The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-06-16
PROF. HiRAM (ORSON DEAD.
Emeritus Professor OF English Literature
At (OrneII [ niN CrSLIl.

irHAtA. Jun. IL Cornell University
moGrns to-day the death Of Hiram Corson,
emeritus professor of English literature.
writer. poet aud known on both sides
of the Atlantic As friend and interprete er
of Browning ana an authority on Shake
speare. Prof. torson died at noon AT his
residence. ,ascadila Cottage. after an
illness of several months. He was in his
eiShty-third year. Prof. Corson was
seriously Ill during The winter. but seemed
20 recover in III" spring and his venerable
figure was seen again on the campus and
III" 81 treets of Ithaca. He wastaken with a
cold not long ago, however. and from hat
time on III" end was expected. His only
child. hr. Eugene Corson of Atlanta and
his wife we're az his bedside.
Frof I tor-On was one of distinguished
group of men " no allied themselves with
Cornell nlVerslty al the time of or shortly
after it's founding. lie will De remem-
bered as one of toruell's great est Int erary
critics and scholars His first connection
with the university was in 1870 when
the char OF rhetoric and oratory was
given him. lie continued IN active
service until 1893. when he retired as
emeritus professor of English li'srat ure
Throughou' MS service on tha faculty he
was at the head of the English depart
ment.
In late years he has lived very quietly.
though he was frequently seen at the
university library or AZ the home of
friends in town. Many of his old friends
came to Ithaca 10 see him. He had an
especially close friendship with former
President Andrew d. White. who survives
him. DIR. Corson was a familiar figure
to thousands of Cornell alumni who could
recall him as. IN long coat, cap drawn
down on his ears and his long flowing
white beard, he sturdly trudged the
campus in winter.
Although h" gave mp teaching in 1909
he has occasionally been prey allied upon
by university audiences TO give readings
from faVorite English classics At the
home of the Hon Henry r. Lord he would
greet some Of his oldest friends and
read to them, His home was treasure
trove of old books and pictures on. of
his most cherished Possessions was a
facsimile copy Of The Old Yellow Book
from Which Browning Got His Material
for the King and the Book Prof. Cor
sons home was always open to students
who wished to discuss poetry or the
authors He founded the Corson French
prize and the Corson Browning prize,
Rv the literary world AT large Prof
Corson gained International fame a.
perhats the best American interpreter
OF Shakespeare and Browning lie de-
voted a great share of his time toward
fostering an appreciation of Browning
Corson was friend of both Robert and
Elizabeth Browning and the shock Of
their deaths so Affected him that he never
fully recovered, only year ago he
prepared in his own Handwriting remi-
n sciences of Robert Browning for the
Cornell Era.
Prof Corson was born in Germant own
Pa, on November q, lS?S He studied
az fremont Seminary a. Norris'own In
1850 he became a librarian of the Smith
sonian Institution az Washington There
he studied the classics extensively He
served on the faculties of Girard College
and 81 Johns College before he came TO
Cornell He had been awarded the
degrees of 4. NJ. IL y and Lift. u
He married in 1854 Caroline Rollins Of
Boston She died in 1901