James Henry Leigh Hunt (October 19, 1784 - August 28, 1859) was an English essayist and writer.

He was born at Southgate, London, Middlesex, where his parents had settled after leaving the USA. His father, a Philadelphia lawyer, and his mother, a merchant's daughter, had been forced to come to Britain because of their loyalist sympathies in the American War of Independence. Leigh Hunt's father took orders, and became a popular preacher, but was unsuccessful in obtaining a permanent living. He was engaged by James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos, as tutor to his nephew, James Henry Leigh, after whom Leigh Hunt was named. He was educated at Christ's Hospital, of which he left a personal account in his autobiography. As a boy, he was an ardent admirer of Thomas Gray and William Collins, writing many verses in imitation of them. A speech impediment, later cured, prevented his going to university. "For some time after I left school," he says, "I did nothing but visit my school-fellows, haunt the book-stalls and write verses." His poems were published in 1801 under the title of Juvenilia, and introduced him into literary and theatrical society. He began to write for the newspapers, and published in 1807 a volume of theatre criticism, and a series of Classic Tales with critical essays on the authors.

In 1808 he left the War Office, where he had been working as a clerk, to become editor of the Examiner, a newspaper founded by his brother, John. The new journal with which Leigh Hunt was connected for thirteen years soon acquired a reputation. Its political independence was unusual for the time; it would attack any worthy target, "from a principle of taste," as John Keats expressed it. These attacks were not always inoffensive; and in 1813, an attack on the Prince Regent, based on substantial truth, resulted in prosecution and a sentence of two years' imprisonment for each of the brothers.

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The groundwork of all happiness is good health.~Leigh Hunt #quote (Are you taking care of yourself?)
DGilabert (Diane Gilabert) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:55:22 -0000
The groundwork of all happiness is good health.~Leigh Hunt #quote (Are you taking care of yourself?)
"The groundwork of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt #quote
cussy (John Cusworth) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:29:15 -0000
"The groundwork of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt #quote
The groundwork of all happiness is health. ~ Leigh Hunt
bellyfatburning (Sean Lombardo) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:10 -0000
The groundwork of all happiness is health. ~ Leigh Hunt
Stolen kisses are always sweetest. - Leigh Hunt
BernaVig (Bernadette Reed) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:21:35 -0000
Stolen kisses are always sweetest. - Leigh Hunt
Brilliant inspiration!! RT @SparkPeople: "The ground work of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt http://bit.ly/1TK4fh
mgartland (Matthew Gartland) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:51:29 -0000
Brilliant inspiration!! RT @SparkPeople: "The ground work of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt http://bit.ly/1TK4fh
RT @theamandaknight: RT @SparkPeople: "The ground work of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt http://bit.ly/1TK4fh
NKOTBBOSTNKYGRL (NKOTBROYALFAMGYRL) Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:57:35 -0000
RT @theamandaknight: RT @SparkPeople: "The ground work of all happiness is good health." - Leigh Hunt http://bit.ly/1TK4fh

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