The Gospel of Content

Frederick Greenwood was born on the 25th March 1830 in Kensington, London, the eldest of eleven.His working career began at a printing house and his literary career with small pieces in periodicals of the day. In 1853 he contributed a sketch of Napoleon III to 'The Napoleon Dynasty' volume. His work 'An Essay Without End' was published by Cornhill Magazine and with it an introduction to its editor, William Makepeace Thackeray. In 1862 Greenwood became its joint editor and later sole editor.In 1864 the magazine serialised his 'sensation' novel 'Margaret Denzil's History' and, following the death of Elizabeth Gaskell, he completed her unfinished novel 'Wives and Daughters'.Greenwood was highly regarded both for his politics and journalistic abilities and was able several times during his career to attract both funds and resources for new magazines and newspapers. The first, in 1865, was his conception of an evening newspaper containing news, original articles, public affairs and culture and was launched as the Pall Mall Gazette.Within a few years he was also an influential and admired Tory. It was on his suggestion that the British Government purchased, in 1875, the Suez Canal shares of the Khedive Ismail.His continued work in various new publications also saw him keep an influential voice in the politics of the day. His ideas and works as editor included hiring new and brave writers who would later have writing careers that would in many cases eclipse his but not the wide spectrum of his interests and abilities.His career as a writer was marked by several novels, 'The Loves of an Apothecary' (1854), 'The Path of Roses (1859)', short stories and other works. The short story, 'The Gospel of Content', is a little gem of philosophy that is still, even today, remarkably modern.Frederick Greenwood died at Sydenham on the 14th December 1909.