Alexander Allen (23 September 1814 – 6 November 1842) was an English writer and linguist who specialised in studies of

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Biography

He was the son of John Allen, born at Hackney 23 September 1814. He was educated at his father's school (the Madras House

Grammar School A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...

, at Hackney) and the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

. On his father's death he carried on the grammar school. Allen obtained, in 1840, the degree of

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from the

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. In the dedication of his ''Analysis of Latin Verbs'' to

Thomas Hewitt Key Thomas Hewitt Key, FRS (20 March 179929 November 1875) was an English classical scholar. Life He was born in London and educated at St John's and Trinity Colleges, Cambridge, and graduated 19th wrangler in 1821. From 1825 to 1827 he was the ...

, he mentions that many of his philological principles were derived from Key; he also acknowledges, in his ‘Essay on Teaching Greek,’ his obligations to his friend William Wittich, teacher of German in

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. In the last years of his life he paid attention to Anglo-Saxon,

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, Icelandic, and

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languages, with a view to a comprehensive work on the history and structure of the

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. He left many notes upon this subject, but not in a state fit for publication. Allen died on 6 November 1842.

Works

His chief works, of which, considering the early age at which he died, the number is extraordinary, are an ‘Etymological Analysis of Latin Verbs,’ London, 1836, 8vo; ‘Constructive Greek Exercises, for teaching Greek from the beginning by Writing,’ 1839; ‘Eclogæ Ciceronianæ,’ 1839; ‘A New Greek Delectus, translated from the German of Dr. Kühner,’ 1839; ‘A New Latin Delectus,’ 1840; ‘A New English Grammar,’ 1841; an Essay on teaching Greek, published in vol. I of the ‘Papers of the Central Society of Education;’ an Essay on writing Latin and Greek Exercises, in No. 18 of ‘Journal of Education,’ and one on Parsing, in No. 20. These essays show Dr. Allen's skill as a teacher. He also contributed articles to the ‘Penny Cyclopædia’ and Smith's ‘Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities’ and ‘Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.’

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Alexander Linguists from England English essayists People from Hackney Central 1814 births 1842 deaths