A.E. Housman

Alfred Edward Housman (1859—1936) was a renowned classical scholar and a "minor" poet whose brief lyrics captured a certain mood in the First World War and subsequent period, and have been appreciated by some ever since. The incisive and witty prose of his reviews, introductions and other academic papers made him notorious in classical scholarship, and are still entertaining to read.

Life

Housman was born on 26 March 1859 in Worcestershire, where the hills of Shropshire, he said, formed the western horizon. In 1877 he went up to Oxford to read Literae Humaniores (classical and philosophical studies). Here he met the great love of his life, Moses Jackson, who later married and moved to Canada. Although he obtained a First in Moderations, the examination taken halfway through the four-year course, he failed in the Finals because of his complete disdain for philosophy. He later took a pass degree.

From the end of 1882 until 1892 Housman was a clerk in the Patent Office. He spent his spare time in the library of the British Museum, producing papers on classical texts, which established him as a great classical scholar. As a result of this reputation he was able to apply for, and obtain, the post of Professor of Latin at University College, London. In 1896 he published his first collection of poems, A Shropshire Lad, which at first made little impact. He became Professor of Latin at Cambridge in 1911. In 1922 he was persuaded to publish another collection of poetry which he named Last Poems. He died on 30 April 1936. His brother Laurence brought out a further collection of poems after his death, "with the permission but not the approval" of the author.