Journalist and author. Educated at Royal Military College, Sandhurst; obtained commission, served in army in North America and in West Indies. Retired on half pay, 1828. Thereafter for some time in Paris, copying illuminated MSS in Bibliothèque Royale; later worked with his sister Louisa Stuart Costello on illuminations of some of her books. Was good linguist; became foreign correspondent for Morning Herald, later, foreign editor of Daily News. Connected with Constitutional; from 1845 to his death with Examiner. Contributed to Bentley's Miscellany, Ainsworth's, Chambers's, New Monthly. Author of A Tour through the Valley of the Meuse, 1845; Piedmont and Italy, 1859-1861; three novels. Published two collections of stories and sketches. In 1861 granted Civil List pension of £75 a year "In consideration of the many years devoted by him to the pursuit of literature, and the high character of his works" (Colles, Literature and the Pension List).

Costello wrote for Bentley's Miscellany under Dickens's editorship; Dickens referred to two of his papers as "most pleasant productions" (October 22 1838). Dickens engaged CosteIlo as foreign editor of the Daily News. Costello acted in some of Dickens's theatrical productions. According to Percy Fitzgerald (Memories of Charles Dickens, p. 307), he became an "intimate friend" of Dickens; according to Ley (Dickens Circle, p. 250), there is "absolutely no record of any intimacy" between the two men.

One of CosteIlo's H.W. contributions Dickens mentioned to Wills (September 21 1854) as "really good"; of another he wrote (June 18 1853): "Costello good enough as far as it goes, but it don't go to the Camp, and therefore is at present a coup manqué". The reference is to "Private Bridoon", which recounts two visits to the military camp at Chobham; obviously, CosteIlo added material to the article as he had originally written it. Dickens supplied the title "Called to the Savage Bar" for another of Costello's articles (To Wills, July 9 1854: MS Huntington Library). Costello wrote also for A.Y.R.

Author: Anne Lohrli; © University of Toronto Press, 1973.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography