Charles Wentworth Dilke

Charles Wentworth Dilke (1789–1864) was an English liberal critic and writer on literature.

He served for many years in the Navy Pay-Office, on retiring from which in 1830 he devoted himself to literary pursuits.

His liberal political views and literary interests brought him into contact with Leigh Hunt, the editor of The Examiner. He had in 1814-16 made a continuation of Robert Dodsley's Collection of English Plays, and in 1829 he became part proprietor and editor of Athenaeum magazine, the influence of which he greatly extended. In 1846 he resigned the editorship, and assumed that of the Daily News, but contributed to Athenaeum papers on Alexander Pope, Edmund Burke, Junius, and others. His grandson, Sir Charles Dilke, published these writings in 1875 under the title, Papers of a Critic.

Around October 1816, Charles Wentworth Dilke and his friend Charles Armitage Brown moved into a pair of semi-detached houses later called Wentworth Place in Hampstead, London. The poet John Keats lived with Charles Brown around 1818-1820 and was well known to Charles Dilke. In 1822 Charles Brown moved to Italy, selling his share of the property to Charles Dilke. Today Wentworth Place is known as Keats House and is a museum to John Keats.

Dilke was married for 40 years to a "Yorkshire farmer's daughter" who died in 1850. After her death and that of his daughter-in-law in 1853, he devoted increasing time to the upbringing of his grandson and namesake, the future cabinet minister and the 2nd Baronet.