Edward George Earle Bulwer-Lytton, 1803-1873 Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Lord of Lytton, was one of the most popular novelists of ninteenth century England. He was born on May 25, 1803. Bulwer-Lytton was also a poet, playwright and politician. He coined the phrases the "pursuit of the almighty dollar", "the pen is mightier than the sword", as well as the infamous opening line "It was a dark and stormy night". His literary career began in 1820 with the publication of a book of poems and spanned much of the nineteenth century. He wrote in a variety of genres, including historical fiction, mystery, romance, the occult, and science fiction. Bulwer-Lytton was friends with the likes of Charles Dickens and Benjamin Disraeli and served as the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1858 and 1859. Bulwer-Lytton died on January 18, 1873, just short of his 70th birthday. The cause of death was not clear but it was thought that an infection he had in his ear had affected his brain.
