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Innovators & Pioneers

Geoffrey Keynes

Born: 1887
Died: 1982
Nationality: English
Occupation: surgeon

A highly respected surgeon in England before his retirement in 1956, Geoffrey Langdon Keynes is also an admired writer. His biographies and bibliographies of such well-known figures as William Harvey, Sir Thomas Browne, Rupert Brooke, William Blake, and Dr. Robert Hooke have been consistently lauded by reviewers and the general public alike. THE LIFE OF WILLIAM HARVEY, for instance, Keynes's 1967 biography of the physician who first discovered the circulation of blood through the body, was praised by NEW STATESMAN writer Christopher Hill as the "undoubtedly . . . definitive biography" of the man. A reviewer for the TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT likewise commended the work: "[Keynes] has created not only a vivid picture of the medical, court and social world of the seventeenth century but has also shown us how the man of science fitted into this world."

A William Blake scholar, Keynes has written numerous works on the English poet and artist. In a review of A STUDY OF THE ILLUMINATED BOOKS OF WILLIAM BLAKE, Anthony Blunt of the NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS declared that the author "has written an admirably clear and concise account" of the various methods Blake used in his illuminated books. NATION's J.E. Grant held, "In this volume [Keynes] has written a very readable and informative summary of many matters relating to Blake's art and life." In writing of Keynes's BLAKE STUDIES, a TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT reviewer assessed, "These studies, as meticulously detailed as all Sir Geoffrey's editorial and bibliographical work, lay the solid foundation of knowledge on which the further work of interpretation must build."

Personal Information

Family: Born March 25, 1887, in Cambridge, England; son of John Neville and Ada Florence (Brown) Keynes; married Margaret Elizabeth Darwin, May 12, 1917 (died, 1974); children: Richard Darwin, Quentin George, William Milo, Stephen John. Education: Attended Pembroke College, Oxford, 1906-10; Cambridge University, M.D. Military/Wartime Service: Royal Army Medical Corps, 1914-18; served as surgical specialist with British Expeditionary Forces; became major; mentioned in dispatches. Royal Air Force, 1939-45; served as acting air vice-marshal and senior consulting surgeon.

Memberships: Royal College of Surgeons (fellow; honorary librarian; member of council, 1944-52), Royal College of Physicians (fellow), Royal Society of Medicine (honorary fellow), Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (fellow), Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (fellow), American Association of Surgeons (honorary fellow), Modern Language Association of America (honorary member), Society of Apothecaries (honorary freeman), Bibliographical Society of London (former president), Grolier Club (honorary foreign corresponding member).

Addresses: Home: Lammas House, Brinkley, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 0SB, England.

Awards

Cecil Joll Prize from Royal College of Surgeons, 1953; James Tait Black Memorial Prize, 1966, for THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF JOHN HARVEY; Osler Gold Medal from Royal College of Physicians, 1968; gold medal from Royal College of Surgeons, 1969; decorated Knight Bachelor of Order of the British Empire; LL.D. from University of Edinburgh; D.Litt. from Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of Birmingham, University of Reading, and University of Sheffield.

Career

St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, England, intern, 1910-13, Brackenbury Surgery Scholar and Willett Medal Operative Surgery Scholar, 1913, Chief assistant, 1920, surgeon, 1929-56, consulting surgeon, 1956, surgeon emeritus. Consulting surgeon at New End Endocrine Clinic and City of London Truss Society. Hunterian Professor of Royal College of Surgeons, 1923, 1929, and 1945; Harveian Orator of Royal College of Physicians, 1958; Fitzpatrick Lecturer of Royal College of Physicians, 1966; Wilkins Lecturer of Royal Society, 1967; Osler Orator of Royal College of Physicians, 1968; Sir Arthur Sims Commonwealth Traveling Professor, 1956. Trustee of National Portrait Gallery, 1942-66, chairman, 1958-66; founder and chairman of William Blake Trust, 1949; Hunterian Trustee, 1958. Honorary fellow at Pembroke College, Oxford, and at Darwin College, Cambridge.


Writings by the Author:

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WORKS OF DR. JOHN DONNE, DEAN OF SAINT PAUL'S, Cambridge University Press, 1914, 4th edition published as A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF DR. JOHN DONNE, DEAN OF SAINT PAUL'S, Oxford University Press, 1973.

  • THE COMMONPLACE BOOK OF ELIZABETH LYTTLETON, DAUGHTER OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE, Cambridge University Press, 1919.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM BLAKE, Grolier Club (New York), 1921, reprinted, Kraus Reprint, 1969.

  • BLOOD TRANSFUSION, Hodder & Stoughton, 1922.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE, KT., M. D., Cambridge University Press, 1924, 2nd edition, Clarendon Press, 1968.

  • William Pickering, PUBLISHER: A MEMOIR AND A HAND-LIST OF HIS EDITIONS, Fleuron, 1924, revised edition published as William Pickering, PUBLISHER: A MEMOIR AND A CHECK-LIST OF HIS EDITIONS, B. Franklin, 1969.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WRITINGS OF WILLIAM HARVEY, M. D., DISCOVERER OF THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD, Cambridge University Press, 1928, 2nd edition published as A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WRITINGS OF DR. WILLIAM HARVEY, 1578-1657, 1953.

  • JANE AUSTEN: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, Nonesuch, 1929, reprinted, B. Franklin, 1968.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM HAZLITT, Nonesuch, 1931, reprinted, Folcroft, 1970.

  • THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT DISEASE (monograph), J. Bale, 1935.

  • (Author of introduction) A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THE WORKS OF THOMAS FULLER, D. D., edited by Strickland Gibson, Oxford University Press, 1936.

  • THE ILLUSTRATIONS OF WILLIAM BLAKE FOR THORNTON'S VIRGIL Nonesuch, 1937.

  • JOHN EVELYN: A STUDY IN BIBLIOPHILY AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HIS WRITINGS, Grolier Club (New York), 1937, 2nd edition, Clarendon Press, 1968.

  • BLAKE STUDIES: NOTES ON HIS LIFE AND WORKS, Hart-Davis, 1949, 2nd edition published as BLAKE STUDIES: ESSAYS ON HIS LIFE AND WORK, Clarendon Press, 1971.

  • THE PERSONALITY OF WILLIAM HARVEY, Cambridge University Press, 1949.

  • THE PORTRAITURE OF WILLIAM HARVEY, Royal College of Surgeons, 1949.

  • JOHN RAY: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, Faber, 1951, published as THE BIBLIOGRAPHY OF JOHN RAY, Milford House, 1973.

  • (Author of foreword) William Blake, JERUSALEM, Trianon Press, 1952.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF RUPERT BROOKE, Hart-Davis, 1954, 3rd edition, 1964.

  • ENGRAVINGS BY WILLIAM BLAKE, THE SEPARATE PLATES: A CATALOGUE RAISONNEE, Emery Walker, 1956.

  • (Author of notes and select bibliography) BLAKE, POEMS AND PROPHESIES, edited by Max Plowman, Dutton, 1959.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF DR. ROBERT HOOKE, Clarendon Press, 1960.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SIEGFRIED SASSOON, Hart-Davis, 1962.

  • DR. TIMOTHIE BRIGHT, 1550-1615: A SURVEY OF HIS LIFE WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HIS WRITINGS, Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 1962.

  • BIBLIOTHECA BIBLIOGRAPHICI: A CATALOGUE OF THE LIBRARY FORMED BY GEOFFREY KEYNES, Trianon Press, 1964.

  • A STUDY OF THE ILLUMINATED BOOKS OF WILLIAM BLAKE, POET, PRINTER, PROPHET, Orion Press, 1964.

  • THE LIFE OF WILLIAM HARVEY, Clarendon Press, 1966.

  • DRAWINGS OF WILLIAM BLAKE: NINETY-TWO PENCIL STUDIES, Dover, 1970.
  • (Author of introduction and commentary) BLAKE, SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE, Oxford University Press, 1970, published as SONGS OF INNOCENCE AND OF EXPERIENCE: SHOWING THE TWO CONTRARY STATES OF THE HUMAN SOUL, 1789-1794, 1977.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SIR WILLIAM PETTY and OF OBSERVATIONS ON THE BILLS OF MORTALITY by John Graunt, Clarendon Press, 1971.

  • THE LIFE OF WILLIAM BLAKE, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 1971.

  • (Author of introduction and commentary) WATER-COLOURS ILLUSTRATING THE POEMS OF THOMAS GRAY, J. P. O'Hara, 1972.

  • WILLIAM BLAKE'S WATER-COLOUR DESIGNS FOR THE POEMS OF THOMAS GRAY, EYRE, Methuen, 1972.

  • THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND HELL, Oxford University Press, 1975.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE BERKELEY, BISHOP OF CLOYNE: HIS WORK AND HIS CRITICS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY, Pittsburgh Press, 1976.

  • WILLIAM BLAKE'S AUGURIES OF INNOCENCE, Cygnet Press, 1976.

  • (Author of essay) THE COMPLETE PORTRAITURE OF WILLIAM AND CATHERINE BLAKE, Trianon Press, 1977.

  • A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HENRY KING, BISHOP OF CHICHESTER, Douglas Cleverdon, 1979.
Editor:

  • TEN SERMONS PREACHED BY THE LATE LEARNED AND REVEREND DIVINE JOHN DONNE, DOCTOR IN DIVINITY, Nonesuch, 1923.

  • John Donne, PARADOXES AND PROBLEMS: WITH TWO CHARACTERS AND AN ESSAY OF VALOUR, Nonesuch, 1923.

  • (And author of introduction) LETTERS FROM WILLIAM BLAKE TO THOMAS BUTTS, 1800-1803, Clarendon Press, 1926, reprinted, Folcroft, 1969.

  • John Evelyn, MEMOIRS FOR MY GRANDSON, Nonesuch, 1926.

  • THE ANATOMICAL EXERCISES OF DR. WILLIAM HARVEY, Nonesuch, 1928.

  • THE WORKS OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE, six volumes, Faber & Gwyer, 1928-31, Volume VI also published separately as THE LETTERS OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE, Faber, 1946, revised four-volume edition, University of Chicago Press, 1964.

  • Izaak Walton, THE COMPLEAT ANGLOR: THE LIVES OF DONNE, WOTTON, HOOKER, HERBERT, AND SANDERSON; WITH LOVE AND TRUTH AND MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS, Nonesuch, 1929.

  • SELECTED ESSAYS OF WILLIAM HAZLITT, Nonesuch, 1930, reprinted as HAZLITT: SELECTED ESSAYS, Merrimack Book Service, 1978.

  • Anthony Alfred Bowlby, SURGICAL ANATOMY AND MORBID ANATOMY, 8th edition (Keynes was not associated with earlier editions), J. & A. Churchill, 1930.

  • Evelyn, DIRECTIONS FOR THE GARDINER AT SAYA-COURT, BUT WHICH MAY BE OF USE FOR OTHER GARDENS, Nonesuch, 1932.

  • (With Brian Hill) LETTERS BETWEEN SAMUEL BUTLER AND MISS E.M.A. SAVAGE, 1871-1885, J. Cape, 1935.

  • THE NOTE-BOOK OF WILLIAM BLAKE, CALLED THE ROSSETTI MANUSCRIPT, Nonesuch, 1935, reprinted, Cooper Square, 1970.

  • Thomas Browne, RELIGIO MEDICI AND CHRISTIAN MORALS, Thomas Nelson, 1940.

  • THE COMPLETE POETRY AND SELECTED PROSE OF JOHN DONNE, Random House, 1941.

  • THE POETICAL WORKS OF RUPERT BROOKE, Faber, 1946, 2nd edition, 1970.

  • H. F. Brewer and others, BLOOD TRANSFUSION, John Wright, 1949.

  • WILLIAM BLAKE'S ENGRAVINGS, Faber, 1950.

  • John Maynard Keynes, ESSAYS IN BIOGRAPHY, Hart-Davis, 1951.

  • (With Hill) SAMUEL BUTLER'S NOTE-BOOKS, J. Cape, 1951.

  • (And author of introduction) THE APOLOGIE AND TREATISE OF AMBROISE PORE: CONTAINING THE VOYAGES MADE INTO DIVERS PLACES WITH MANY OF HIS WRITINGS UPON SURGERY, Falcon Educational Books, 1952.

  • POEMS OF RUPERT BROOKE, Thomas Nelson, 1952.

  • (With Edwin Wolf) WILLIAM BLAKE'S ILLUMINATED BOOKS: A CENSUS, Grolier Club (New York), 1953.

  • Blake, PENCIL DRAWINGS: SECOND SERIES, Nonesuch, 1956.

  • Blake, ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE BIBLE, Trianon Press, 1957.

  • POETRY AND PROSE OF WILLIAM BLAKE, Nonesuch, 1961.

  • THE COMPLETE WRITINGS OF WILLIAM BLAKE, Oxford University Press, 1966.

  • Blake, THE GATES OF PARADISE: FOR CHILDREN, FOR THE SEXES, three volumes, Trianon Press, 1968.

  • THE LETTERS OF RUPERT BROOKE, Harcourt, 1968.

  • THE LETTERS OF WILLIAM BLAKE, Harvard University Press, 1968, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 1980.

  • SELECTED WRITINGS OF SIR THOMAS BROWNE, University of Chicago Press, 1968.

  • Donne, DEATH'S DUELL, David R. Godine, 1973.

  • "On the Morning of Christ's Nativity": MILTON'S HYMN WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY WILLIAM BLAKE, reprint of original 1923 edition, Folcroft, 1977.

  • EDWARD GIBBON'S LIBRARY: A CATALOGUE, University Press of Virginia, 1980.

Contributor of articles to medical and scholarly journals.

Further Readings about the Author:

Periodicals

  • NATION, January 25, 1965;

  • NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS, October 28, 1965;

  • TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT, August 18, 1966, December 10, 1971;

  • NEW STATESMAN, September 2, 1966;

  • NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW, January 8, 1967;

  • SCIENCE, August 18, 1967.*

Obituary Notice

Born March 25, 1887, in Cambridge, England; died July 5, 1982, in Cambridge, England. Physician and author. A physician and surgeon who specialized in cancer of the breast, goiters, and blood transfusions, Keynes was a brother of the famous economist John Maynard Keynes. Geoffrey Keynes was active in the Royal College of Surgeons, acting as its Hunterian Professor, its Vicary lecturer, a member of its council, and chairman of its library committee. He received a gold medal from the college in 1969. The physician served with the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War I and joined the Royal Air Force during World War II. As a writer, his "latitudinarian approach" to bibliography, said a LONDON TIMES reporter, produced "readable and elegant" results while it "introduced to a wide circle of cultivated readers a subject in which, as many had thought, imagination and narrative had little place." His most famous bibliographies are of John Donne, John Evelyn, and William Harvey. Keynes's subsequent biography of Harvey was awarded the James Tate Black Memorial Prize in 1966. Keynes also designed and edited sixteen books for Nonesuch Press with Francis Meynell and was chairman of the National Portrait Gallery for more than ten years. He produced the 1931 ballet "Job" as well. The author was knighted in 1955. He enjoyed carving, joinery, and bricklaying as hobbies. His writings include BLOOD TRANSFUSION, JANE AUSTEN: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, THE EARLY DIAGNOSIS OF MALIGNANT DISEASE, JOHN RAY: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, and THE GATES OF MEMORY. Obituaries and other sources: LONDON TIMES, July 6, 1982; WASHINGTON POST, July 7, 1982.


Source: From CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS ONLINE. The Gale Group, 1999. Reprinted by permission of The Gale Group.

Link: http://www.galegroup.com