Walter PaterEnglish essayist, literary critic, and story writer Walter Pater was born in 1839 and died in 1894. He is known for his contributions to the English aesthetic movement, especially his writings about how art relates to life. Marius the Epicurean, whic came out in 1885 in two parts, is his best-known work. Marius the Epicurean is a book about a young Roman man named Marius who is looking for a way of life that will make him truly happy. The book looks at faith, philosophy, art, and the search for happiness. Marius is presented in the first book, "His Sensations and Ideas," as a young boy who grew up in a strict Christian home. He becomes interested in the world of pagans and tries to figure out what life is all about through art, writing, and philosophy. Read More Read Less