Edward Arber (4 December 183623 November 1912) was an English scholar, writer, and editor. Mason Science College

Background and professional work

Arber was born in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. From 1854 he 1878 he worked as a clerk in the Admiralty, and began evening classes at

King's College London King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public university, public research university in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV ...

in 1858. In 1870 his address was No. 5 Queen Square, in Bloomsbury.
The Papers of Edward Alexander Newell Arber
', Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge From 1878 to 1881 he studied English literature, under Henry Morley, at

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

; and from 1881 to 1894 he was professor of English at Mason College (which later became Birmingham University). From 1894 he lived in London as

emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

professor, being also a fellow of

. In 1905 he received the honorary degree of D. Litt. from the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

. He married Marion Murray in 1869, and had two sons, one of whom, E. A. N. Arber, became demonstrator in palaeobotany at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

Scholarly edits

As a scholarly editor, Arber made notable contributions to

English literature English literature is literature written in the English language from the English-speaking world. The English language has developed over more than 1,400 years. The earliest forms of English, a set of Anglo-Frisian languages, Anglo-Frisian d ...

. His name is associated particularly with the ''English Reprints'' series (1868–1871), by which an accurate text of the works of many English authors, formerly only accessible in more expensive editions, was placed within reach of the general public. Among the thirty volumes of the series were Stephen Gosson's ''School of Abuse'', Roger Ascham's ''

Toxophilus ''Toxophilus'' is a book about longbow archery by Roger Ascham, first published in London in 1545. Dedicated to King Henry VIII, it is the first book on archery written in English. Ascham was a keen archer and a lecturer at St John's College ...

'', ''

Tottel's Miscellany ''Songes and Sonettes'', usually called ''Tottel's Miscellany'', was the first printed anthology of English poetry. First published by Richard Tottel in 1557 in London, it ran to many editions in the sixteenth century. Richard Tottel Richard T ...

'', and

Robert Naunton Sir Robert Naunton (1563 – 27 March 1635) was an England, English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1606 and 1626. Family Robert Naunton was the son of Henry Naunton of ...

's ''Fragmenta Regalia''. It was followed by the "English Scholar's Library" (16 volumes) which included the ''Works'' (1884) of Captain John Smith, governor of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, and the ''Poems'' (1882) of Richard Barnfield.

Anthologies and bibliographies

In his eight volume ''English Garner'' (1877–1890) Arber collected rare old tracts and poems, "ingatherings from our history and literature". Between 1899 and 1901 he issued the ten volume ''British Anthologies'' set: During and after the first World War, T.S. Eliot used to recommend ''The Shakespeare Anthology'' for students of his University Extension classes on Elizabethan Literature in London. In 1907 Arber began a series called ''A Christian Library''. He was the sole editor of two vast English bibliographies: ''A Transcript of the Registers of the Stationers' Company'', 1553–1640 (1875–1894), and '' The Term Catalogues'', 1668–1709/11.''The Term Catalogues, 1668–1709, With a Number for Easter Term, 1711 A.D. A Contemporary Bibliography of English Literature in the Reigns of Charles II, James II, William and Mary, and Anne'', ed. Edward Arber, vols 1–3. London: Edward Arber, 1903/ 1905/ 1906.

References

Attribution: *

External links

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''The Term Catalogues, 1668–1709, With a Number for Easter Term, 1711 A.D. A Contemporary Bibliography of English Literature in the Reigns of Charles II, James II, William and Mary, and Anne.''
Ed. by Edward Arber, vols. 1–3. London: 1903/ 1905/ 1906. Scan of volume 1, 1668–1682. {{DEFAULTSORT:Arber, Edward 1836 births 1912 deaths People educated at King's College School, London Alumni of King's College London Academics of King's College London Fellows of King's College London Academics of University College London Academics of the University of Birmingham 19th-century English writers