Author: Macdonald, William Russell
Biography:
MACDONALD, William Russell (1787-1854: WBIS)
An obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine refers to a widow and two sons; otherwise, information about MacDonald's personal life is scanty. A Londoner, he made a living as a contributor, editor, and occasionally part-owner of newspapers and periodicals. His literary output was various: besides imitations of Thomas Moore's poetry, he published a paraphrase of Dodsley's Economy of Human Life (1817) and a serious comparison of Protestantism and Catholicism. In the 1830s he turned to books for children, starting with a Comic Alphabet (1830). MacDonald gradually lost his sight and there are no new works after 1845. (ODNB 28 Dec. 2019; GM 43 [1855] 211)
Other Names:
- William R. Macdonald
Books written (5):
London/ Bath: Pinnock and Maunder, Law and Whittaker, E. Williams/ Meyler and Son, 1817
London: J. Johnston, 1821
New York: H. I. Megarey, 1822
2nd edn. London: J. Johnston, 1822
London/ Dublin: J. Johnston/ A. M. Graham, 1822