OBITUARY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1717, 7 April 1913, Page 5

OBITUARY.

PROFESSOR EDWARD DOWDEN. By Toleinwh—Press Assooiatlon-Oonyrislit (Eec, April G, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 5. Professor Edward Dowden is dead. ■Edward Dowden was born at Cork on May 3, 1813; and entered Trinity College, Dublin, in 1859. He was elected president of the Philosophical Society, and in 1887, at tho ago of 21, was appointed Professor of English Literature. He throw himself with special enthusiasm into the study of Shakespeare, and in 1875 produced his well known volume "Sliakspere, his Mind and Art," which has ever since its appearance been a standard subject of study by university students. The book at once Won him a European reputation and received a hearty recognition from students of Shakespeare the world over. This volume was followed two years later by the "Sliakspere Primer," and m 18' JO by tho fine introduction to tho "Henry Irving" edition of Shakespeare's plays and poems. In 1877 appeared his solitary volume of "Poems," and his first contribution to miscellaneous criticism,_ "Studies in. Literature, 1789-1877." His most, valuable piece of criticism is perhaps Ins "Life of Shelley" (188G), which has taken its place amongst tho standard literary biographies in English, Iu ISBB Professor Dowden became tho president of tho English Goethe Society, a position/ for winch his contributions .to Goethe literature eminently fitted him. Ho married in 18CG, and enjoyed 28 years of perfect domestic happiness,_ terminated by Mrs. Dowden's death in 1592. Amongst liis most important writings arc "A History of ffrcncn Literature" and "Puritan and Anglican," but his whole life has been one of busy critical authorship. Ho, is known, most widely a 9 a subtlo and sympathetic critic of literature, but his poetry, small as it is in volume, is of u quality fine enough to give him a permanent place in English letters.