MacCarthy, Desmond (1877–1952)

English writer and literary critic. He became literary editor of the New Statesman in 1920 and later its drama critic, and had a wide influence on intellectual and literary life. In 1928 he took over the editorship of Life and Letters and in later years contributed a weekly literary article to the Sunday Times.

He was born in Plymouth and educated at Eton, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Leipzig University. Entering journalism he gained editorial experience with the New Quarterly and the New Witness. In 1913 he started making regular contributions to the New Statesman. His writings have been collected under the titles Portraits (1931), Criticism (1932), Experience (1935), and Drama (1940). Knighted 1951.