Sir Theodore MartinKCBKCVO (16 September 1816 – 18 August 1909) was a Scottish poet, biographer, and translator.
Biography
Martin was born in
Edinburgh, the only son of Mary, the daughter of James Reid, a shipowner from
Fraserburgh and James Martin, a solicitor. He was educated at the
Royal High School and attended the
University of Edinburgh from 1830-1833.[1] He practised as a solicitor in Edinburgh 1840–45, after which he went to London and became head of the firm of Martin and Leslie,
parliamentary agents.
His first contribution to literature was the humorous Bon Gaultier Ballads, written along with
W.E. Aytoun, which remained popular for a long time; originally contributed to a magazine, they appeared in book form in 1845.
He is probably best known for his Life of the Prince Consort (1874–80), the writing of which was entrusted to him by
Queen Victoria, a work which won him her lifelong friendship. He also wrote Lives of Professor Aytoun and Lord Lyndhurst.
In 1851 he married
Helena Faucit, a well-known actress, and author of studies on Shakespeare's Female Characters, whose Life he published in 1901. The couple lived for some time at Bryntysilio (
The Hill of St. Tyssilio) which he bought in 1861, near
Llangollen, where in 1889 they were visited by the queen during her progress in Wales.
Martin kept up his intellectual activity into old age, published in 1905 a translation of Leopardi's poems, and Monographs (1906). He was Lord Rector of the
University of St Andrews in 1881, received an LLD from the
University of Edinburgh in 1875, and Knight Commander of the
Order of the Bath in 1880.