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Harry Thurston Peck (November 24, 1856 – March 23, 1914) was an American classical scholar, author, editor, historian and critic.


Biography

Peck was born in
Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
. He was educated in private schools and at Columbia College, graduating in 1881, where his literary gifts attracted wide attention. His address at the conclusion of that year's commencement exercises was "witty, pathetic, and full of clever allusions" according to the
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
. "Bouquets fell at his feet by the score as he bowed his way off the stage." Upon graduation, he immediately joined the faculty as a Latin tutor, becoming a professor in 1888. He was among several faculty members appointed to newly created chairs when he became Anthon Professor of Latin Language and Literature at the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Columbia's founding in 1904. Peck also wrote travel guides and produced translations and works for children under a number of pseudonyms, and he was a frequent and forceful contributor to magazines and newspapers. He was editor in chief of ''
Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities ''Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities'' is an English-language encyclopedia on subjects of classical antiquity. It was edited by Harry Thurston Peck and published 1898 by Harper & Brothers in New York City. (advertisement ...
'' and editor of the ''Students' Series of Latin Classics'' and ''Columbia University Studies in Classical Philology''. He served as the first editor in chief of '' The Bookman'' magazine, worked on its staff from 1895 to 1906, and created America's first best-seller list for its pages in 1895. He was also editor in chief of the ''International Cyclopaedia'' from 1890 to 1901 and co-editor of the first edition of the New International Encyclopedia (1902–1904). In 1906 he published a nearly 800-page monument of progressive historiography, ''Twenty Years of the Republic 1885-1905,'' expansive, dense with detail and reference, penetrating, scathing in its revelations of actual social, economic and political conditions. It was excoriated in the metropolitan press and plainly had much to do with his later difficulties. In 1910, various newspapers reported that Peck was being sued by a former secretary for breach of promise of marriage. The stories included alleged excerpts from his love letters to her. The romance had purportedly occurred around the time that Peck divorced his first wife and married his second. The lawsuit was eventually dismissed and the facts of the dispute were never fully established. Columbia's president
Nicholas Murray Butler Nicholas Murray Butler () was an American philosopher, diplomat, and educator. Butler was president of Columbia University, president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the deceased Ja ...
was a long-time friend and former schoolmate of Peck's, but he promptly terminated Peck's relationship with Columbia based on the press reports. Peck fought his dismissal without success. Various Columbia scholars tried to support Peck's right to more considerate treatment or due process, including Joel Spingarn—who was soon dismissed, as well. Peck lived out his remaining years cut off from his former colleagues and relying on income from occasional writing assignments. He was increasingly depressed and unable to find work, and was seen one day near the end of his life on the streets of Manhattan "walking in a dazed sort of way" and "entirely oblivious to his surroundings." He committed suicide in
Stamford, Connecticut Stamford () is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut, outside of Manhattan. It is Connecticut's second-most populous city, behind Bridgeport. With a population of 135,470, Stamford passed Hartford and New Haven in population as of the 2020 ...
on March 23, 1914 by shooting himself in the head and was buried in
Christ Church cemetery Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, names and titles), was ...
in
Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a New England town, town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast (Conne ...
.PROF. PECK BURIED, New York Times, March 16, 1914
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Works (partial list)


Classical

* ''The Semitic Theory of Creation'' (1886) * ''Latin Pronunciation: A Short Exposition of the Roman Method'' (1890) * ''Suetonius'' (1889) * ''Roman Life in Latin Prose and Verse: Illustrative Readings from Latin Literature'' (1894) * ''International Library of Masterpieces, Literature, Art and Rare Manuscripts'' (1901) * ''A History of Classical Philology from the Seventh Century BC to the Twentieth Century AD'' (1911)


Edited works

* ''Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities'' * ''The International Cyclopedia'' (1890–1901)


Children's stories

* ''
The Adventures of Mabel ''The Adventures of Mabel'' is a children's fantasy novel by Harry Thurston Peck under the pseudonym Rafford Pyke, first published in 1896–1897. The story is about Mabel, a five-year-old girl who helps the King of all the lizards and is reward ...
'' (1889) * ''Hilda and the Wishes''


Essays

* ''The Personal Equation'' (1899) * ''What is Good English? and Other Essays'' (1899) * ''The New Baedeker: Being Casual Notes of an Irresponsible Traveler'' (1910)


Other

* ''William Hickling Prescott'' (1905) * ''Twenty Years of the Republic, 1885–1905'' (1906) * ''Studies in Several Literatures'' (1909)


Poetry

* ''Greystone and Porphyry'' (1899)


Translation

* ''Trimalchio's Dinner'' (1898)


References


External links

* * * *
Finding aid to Harry Thurston Peck papers at Columbia University. Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, Harry Thurston 1856 births 1914 suicides Columbia College (New York) alumni American classical scholars 19th-century American poets American male poets American book editors Suicides by firearm in Connecticut 19th-century male writers Columbia University faculty Members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters