Weber, Henry
Entry updated 22 June 2026. Tagged: Editor.
(1783-1818) UK literary editor, in Scotland from an early age, who served as literary amanuensis to Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832) from August 1804 until a catastrophic decline in mental health in December 1813; he died in an asylum. Weber edited various editions of poems and plays and is of sf – or rather, Proto SF – interest for the very early Anthology or omnibus Popular Romances: Consisting of Imaginary Voyages and Travels [for full subtitle see Checklist below] (anth 1812). Besides an introduction by Weber, this substantial volume contains Gulliver's Travels (1726; rev 1735) by Jonathan Swift, Journey to the World Underground (1741) by Ludvig Holberg, Peter Wilkins (1751) by Robert Paltock, Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe and The History of Automathes (1745) by John Kirkby. There is also much fantastic content, including a translation of the tenth-century One Thousand and One Nights, in Tales of the East; Comprising the Most Popular Romances of Oriental Origin and the Best Imitations by European Authors (anth 1812 3vols). [DRL]
Henry William Weber
born St Petersburg, Russian Empire: 22 September 1783
died York, Yorkshire: June 1818
works as editor (highly selected)
- Popular Romances: Consisting of Imaginary Voyages and Travels. Containing Gulliver's Travels, Journey To The World Under Ground, The Life And Adventures of Peter Wilkins, The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, And The History of Automathes (Edinburgh, Scotland: James Ballantyne and Company, 1812) [anth: pb/nonpictorial]
- Tales of the East; Comprising the Most Popular Romances of Oriental Origin and the Best Imitations by European Authors (Edinburgh, Scotland: James Ballantyne and Company, 1812) [anth: published in three volumes: pb/nonpictorial]
links
previous versions of this entry