Archibald Strong
Sir Archibald Thomas Strong (30 December 1876 – 2 September 1930) was an Australian scholar and poet. [1]
Early life
Strong was born at
Strong and his family moved to
Literary career
Settling again in Melbourne, Strong did some tutoring and lecturing, and published a volume of verse, Sonnets and Songs (1905). In 1910 Strong was president of the Literature Society of Melbourne and his presidential address, 'Nature in Meredith and Wordsworth', was printed as a pamphlet in that year.
Strong was ready for his new task, as in addition to his knowledge of the work of his own school he was an excellent classical scholar, familiar with French and German literature, and with some knowledge of Italian and Spanish in the originals. At Adelaide he became a valuable member of the staff, fully convinced of the importance of the humanities in university life. He visited Europe in 1925 and represented South Australia at a world conference on adult education held at Vancouver in 1929. Strong published his translation of Beowulf into English rhyming verse in 1925.[2]
Late life and legacy
Strong died after a short illness on 2 September 1930. In 1932 Four Studies by him, edited with a memoir by Robert Cecil Bald and with a portrait frontispiece, was published in a limited edition at Adelaide. Strong never married; he was knighted in 1925.
Strong played both cricket and football at Liverpool University; he was also interested in boxing. Strong was one of the promoters of the original Melbourne repertory theatre and became president of the similar organization at Adelaide. Strong was a good lecturer in English, never losing his enthusiasm for his subject and communicating it to his students. Strong's Short History of English Literature is an excellent piece of work within the limits of its 200,000 words, sound and interesting. His verse is technically excellent, often no more than strongly felt rhetorical verse, but at times rising into poetry. Strong's translations from Théodore de Banville and Beowulf were both successful.[2]
References
- ^ MUP, 1990, pp. 124–125. Retrieved 30 March 2010
- ^ a b c d e f Serle, Percival (1949). "Strong, Archibald". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
External links
- Four studies / by Sir Archibald Strong ; edited with a memoir by R.C. Bald at the National Library of Australia
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