Harry Thurston Peck

Harry Thurston Peck (November 241856–March 231914) was an American classical scholar, author, editor, and critic, born at Stamford, Conn. He was educated in private schools and at Columbia College, graduating in 1881. His literary gifts had attracted wide attention by then. He was associated with Columbia until 1910 as a tutor and as a professor.

Endeavors

Dr. Peck was a frequent and forceful contributor to magazines and newspapers. He was editor in chief of "Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities" and editor of the "Students' Series of Latin Classics" and "Columbia University Studies in Classical Philology". The first editor in chief of "The Bookman" magazine, served on its staff from 1895 to 1906, and, in 1895, created the world's first bestseller list for its pages. Peck was also editor in chief of the "International Cyclopedia" from 1890 to 1901 and coeditor of the first edition of its successor, the New International, (1902-04).

Last days

Peck was dismissed from Columbia after he became embroiled in a tawdry breach-of-promise suit. Increasingly depressed, and unable to find work, he committed suicide in Stamford, Conn. on March 23, 1914.

Peck is memorably described by James Weldon Johnson in his autobiography, "Along This Way". Johnson, having joined his brother Rosamund in New York City to write songs, decided to continue his education:quote|I continued my work at Columbia for three years, not allowing for an interruption of several months in the spring of 1905. Before I left I talked with Professor [Brander] Matthews about my more serious work, and showed him the draft of the first two chapters of a book which, I said to him, I proposed to call "The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man". He read the manuscript and told me hel liked the idea and the proposed title, and that I was wise in writing about the thing I knew best. I also showed hi some of my poems. After he had looked them through, he gave me a note to Professor Harry Thurston Peck, who was then editing "The Bookman". Professor Peck took two poems for the magazine, and appeared to be much interested in the things I was planning to do; and talked with me quite a while in his precise, punctilious manner.I saw Professor Peck only once after that interview, about ten years later. I was on 43rd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue, and about to enter the offices of G. Ricordi and Co., the music publishers, when I saw a man approaching, waalking in a dazed sort of way. As he came nearer, I recognized him to be Harry Thurston Peck. He was dressed, as was his custom, in a frock coat and silk hat, but both were extremely shabby. He passed, looking neither right nor left; he seemed entirely oblivious to his surroundings. I felt a strong impulse to go after him and speak to him. I knew something of the difficulties he had had at Columbia, and which had led to his severance from the University, and it appeared as though he was in great need. The thought flashed through my mind that I might offer him some little help. But I hesitated, something held me back, and some intangible apprehensions intervened; it may have been the shadow of race; and he passed on. A day of two later I read that he had committed suicide in his room at a cheap lodging-house in Stamford, Connecticut. I never recall this incident without a pang of regret that I did not speak the words that were in my mind to say to him.|James Weldon Johnson|"Along This Way", the Autobiography of James Weldon Johnson, 1933; Da Capo Press, 2000, p. 193.

His works (in part)

::Classical
* "The semitic Theory of Creation", (1886)
* "Latin Pronunciation", (1889)
* "Suetonius", (1889)
* "Roman Life in Latin Prose and Verse", (1895)
* "Trimalchio's Dinner", (1899)
* "A History of Classical Philology", (1911) ::Child's stories
* "The Adventures of Mabel", (1889)
* "Hilda and the Wishes" ::Essays
* "The Personal Equation", (1899)
* "What is Good English?", (1899)
* "The New Baedeker: Being Casual Notes of an Irresponsible Traveller", (1910) ::Other
* "The Life of Prescott", (1905)
* "Twenty Years of the Republic", (1906)
* "Literature and Studies in several Literatures", (1909)::Poetry
* "Greystone and Porphyry", (1899)