(July 22nd, 1882 — February 22nd, 1935)

Frederic Manning was an Australian poet and novelist.

Manning was born in Australia, and was one of eight children. Being sickly with asthma, he was educated at home. As a teenager, he formed a close friendship with Reverend Arthur Galton, who was acting as a secretary for a political figure. When Galton returned home to England, he took Manning with him.

Manning remained in England for the rest of his life, other than one brief return to Australia.

Under Galton’s tutelage, he studied voraciously and began to write. His first successful novel was written in verse and published in 1907, titled The Vigil of Brunhild. He also published Scenes and Portraits and a volume entitled Poems in 1909 and 1910, respectively. Though his writing did well academically, it did not sell particularly well — and Manning continued to live under the reverend’s hospitality.

When World War I broke out, Manning enlisted. It took him several attempts to be accepted, due to his poor health. In 1915, he began as a private, and he secured a promotion to lance-corporal the next year, and then a promotion to second lieutenant the year after. Once he became an officer, he was unhappy and began to drink heavily, which led to his resignation in 1918.

He returned to live with Reverend Galton until Galton’s death in 1921. Manning had written another volume of poetry and contributed poems to several magazines, but could not make enough money to support himself. At his publisher’s request, he wrote a military biography and then The Middle Parts of Fortune, which did very well.

While living and writing in London, he made several literary friends, including Ezra Pound.

Having always been in ill health, asthmatic, and a heavy smoker, Manning was beset by respiratory illness. He died of it in 1935.