This is the first substantial book about Forster's life. Drawing upon much unpublished material, Davies describes Forster's career as a man of letters and presents detailed studies of his many important friendships and professional activities. The author also breaks new ground in discussing Forster's work as a journalist, historian, and literary biographer. Contents: Part One: Early Life and Influential Friends. Newcastle to London. Leigh Hunt. Charles Lamb. Bulwer, Macready; Part Two: The Man of Letters I: The literary life. Literature's friend. Friendship's variations 1834-1855. Withdrawal and return; Part Three: Man of Letters II: Four Friendships. Robert Browning. Landor. Dickens. Carlyle; Part Four: Man of Letters III: Professional Concerns. Journalist. Historian. Literary biographer; Postscript; Bibliography (including Forster's mainly anonymous reviews)^R.

This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.