The Essential Santayana: Selected Writings

Chronology of the Life and Work of George Santayana

xv Chronology of the Life and Work of George Santayana Adapted and abridged from William G. Holzberger, “Chronology,” Letters of George Santayana, 1:443–60 1849 Josefina Borrás (c. 1826–1912), George Santayana’s mother, marries George Sturgis (1817–57) of Boston, aboard British warship in Manila Bay. 1857 George Sturgis dies in Manila at age forty. 1862 Josefina Borrás Sturgis marries Agustín Santayana (1814–93) in Madrid. 1863 George Santayana born on 16 December at No. 69, Calle Ancha de San Bernardo, Madrid. 1864 Santayana christened Jorge Agustín Nicolás on 1 January in parish church of San Marcos, Madrid. 1868 (or 1869) Santayana’s mother, with daughters Susana and Josephine, moves to Boston to honor first husband’s wish that children be raised in America; Santayana remains with father in Spain. 1872 Santayana and father travel to America in June; father returns to Ávila several months later. 1882 Santayana graduates from Boston Latin School; attends Harvard College in autumn. 1883 Santayana visits father in Spain for first time since coming to America. Advised by William James at Harvard not to pursue philosophy. 1885 Meets John Francis (“Frank”) Stanley, 2d Earl Russell and elder brother of Bertrand Russell, who becomes close friend. 1886 Santayana’s Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded summa cum laude and in absentia. Begins study in Germany. 1889 Santayana completes dissertation on “Lotze’s System of Philosophy” under direction of Josiah Royce; awarded Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees by Harvard University; begins as Instructor in Philosophy at Harvard. 1893 Santayana’s father dies at age 79 during summer in Ávila; Santayana’s student and friend Warwick Potter dies in October; at end of this year Santayana undergoes his metanoia or fundamental change of heart resulting in renunciation of the world. 1896 Santayana’s first book-length philosophical work is published by Scribner’s: The Sense of Beauty: Being the Outlines of Aesthetic Theory. Spends year at Cambridge University; appears in court in October to testify on behalf of Frank Russell, defending against charges of estranged wife. 1897 Santayana resumes teaching at Harvard; lives with mother. 1898 Santayana promoted from instructor to assistant professor. 1899 Santayana’s Lucifer: A Theological Tragedy published. Chronology of the Life and Work of George Santayana xvi 1900 Interpretations of Poetry and Religion published. 1904 Santayana sails from New York to Plymouth, England, in mid-July; visits Paris, Rome, Venice, Naples, Pompeii, Sicily, and Greece. 1905 Visits Egypt, Palestine, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Damascus, Baalbeck, Beirut, Athens, Constantinople, Budapest, and Vienna. While still abroad, Santayana invited by Harvard to become Hyde Lecturer at the Sorbonne for 1905–6. First four volumes of The Life of Reason; or, the Phases of Human Progress published. 1906 Fifth volume of The Life of Reason published. Santayana returns to America in September; resumes teaching at Harvard. 1907 Santayana promoted from assistant professor to full professor. 1911 In April Santayana delivers final lecture at Harvard. Travels to Wisconsin and California. 1912 Santayana departs America for last time on 24 January. Mother dies on 5 February. 1913 Winds of Doctrine: Studies in Contemporary Opinion published. 1914 World War I breaks out; Santayana remains in Oxford until April 1919. 1916 Egotism in German Philosophy published. 1920 Santayana begins spending winters in Rome; continues to summer in Paris, Ávila, Glion, at Lake Geneva, or Cortina d’Ampezzo. 1923 Scepticism and Animal Faith and last collection of Santayana’s poetry to appear during his lifetime, Poems: Selected by the Author and Revised, published. 1925 Dialogues in Limbo published. 1927 Santayana meets Daniel Cory, age 22, who will become his assistant and friend. The Realm of Essence: Book First of Realms of Being published. 1928 Santayana declines offer of the Norton Chair of Poetry at Harvard for 1928–29. Half sister Susana dies in Ávila, on 10 February, at age 77. 1930 Half sister Josephine dies in Ávila, on 15 October, at age 77. The Realm of Matter: Book Second of Realms of Being published. 1931 The Genteel Tradition at Bay published. In December Santayana declines offer to become William James Professor of Philosophy at Harvard. 1932 Santayana attends philosophical congress commemorating tercentenary of Spinoza’s birth, held at The Hague on 6–10 September; delivers a lecture on “Ultimate Religion.” Attends meeting in London to commemorate tercentenary of John Locke’s birth; on 19 October delivers address on “Locke and the Frontiers of Common Sense.” 1933 Some Turns of Thought in Modern Philosophy published...