William Edward Hartpole Lecky

William Edward Hart poles Lecky ( born March 26, 1838 in Newtown Park in Dublin, † October 22, 1903 in London) was an Irish historian and publicist.

Lecky was, inter alia, formed at Trinity College, Dublin and graduated in 1863, then cultural and historical studies and has turned to after he as a writer in this field, first in 1861 with the anonymously published work, The leaders of public opinion in Ireland (2nd edition 1872), a history of rationalist opposition to positive religion, with application of Henry Thomas Buckle method had occurred, made ​​a name by the following two works:

• History of the rise and influence of the spirit of rationalism in Europe (1865, 2 vols ), which elicited some sharp rejoinders from the Orthodox side and
• History of European morals from Augustus to Charlemagne ( 3rd edition 1877, 2 vols, German, 2nd edition, Leipzig 1879). A work is the History of England in the eighteenth century ( 1878-87, vol 1-6, . German, Leipzig, 1879 ff.)