LATE PROFESSOR STRONG

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 112, 29 January 1918, Page 7

LATE PROFESSOR STRONG

$ DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN MELBOURNE. Professor Herbert Augustus Strong, ivhose death was announced in a cable message from London recently, frill bo well remembered in Melbourne where 'or ton years—lß74 to 1884—ho was professor of classics. Educated at Oxford, Professor Stone was assistant professor of Latin at tile Glasgow University beforo he caino to Melbourno :o succeed the late Professor Irving in ilio chair of classics. He was a .young aninarried mail when ho entered upon jilice, and lid threw himself, into the work of his chair with almost boyish irdour aiid enthusiasm, Professor Strong showed a warm sympathy with the tastes and interests' of the young men attending his lectures. He identified himself with student life ill. its varied phases. His scholarship was more of the Oxford than the Cambridge type. . He had little taste for textual criticism, that liigbest achievement of the classical scholar, or for grammatical niceties, but he set the students a high standard of style in his translations. Ho also made his mark in comparative philology, and mastered many European languages. Ho acquired a knowledge of Russian at a time when that language was hardly more studied than Japanese, and published a good deal of work on the history of language. The occasional addresses which lie delivered at meetings of students' societies were full of bright fancies and humorous conceits. Ho had ft happy gift of verse-writing, both in English and Latin, and nid metrical translations of two plays of Plautus, which were published many years ago, won the warm approval of leading scholars of England. With a rich vein of humour, thero were few better raconteurs ill Melbourne thai', he. Ho was fond of dressing :up a story, and it Was a common and delightful experience amoiig his friends to hnd him bringing back to them some of their otfn anecdotes, scarcely recognisable undei' his ingenious cmbellisiihieivts. Everywhere Professor Strong was a Wejsditie guest, and was generally voted a charming companion. His tastSs were of the most catholic kind. He loved almost' every form of sport, and was a player with thb University football team. He was fond of the theatre, and was a good stage critic. He had what Edward Fitzgerald called "a genius for friendship." He feli himself lit home frith all sorts of people, and soino of his ihtimate companions were men who took little interest •in scholastic pursuits. Those who earns in contact with him as a University professor will remiillibef him for liis scholarship, his varied reading, and iiii brilianoy in translation aiid composition- but by far the gtetitcr mtnibei of tnoso who knew him in Melbourne will remember him more, for his genial disposition, his bright and witty conVbrsation, and his large humanity. After leaving Melbourne Professoi Strong becaino Professor of Latin ie the University of Liverpool, a posi which he held for 27 yent-s. During his tenure of office there ho shared iii many educational activities of thi Liverpool Royal Institution, examine of secondary schools under tlio Educational Department of Scotland, and president of the French Society of Liverpool. The high scholastic tradition whicli the late Professor Strong carried on at the Melbourne University has beet! handed to a worthy successor in his son, Mr. Archibald T. Strong. Professorships do not often run in families. A noteworthy instance is that of Professor Masson, son of the eminent Edinburgh professor, and a parallel is provided in the family of the lato Professor Strong. Mr. Archibald Strong lias already earned a reputation as a writer, translator, and controversialist, and has carried out his work as lecturer ill English at the University of Molbourue and more recontly as acting professor, iii the absence on active ol Professor Wallace, with credit and distinction.