PEILE, John. Whitehaven, Cumberland 24.4.1838 — Cambridge 9.10.1910. British Linguist interested in Sanskrit. Son of geologist Williamson Peile (1810–1843), F.G.S., and Elizabeth Hodgson (1815–1850), lost his father in the age of five. Educated at Repton School, at St.Bees School, and from 1856 studied at Christ’s College, Cambridge. B.A. 1860, M.A. 1863. From 1860 Fellow of his College and assistant tutor. Started now Sanskrit and comparative linguistics, in 1865 and 1866 studied at Göttingen under Benfey. He began the teaching of Sanskrit at Cambridge, but in 1867 handed it over to Cowell. Tutor at his College in 1871-84, from 1884 the first University Reader in Comparative Philology. From 1887 also Master of Christ’s, in 1891-93 Vice-Chancellor. Litt.D. 1884 Cambridge, 1892 Trinity College, Dublin. In his later years he mainly worked on the history of his college. Fellow of British Academy 1904. In 1866 married Annette Kitchener (1835–1920), two sons and one daughter.
In his 1869 book Peile introduced the work of G. Curtius and W. Corssen in Britain. In his later years he mainly worked on the history of his college. He was much interested in promoting the higher education of women.
Publications: An Introduction to Greek and Latin Etymology. 1869, 3rd ed. 21+478 p. L. 1875.
– Philology. 168 p. L. 1877.
– Notes on the Nalopākhyāna or Tale of Nala, for the use of classical students. 7+244 p. Cambridge 1881.
– Christ’s college. 8+300 p. 8 pl. L. 1900.
Sources: P.G[iles], D.N.B. 2nd Suppl. 3, L. 1912, 95f., *revised version by J.D. Pickles in Oxford D.N.B..; *J.U. Powell, Class. Review 24, 1910, 230f.; Wikipedia briefly.
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