AIKIN, LUCY (1781-1864).—­Historical and miscellaneous writer, dau. of above and niece of Mrs. Barbauld (q.v.).  After pub. a poem, Epistles on Women, and a novel, Lorimer, she began the historical works on which her reputation chiefly rests, viz., Memoirs of the Courts of Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I. (1818-33) and a Life of Addison.  She also wrote lives of her father and of Mrs. Barbauld.  She was remarkable for her conversational powers, and was also an admirable letter-writer.  Like the rest of her family she was a Unitarian.

AINGER, ALFRED (1837-1904).—­Biographer and critic, s. of an architect in London, grad. at Cambridge, entered the Church, and, after holding various minor preferments, became Master of the Temple.  He wrote memoirs of Hood and Crabbe, but is best known for his biography of Lamb and his edition of his works in 6 vols. (1883-88).

AINSWORTH, WILLIAM HARRISON (1805-1882).—­Novelist, s. of a solicitor, was b. in Manchester.  He was destined for the legal profession, which, however, had no attraction for him; and going to London to complete his studies made the acquaintance of Mr. John Ebers, publisher, and at that time manager of the Opera House, by whom he was introduced to literary and dramatic circles, and whose dau. he afterwards married.  For a short time he tried the publishing business, but soon gave it up and devoted himself to journalism and literature.  His first successful novel was Rookwood, pub. in 1834, of which Dick Turpin is the leading character, and thenceforward he continued to pour forth till 1881 a stream of novels, to the number of 39, of which the best known are The Tower of London (1840), Old St. Paul’s (1841), Lancashire Witches, and The Constable of the Tower.  The titles of some of his other novels are Crichton (1837), Jack Sheppard (1839), Guy Fawkes, The Star Chamber, The Flitch of Bacon, The Miser’s Daughter (1842), and Windsor Castle (1843).  A. depends for his effects on striking situations and powerful descriptions:  he has little humour or power of delineating character.

AIRD, THOMAS (1802-1876).—­Poet, b. at Bowden, Roxburghshire, went to Edinburgh, where he became the friend of Professor Wilson, Carlyle, and other men of letters.  He contributed to Blackwood’s Magazine, and was editor of the Dumfries Herald (1835-63).  His chief poem is The Captive of Fez (1830); and in prose he wrote Religious Characteristics, and The Old Bachelor in the Old Scottish Village (1848), all of which were received with favour.  Carlyle said that in his poetry he found everywhere “a healthy breath as of mountain breezes.”