Gilderoy Wells Griffin, essayist, was born at Louisville, Kentucky,
March 6, 1840, the son of a merchant. He was educated in the University
of Louisville, and admitted to the bar just as he attained his majority.
He soon became private secretary for George D. Prentice, and this
pointed his path from law to letters. Griffin was dramatic critic of the
Louisville _Journal_ until after Prentice's death; and his first book
was a biographical study of the great editor. His _Studies in
Literature_ (Baltimore, 1870), a small group of essays, was followed by
the final edition of _Prenticeana_ (Philadelphia, 1871), which he
revised and to which he also contributed a new sketch of Prentice.
Griffin was appointed United States Consul to Copenhagen, in 1871. His
_Memoir of Col. Charles S. Todd_ (Philadelphia, 1872), was an excellent
piece of writing. The most tangible result of his sojourn in Copenhagen
was _My Danish Days_ (1875), one of the most delightful of his works. In
Denmark his most intimate friend, perhaps, was Hans Christian Anderson.
His _A Visit to Stratford_ (1875), was worth while. The year following
its publication, Griffin was transferred to a similar position in the
Samoan Islands, and he left in manuscript a work on the Islands which
has never been published. In 1879 Griffin was again transferred, this
time being sent to Aukland, New Zealand, where he remained until 1884;
and the time of his departure witnessed the appearance of his last work,
_New Zealand: Her Commerce and Resources_ (Wellington, N. Z., 1884).
President Arthur sent him as consul to Sydney, which post he held for
seven years. Griffin's death occurred while he was visiting his old
home, Louisville, Kentucky, October 21, 1891. His brother was the
step-father of the famous Mary Anderson, the former actress, and she has
a goodly word for the memory of Griffin in her autobiography. He was a
patron of the drama, a faithful and far-seeing diplomat, and a very able
writer. His wife, Alice M. Griffin, published a volume of _Poems_
(Cincinnati, 1864).
BIBLIOGRAPHY. _The Courier-Journal_ (October 22, 1891); _A Few
Memories_, by Mary Anderson de Navarro (London, 1896).