The Portland daily press., 1888-04-17
MATTHEW ARNOLD.
Death of the Famous English
Scholar and TheeIogIan.

LONDON, April 16.-Matthew Arnold, the
noted poet, scholar, critic, and theologian,
whose recent article on civilization in the
United States attracted marked attention,
died suddenly on Monday in Liverpool frsm
heart disease. Mr. Arnold had gone to Liv-
erpool to meet his daughter who was to ar
rive from New York. He was staying with
his sister, Mrs Cropper, and her husband,
and on Saturday evening he went out for
walk, being in high spirits.
He tried to leap a railing and eventually
succeeded without ill results being noticed.
Sunday morning he attended divine services,
and after luncheon walked out with Mrs.
Arnold, but had not gone far along neigh
boring lane, when he fell forward. He was
lifted up and taken into the house OF phy.
sician close by, and he never spoke again. lt
was known he was suffering from heart dis
ease and that Sir Andrew Clark mad warned
him against sudden exertlon.
The funeral will be held on Thursday.
The interment will be at Laleham. near
Staines.
Matthew Arnold was born December "a,
1922, at Laleham, near Staines, his father
being the late Rev. Thomas Arnold, ID. D.,
Head Master of Rugby, whose virtues Thom-
as Hughes has narrated in his famous book,
''Tom Browns Schooldays." Matthew, the
eldest son, was educated at Winchester,
Rugby and Balliol College, Oxford, graduat-
ing from the latter institution in 1874. after
winning the Newdigate prize for English
verse. The next year he was elected Fellow
of Oriel College, and then from 1S47 to 1851
acted as private secretary to the late LORD
was appointed Lay Inspector of Schools un-
der the Committee of Council on Education
Subsequently he was made foreign Assistant
Commissioner, and his record of his inquiry
into the state of education on the Continent
was published in 1861
Again his official duties took him to the
Continent, and the result Of his investigation
was embodied in a volume entitled, The
Schools and Universities OF the Continent:
This educational position, which he held
with honor, was resigned in 1886. after 35
years of service
AS poet, Mr.. Arnold received cordial
but not enthusiastic welcome, but bis works
entitled him to high rank and his reputation
steadily advanced until, in 1857, he was
elected professor of poetry at Oxford, p0-
sition which he held for ten years. As
scholar and literary critic his works are
numerous.
From the University of Edinburgh in 1869
Mr. Arnold received the honorary degree Of
Doctor of Laws, and the same title was be-
slowed upon him in 1870 by his own Univer-
sity Of Oxford. About 1876 the King of Italy
conferred upon him the Order of Commander
of his care of the young Duke of Genoa, who
lived in Mr.. Arnolds family while pursuing
his studies in England.
In 1882 the poet delivered the annual Rede
Lecture at Cambridge. England, his subject
being, Literature and Science" The next
year he started for America upon lecturing
tour, his subject being Emerson" and on
the principle and value of Numbers" Pre-
vious to this visit his rather sharp castiga-
tion of American society provoked much
comment, and his later criticism renewed
the comment. In Boston he was received.
however, with much favor His second visit
was made in 1886, when he came to the Unit
ed States to secure information regarding our
school system.