Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mackenzie, Robert Shelton
MACKENZIE, ROBERT SHELTON (1809–1880), miscellaneous writer, born at Drews Court, co. Limerick, on 22 June 1809, was the second son of Captain Kenneth Mackenzie, an officer in the army, and author of a volume of Gaelic poetry, published in Glasgow in 1796. Robert was educated at a school in Fermoy, co. Cork, where his father held the office of postmaster after his retirement from the army, and at the age of thirteen he was apprenticed to an apothecary in Cork. He seems to have opened a school in Fermoy after serving his term, and in 1825–6 was still in that town, writing poems for the ‘Dublin and London Magazine’ and other journals, over the signature of ‘Sholto.’ The statement that he graduated in medicine at Dublin is unconfirmed by the university register. About 1828 he acted for a short time as editor of a paper at Hanley, Staffordshire. It was in 1828 that his first work, a volume of poems entitled ‘Lays of Palestine,’ appeared in London. After 1830 he went to London, and wrote for various journals, including the ‘Lady's Magazine’ and the ‘London Magazine.’ He contributed biographies to ‘The Georgian Era’ (1832–4), and was engaged on the staff of several London newspapers. In 1834, according to his biographers, he received the degree of LL.D. at Glasgow. Besides writing for the ‘Dublin University Magazine’ (1837–8), he edited the ‘Liverpool Journal’ and corresponded with American papers. He was the first European correspondent for the American press, and in 1852 emigrated to the United States, settling in New York, and engaging in literary work. In 1857 he went to Philadelphia, and there remained till his death on 30 Nov. 1880. The statement that he obtained the degree of D.C.L. at Oxford is an error.
His original writings are not remarkable, but one or two of his compilations are extremely useful. Besides ‘Lays of Palestine’ (London, 1828), he published in England ‘The Dramatic Works of J. S. Knowles,’ with biographical introduction, &c. (4to, London, 1838); ‘Titian, a Romance of Venice’ (3 vols. 12mo, London, 1843); ‘Life of Guizot,’ prefixed to a translation of ‘Democracy and its Mission’ (1846); ‘Partnership en Commandite,’ a work on commercial law (8vo, 1847); ‘Mornings at Matlock,’ a collection of stories (3 vols. 8vo, London, 1850).
The remainder of his works, chiefly compilations, with notes and memoirs, were issued in America. His editions of ‘Noctes Ambrosianæ,’ 5 vols. 1854 (another edition, of which only a hundred copies were printed, was published in 1861–3, 4to, the second and fifth vols. bearing the latter date), and Dr. Maginn's ‘Miscellaneous Works’ (5 vols. 1855–7) are of standard value. Other of his productions after leaving England were Sheil's ‘Sketches of the Irish Bar,’ with memoirs and notes (2 vols. 8vo, New York, 1854); De Quincey's ‘Klosterheim,’ with memoir (8vo, 1855); ‘Life of Curran,’ by his son, with additions by R. S. M. (12mo, 1855); ‘Bits of Blarney,’ sketches and stories (12mo, 1855); Lady Morgan's ‘O'Briens and O'Flaherties,’ with introduction (2 vols. 1857); ‘Tresillian, or the Story-tellers’ (12mo, Philadelphia, 1859); ‘Memoirs of Robert Houdin’ (1859); ‘Father Tom and the Pope, or a Night at the Vatican,’ with preface (16mo, Philadelphia, 1868. Mackenzie assigns this famous sketch to John Fisher Murray [q.v.] in error; it was written by Sir Samuel Ferguson [q. v.]); ‘Life of Charles Dickens,’ with hitherto unpublished letters, anecdotes, &c. (12mo, Philadelphia, 1870); ‘Sir Walter Scott, the Story of his Life’ (12mo, Boston, 1871). The three works which Allibone says Mackenzie had in preparation in 1880—namely, ‘The Poets and Poetry of Ireland,’ ‘Men of '98,’ and ‘Actors and Actresses’—were not completed.
[Allibone's Dict. of Engl. Lit. ii. 178; Drake's Dict. of Amer. Biog. pp. 584–5; Appleton's Cyclop. of Amer. Biog. iv. 134; Brit. Mus. Cat.]