Pseudonym

Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 8: Peasant to Eoumelia, p. 470–471

Pseudonym (Gr. pseudēs, 'false,' and onoma, 'a name'), a false name adopted by an author which conceals his identity. Originally 'pseudonymous' was used of works deliberately published under a false name, so as to induce people to believe them the works of those whose names they bore, or of works erroneously attributed to a wrong person. Thus, there were pseudonymous gospels of Thomas and of Bartholomew; and the works circulated under the names of the classical writers, but proved not to be genuine, are pseudonymous works. But the term pseudonym is now most commonly used as an assumed name not really meant to mislead—what in England is often called by the French words nom de plume or 'pen-name,' and nearly corresponding to the French expression nom de guerre. There have been periods in history when the acknowledgment of the authorship of certain pamphlets or books might mean death or banishment to the writer. It is common to find books containing attacks on public men, or those consisting of theological controversy, and the literature of satire, appearing under assumed names. In recent times young authors especially have frequently risked a new work under a pseudonym, and have kept it up afterwards. Once an author is famous it is found advisable to stick to a pen-name. For instance, every one knew the writings of 'George Eliot,' but few would at once have recognised a work by Marian Evans. The present list is not intended to be exhaustive; names in occasional use are not given, but only those which have been impressed by usage on the mind of the public. Neither have such well-known literary disguises as those adopted by the author of Waverley been repeated here. It may just be noted that for a longer or shorter number of years 'the author of Waverley,' 'the author of John Halifax, Gentleman' (Mrs Craik), 'the author of Guy Livingstone' (G. A. Lawrence), 'the author of Grandmother's Money' (F. W. Robinson), 'the author of Chronicles of the Schönberg-Cotta Family' (Mrs Charles), 'the author of Supernatural Religion' (unknown), 'the author of Ecce Homo,' 'The Autocrat of the Breakfast Table,' &c. have been practically used as pen-names.

For further information, see the article ANONYMOUS; Weller, Lexicon Pseudonymorum (1886); Cushing, Initials and Pseudonyms (1885), and Anonyms: A Dictionary of Revealed Authorship (2 vols. 1890); Clegg's Dictionary of Second-hand Booksellers, &c. (3d ed. 1891); and Halkett and Laing's Dictionary of Anonymous and Pseudonymous Literature (1881-88).

Source scan(s): p. 0479, p. 0480