti". S. Chand & Co..
38. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1906). "Walter Pater". Macmillan.
39. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1907). "The Thread of Gold". Murray.
40. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1907). "The House of Quiet: An Autobiography". E. P. Dutton.
41. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1908). "Beside Still Waters". G.P. Putnam's Sons.
42. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1907). "Alfred Tennyson". E. P. Dutton & Co..
43. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1909). "Until the Evening". Thomas Y. Crowell & Co..
44. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1909). "The Poems of A. C. Benson...". J. Lane.
45. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1912). "The Child of the Dawn". G. P. Putnam's Sons.
46. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1911). "The Leaves of the Tree; Studies in Biography". Smith, Elder & Co..
47. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1911). "Ruskin: A Study in Personality". G.P. Putnam's Sons.
48. (1911). "Review of ''Ruskin: A Study in Personality'' by Arthur Christopher Benson". The London Quarterly Review.
49. Victoria. (1907). "The Letters of Queen Victoria, a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1837 and 1861, published by authority of His Majesty the king; Vol. I 1837–1843". John Murray.
50. Victoria. (1907). "The Letters of Queen Victoria, a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1837 and 1861, published by authority of His Majesty the king; Vol. II 1844–1853". Longmans, Green & Co..
51. Victoria. (1907). "The Letters of Queen Victoria, a selection from Her Majesty's correspondence between the years 1837 and 1861, published by authority of His Majesty the king; Vol. III 1854–1861". John Murray.
52. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1912). "Thy Rod and Thy Staff". Smith, Elder & Co..
53. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1912). "The Beauty of Life: being selections from the writings of Arthur Christopher Benson". Hodder & Stoughton.
54. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1913). "Joyous Gard". G.P. Putnam's.
55. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1910). "The Silent Isle". Smith, Elder & Co..
56. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1913). "Along the Road". James Nisbet & Co..
57. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1914). "The Orchard Pavilion". G.P. Putnam's Sons.
58. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1915). "Escape, and Other Essays". The Century Co..
59. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1916). "Meanwhile; A Packet of War Letters". John Murray.
60. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1917). "Father Payne". Putnam.
61. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1917). "Life and Letters of Maggie Benson". J. Murray.
62. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1913). "Watersprings". Smith, Elder.
63. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1915). "Hugh: Memoirs of a Brother". Longmans, Green.
64. Benson, A. C.. (1922). "The Reed of Pan; English renderings of Greek epigrams and lyrics".
65. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1923). "Magdalene College, Cambridge; A little view of its buildings and history". Bowes & Bowes.
66. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1905). "Edward Fitzgerald". Macmillan.
67. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1925). "The House of Menerdue". William Heinemann.
68. Benson, Arthur Christopher. (1926). "Rambles and Reflections". John Murray.
69. (1906). "The Sewanee Review". University of the South.
70. (1897). "The Speaker".
71. (1893). "The Literary World".