MacKenzie, Henry

Henry Mackenzie ( 1745-1831) was a Scottish lawyer, novelist and miscellaneous writer. He was also known by the sobriquet "Addison of the North." Mackenzie had attempted to interest publishers in what would become his first and most famous work, The Man of Feeling, for several years, but they would not even accept it as a gift. Finally, Mackenzie published it anonymously in 1771, and it became instantly successful. The "Man of Feeling" is a weak creature, dominated by a futile benevolence, who goes up to London and falls into the hands of people who exploit his innocence. The sentimental key i...