Basil de Sélincourt (1876–1966) was an English essayist, journalist, and scholar whose intellectual pursuits took him across the globe during the turn of the twentieth century. In 1900, he relocated temporarily to Australia to take up a position as an Acting Professor of Greek at the University of Sydney. During his tenure there, he became deeply involved in campus life, serving as the President of the Sydney University Union from 1900 to 1901.
Following his academic work in Australia, de Sélincourt focused his talents on writing, establishing himself as a versatile essayist and journalist. His contributions to journalism and essay writing reflected the shifting cultural landscape of the early twentieth century, though he is also remembered for his connections to prominent literary figures of his day. His personal life intersected closely with the cultural spheres of his era; in 1902, he married the orientalist Beryl de Zoete, though their celibate marriage eventually dissolved. He later married the novelist Anne Douglas Sedgwick in 1908, remaining with her until her death in 1935, and subsequently married Julia Sanford Chapin. De Sélincourt spent his final years in Gloucestershire, England, where he died in 1966.
