A. A. Macdonell

Name: Dictionary of National Biography
Author: A. A. Macdonell

Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

Summary

“Dictionary of National Biography”, published in 1901, is a work by A. A. Macdonell. It explores elements such as Max Müller, Sanskrit and scholars.

Quotes from Dictionary of National Biography (A. A. Macdonell)

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ Lastly, it was not till the latter half of the nineteenth century that the necessary conditions were at hand for founding a science of religion. At this precise period Max Müller was there to supply the needful stimulus by means of his Hibbert lectures, and to collect the requisite materials in the ‘Sacred Books of the East.’ Thus there was a great opening in four highly important branches of learning; but no one could have taken adequate advantage of them all unless he had been, like Max Müller, one of the most talented and versatile scholars of the nineteenth century. ”

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A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ The election being in the hands of convocation — a body consisting of all masters of arts who keep their names on the books of the university — came to turn on the political and religious opinions of the candidates rather than on their merits as Sanskrit scholars. Party feeling ran high. His broad theological views, as well as the fact of his being a foreigner, told against Max Müller, especially in the eyes of the country clergy, who came up to Oxford in large numbers to record their votes. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ He began to pay considerable attention to comparative philology, delivering two series of lectures on the science of language at the Royal Institution in 1861 and 1863. These lectures soon raised him to the rank of the standard authority on philology in the estimation of the English public. Though much of what is contained in them is now out of date, there can be no doubt that they not only for the first time aroused general interest in the subject of comparative philology in England, but also exercised in their day a valuable stimulating influence on the work of scholars. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ He knew most of the leading men of the day, foreigners as well as Englishmen, and entertained many of them at Oxford. His house was a place of pilgrimage to all Indians visiting England; for, owing to his ‘Rigveda’ and his writings on Indian philosophy and religion, he was far better known in India, though he never visited that country, than any other European scholar has ever been.
On account of his social qualities Max Müller was much in request as president of societies and congresses. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ He constantly stirred up scholars to search for rare and important Sanskrit manuscripts. This insistence led, for example, to the discovery in Japan of a Sanskrit manuscript dating from the sixth century, the oldest known at that time (1880) . He himself acquired, in connection with his edition of the ‘Rigveda,’ a valuable collection of Vedic manuscripts from India, to the number of nearly eighty.
Max Müller had a great literary gift, doubtless inherited from his father. A foreigner by birth and education, he attained command of an English style excelled by few native writers. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ Among the contributors have been King Edward VII and several Indian princes, while the German emperor gave the munificent donation of 500l. It is intended, after supplying some personal memorial at Oxford, to turn the sum collected into a ‘Max Müller Memorial Fund,’ to be held by the university in trust ‘for the promotion of learning and research in all matters relating to the history and archaeology, the languages, literatures, and religions of ancient India.’ A Japanese ‘Society for Oriental Research’ has also been founded at Tokyo in commemoration of Max Müller. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ Here he first displayed that power of lucid popular exposition and of investing a dry subject with abundant interest, which has more than anything else contributed to make his name at least as famous as that of any other scholar of the nineteenth century. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. A. Macdonell, Dictionary of National Biography (1901)

“ Leipzig, 1857; 13th edit. 1898 (altogether 18,000 copies) ; a pirated translation, under the title of ‘Memories,’ has had an enormous sale in America; French transl. 1873; a new transl. 1900; English transl. (by Mrs. Max Müller) London, 1873; 4th edit. 1898. ‘Wilhelm Müller's Poems,’ edited with introduction and notes, Leipzig, 1868. ‘Schiller's Correspondence with Duke Friedrich Christian of Schleswig Holstein,’ edited with introduction and notes, Leipzig, 1875; ‘Scherer's History of German Literature,’ translated by Mrs. Conybeare and edited by F. Max Müller, Oxford, 1885 ”

A. A. Macdonell

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