Item 4/1 - Autograph letter signed to James Porter

Teacher and scholar. Edwin Abbott Abbott was born in 1838 in Marylebone, Middlesex where his father was headmaster of the Philological School. He was educated at City of London School before entering St John's College as a scholar in 1857, becoming Senior Classic and Senior Chancellor's medallist in 1861. He was elected a Fellow of the College in the same year but resigned a year later to marry Mary Rangeley. Abbott was ordained deacon in 1862 and priest the following year. Following brief teaching experience he was elected headmaster of City of London School in 1865, at the young age of twenty six. The school was already well respected, and under Abbott it gained a reputation for providing the highest intellectual training. Abbott employed good organisation to implement new teaching methods and introduced innovations into the curriculum. Moreover Abbott himself was a teacher of exceptional abilities and inspired his pupils to high intellectual endeavours. Abbott was elected Hulsean lecturer at Cambridge University in 1876, and the following year was made select preacher at Oxford University. He retired from school teaching in 1889 to concentrate on writing. From 1870 Abbott published works on English grammar and Francis Bacon, whom he held in high esteem, and also produced a wide range of books on theological subjects. He died in 1926.