Arthur Christopher Benson
Arthur Christopher Benson was an English essayist, poet, author and academic and the 28th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Benson was born on 24 April 1862 at Wellington College, Berkshire. He was one of six children of Edward White Benson (1829-1896; Archbishop of Canterbury 1882–96; the first headmaster of the college) and his wife Mary Sidgwick Benson, sister of the philosopher Henry Sidgwick.
Benson was born into a literary family; his brothers included E.F. 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.
“All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality, the story of escape. It is the only thing which interests us all and at all times, how to escape.”
Arthur Christopher Benson
“A man who reads at all, reads just as he eats, sleeps, and takes exercise,because he likes it; and that is probably the best reason that canbe given for the practice.”
Arthur Christopher Benson
“Life is a sweeter, stronger, fuller, more gracious thing for the friend's existence, whether he be near or far. If the friend is close at hand, that is best; but if he is far away he is still thee to think of, to wonder about, to hear from, to write to, to shar life and experience with, to serve, to honor, to admire, to love. ”
Arthur Christopher Benson