The Times/1894/Obituary/John Nichol

OBITUARY

The death is announced, in Kensington, on Thursday, after a prolonged illness, of Professor John Nichol, Emeritus Professor of English Literature in Glasgow University, at the age of 61 years. born at Montrose, Forfarshire, the only son of a former Professor of Astronomy in the University of the West of Scotland, Dr. Nichol was educated at Glasgow (1848-55) and at Balliol College, Oxford (1855-59). He graduated B.A. at Oxford, with first-class in classics and philosophy and honours in mathematics in 1869, but did not proceed to the degree of M.A. until 1874, after the abolition of the tests. The degree of LL.D. was conferred upon him by the University of St. Andrews, February 25, 1873. In 1861 he was appointed by the Crown Professor of English Literature in the University of Glasgow. He resigned his chair in 1889. In addition to teaching at the University, Dr. Nichol was much engaged as a private tutor at Oxford and in lecturing, especially to ladies' classes, in various parts of Scotland and England. He took some part in political and other controversies, as an advocate of the North in the American Civil War, of secular education, and of Broad Church theology.

He was the author of the following works:—"Fragments of Criticism," a volume of essays, 1860; "Hannibal," a classical drama, 1872; "Tables of European Literature and History, A.D. 200-1876," published in 1876 (the fifth edition, carried down to date, appeared in 1888); "Tables of Ancient Literature and History," 1877; "English Composition," a literature primer, 1879; "Questions on English Composition," 1890; "Byron" (English Men of Letters Series), 1880; "The Death of Themistocles and other Poems," 1881; "Robert Burns: a Sketch of his Career and Genius"; "American Literature: a Historical Review," 1882; and two volumes on "Lord Bacon's Life and Philosophy" for Black's Series of Philosophical Writers, 1887-89. He wrote the life of Carlyle in the English Men of Letters Series in 1892. He also wrote numerous essays for the Westminster, North British, and other reviews; articles in the "Encyclopædia Britannica" and several pamphlets on education questions.