Gregory Lewis, Matthew

Matthew 'Monk' Lewis (1775 - 1818) is best known as the author of his gothic novel Ambrosio, or The Monk, which was praised by Lord Byron and the Marquis de Sade.  His play The Castle Spectre (1796) was popular and had a long run, and he wrote several other dramatic and operatic works thereafter.  He died on a voyage home from a visit to his estates in Jamaica, where he had hoped to ease the burden of his slaves. ;

English novelist, poet and dramatist, Matthew Lewis was popular for his Gothic writings and for introducing German Romantic literature to English readers. Although he had a short insignificant political career, his main interests were literary to the end.;