Forster, John: - JOHN FORSTER (1812-1876), an English-born writer, rose from humble beginnings to acclaim as a critic of drama and literature, making his name well-known in London's literary circles. Forster was befriended by intellectuals of the time, Robert Browning and Alfred, Lord Tennyson, but was most intimate with Charles Dickens becoming chief advisor to the author on his works written after The Pickwick Papers (1836).