William Livingston Alden was born in
Williamstown, Massachusetts, on October 9, 1837. He graduated from Jefferson in 1858 and
read law in New York City with
William M. Evarts, joining the bar in 1860. He practiced law until 1866. He then became a journalist, writing for ''
Scribner's Monthly, The Atlantic, New York World and Daily Graphic.'' He also wrote humor pieces and juvenile fiction. While in New York City he became an early member of the
Theosophical Society, an
esoteric organization founded by
Helena Blavatsky in 1875. Alden is also credited with bringing the sport of canoeing to the United States. He founded the New York Canoe Club in 1871, which was the first canoeing organization in America. He was a founding member of the
American Canoe Association and served as its first Commodore. Alden was appointed
Consul General in Rome, Italy, by President
Grover Cleveland in 1885, a position he held until 1889, and received from the king the
cross of chevalier of the
order of the Crown of Italy. In 1890 he lived in
Paris, writing for the
New York Herald until 1893, when he began living and writing in
London. He died on January 14, 1908. ==Works==