Editing Edwin Abbott Abbott

{{Short description|British theologian and author (1838–1926)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix   = [[The Reverend]]
| name               = Edwin Abbott Abbott
| honorific_suffix   = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FBA|size=100%}}
| image              = Abbott older-medium.gif
| alt                = 
| caption            = 
| birth_date         = {{birth date|1838|12|20|df=y}}
| birth_place        = [[Marylebone]], London, England
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1926|10|12|1838|12|20|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[Hampstead]], London, England
| known_for          = ''[[Flatland]]''
| education          = [[City of London School]]<br>[[St John's College, Cambridge]]
| occupation         = Teacher, author
| spouse             = 
| parents            = [[Edwin Abbott (educator)|Edwin]] and Jane Abbott
| children           = 
}}

'''Edwin Abbott Abbott''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FBA}} (20 December 1838&nbsp;– 12 October 1926)<ref>Thorne and Collocott 1984, p. 2.</ref> was an English [[schoolmaster]], [[theology|theologian]], and [[Anglican priest]], best known as the author of the [[novella]] ''[[Flatland]]'' (1884).

== Early life and education==
Edwin Abbott Abbott was the eldest son of [[Edwin Abbott (educator)|Edwin Abbott]] (1808&ndash;1882), headmaster of the Philological School, [[Marylebone]], and his wife, Jane Abbott (1806&ndash;1882). His parents were first cousins.

He was born in London and educated at the [[City of London School]] and at [[St John's College, Cambridge|St John's College]], [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]],<ref>{{cite book | editor-last=Malden | editor-first=Richard | editor-link=Richard Malden | title= Crockford's Clerical Directory for 1920 |edition=51st | location= London | publisher= The Field Press| pages=1 | year=1920 }}</ref> where he took the highest honours of his class in [[classics]], [[mathematics]] and [[theology]], and became a [[fellow]] of his college. In particular, he was 1st [[Smith's Prize|Smith's prizeman]] in 1861.<ref>{{acad|id=ABT857EA|name=Abbott, Edwin Abbott}}</ref>{{efn|group=notes|name=venn-error|This seems to be an error by Venn: Colby's preface to Abbott's ''Flatland'' states that Abbott was 7th ''Senior Optime'', ''Senior Classic'' and 1st Chancellor's Medallist in 1861; William Steadman Aldis was 1st Smith's Prizeman in 1861.}} 

==Career==
In 1862 he took orders. After holding masterships at [[King Edward's School, Birmingham]], he succeeded [[George Ferris Whidborne Mortimer|G. F. Mortimer]] as headmaster of the [[City of London School]] in 1865, at the early age of 26. There, he oversaw the education of future Prime Minister [[H. H. Asquith]]. Abbott was [[Hulsean Lectures|Hulsean lecturer]] in 1876.<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|inline=1 |wstitle=Abbott, Edwin Abbott|volume=1|page=26}}</ref>

He retired in 1889, and devoted himself to literary and theological pursuits. Abbott's open-minded inclinations in theology were prominent both in his educational views and in his books. His ''[[Shakespearian Grammar]]'' (1870) is a permanent contribution to English [[philology]]. In 1885, he published a life of [[Francis Bacon (philosopher)|Francis Bacon]]. His theological writings include three anonymously published religious romances – ''[[Philochristus]]'' (1878), where he tried to raise interest in [[Gospel]]s reading, ''[[Onesimus (book)|Onesimus]]'' (1882), and ''[[Silanus the Christian]]'' (1908).<ref name=EB1911/>

More weighty contributions are the anonymous theological discussion ''[[s:The Kernel and the Husk|The Kernel and the Husk]]'' (1886), ''Philomythus'' (1891), his book ''The Anglican Career of [[John Henry Newman|Cardinal Newman]]'' (1892), and his article "The Gospels" in the ninth edition of the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'', embodying a critical view which caused considerable stir in the English theological world. He also wrote ''St Thomas of Canterbury, His Death and Miracles'' (1898), ''Johannine Vocabulary'' (1905), and ''Johannine Grammar'' (1906).<ref name=EB1911/>

Abbott also wrote educational textbooks, one being ''Via Latina: A First Latin Book'' which was published in 1880 and distributed around the world within the education system.

=== ''Flatland'' ===
[[File:Houghton EC85 Ab264 884f - Flatland, title.jpg|thumb|''Flatland'' title page, 1884]]
{{main article|Flatland}}
Abbott's best-known work is his 1884 novella ''Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions'' which describes a two-dimensional world and explores the nature of dimensions. It has often been categorized as [[science fiction]] although it could more precisely be called "mathematical fiction".

With the advent of modern science fiction from the 1950s to the present day, ''Flatland'' has seen a revival in popularity,<ref>Clute and Nicholls 1995, p. 1.</ref> especially among [[science fiction]] and [[cyberpunk]] fans.<ref name="Harper 2010">Harper 2010</ref> Many works have been inspired by the novella, including novel sequels and short films.<ref name="Harper 2010"/>

== Bibliography ==
* ''[https://archive.org/details/vialatinafirstla00abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Via Latina: A First Latin Book, Including Accidence, Rules of Syntax, Exercises, Vocabularies and Rules for Construing]'' ([[Seeley, Service|Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday]], revised edition: 1882)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=3QIJAAAAQAAJ Shakespearian Grammar: An Attempt to Illustrate Some of the Differences Between Elizabethan and Modern English, for the Use of Schools]'' (Macmillan, 1870)
* ''A concordance to the works of Alexander Pope'' (Chapman & Hall, 1875)
* ''[[Flatland|Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions]]'' ([[Seeley, Service|Seeley & Co.]], 1884)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=a9o0AQAAIAAJ Francis Bacon: An Account of His Life and Works]'' (Macmillan, 1885)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=M_UGAAAAQAAJ Philochristus: Memoirs of a Disciple of the Lord]'' (Macmillan, 1878)
* ''[[Onesimus (book)|Onesimus: Memoirs of a Disciple of St. Paul]]'' (Macmillan, 1882)
* ''[[s:The Kernel and the Husk|The Kernel and the Husk]]'' (Macmillan, 1886)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZlYwAQAAMAAJ Philomythus: An Antidote Against Credulity]'' (Macmillan, 1891)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=HTfCpPMnIa4C The Anglican Career of John Henry Newman|Cardinal Newman]'' (Macmillan, 1892)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=H7ZLAAAAMAAJ St Thomas of Canterbury: His Death and Miracles]'' (Adam and Charles Black, 1898)
* ''Diatessarica'' (Black, 1900–1917. 10 volumes)
** [https://archive.org/details/indicestodiatess01abbo/page/n5/mode/2up ''Indices to diatessarica''] (1907)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser00abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Part I: ''Clue. A guide through Greek to Hebrew scripture''] (1900)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser02abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Part II: ''The corrections of Mark. Adopted by Matthew and Luke''] (1901)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser03abbouoft/page/n7/mode/2up Part III: ''From letter to spirit. An attempt to reach through varying voices the abidind word''] (1903)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser05abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Part V: Johannine vocabulary. A comparison of the words of the fourth gospel with those of the three''] (1905)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser06abbouoft/page/ii/mode/2up Part VI: ''Johannine grammar''] (1906)
** [https://archive.org/details/abbott-edwin-a.-diatessarica-7.-notes-on-new-testament-criticism-black-1907-348pp-lz_202011 Part VII: ''Notes on New Testament criticism''] (1907)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser08abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Part VIII: ''"The son of man" or contributions to the study of the thoughts of Jesus''] (1910)
** [https://archive.org/details/diatessaricaaser09abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up Part IX: ''Light on the gospel from an ancient poet''] (1912)
* ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=TqUAAAAAMAAJ Silanus the Christian]'' (Adam and Charles Black, 1906)
* ''The FourFold Gospel: or, A Harmony of The Four Gospels'' in five volumes, 1913–1917
** [https://books.google.com/books?id=1gSxAAAAMAAJ Volume I: Introduction], 1913
** [https://archive.org/details/pt1diatessaricaa10abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up ''The fourfold gospel'', Section I: Introduction] (1905)
** [https://archive.org/details/pt2diatessaricaa10abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up ''The fourfold gospel'', Section II: ''The beginning''] (1914)
** [https://archive.org/details/pt3diatessaricaa10abbouoft/page/n7/mode/2up ''The fourfold gospel'', Section 3: ''The proclamation of the new kingdom''] (1915)
** [https://archive.org/details/pt4diatessaricaa10abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up ''The foufold gospel'', Section 4: ''The law of the new kingdom''] (1916)
** [https://archive.org/details/pt5diatessaricaa10abbouoft/page/n5/mode/2up ''The fourfold gospel'', Section 5: ''The founding of the new kingdom or life reached through death''] (1917)

== See also ==
{{Portal|Biography}}
*[[List of Old Citizens]]

== Explanatory notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
* [[Dictionary of National Biography]]

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | last1=Clute | first1=John | authorlink1=John Clute | authorlink2=Peter Nicholls (writer) | first2=Peter | last2=Nicholls | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | location=New York | publisher=St. Martin's Griffin | pages=1 | year=1995 | isbn=0-312-13486-X}}
* {{Cite Men of the Time|name=Abbott, The Rev. Edwin Abbott|pages=1&ndash;2}}
*{{cite book | editor-last=Harper | editor-first=Lila Marz| title=Flatland |location= Peterborough, Ontario, Canada | publisher=Broadview | year=2010 | isbn=978-1-55111-690-7}}
* {{cite book | last=Thorne | first=J.O. |author2=T.C. Collocott | title=[[Chambers Biographical Dictionary]] | location=Edinburgh | publisher=Chambers Harrap | year=1984 | isbn=0-550-18022-2}}
* {{cite book | last=Tuck | first=Donald H. | author-link=Donald H. Tuck | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy | location=Chicago | publisher=Advent | pages=1 | year=1974 | isbn=0-911682-27-9}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Wikisource author}}
{{Commons category}}
* {{StandardEbooks|Standard Ebooks URL=https://standardebooks.org/ebooks/edwin-a-abbott}}
* {{Gutenberg author |id=64| name=Edwin Abbott Abbott}}
* {{FadedPage|id=Abbott, Edwin Abbott|name=Edwin Abbott Abbott|author=yes}}
* {{Internet Archive author |sname=Edwin Abbott Abbott}}
** {{Internet Archive|id=grammarshakesp00abbouoft |name=A Shakespearian Grammar}}
* {{Librivox author |id=9567}}
*{{NPG name|name=Edwin Abbott}}
*{{MacTutor Biography|id=Abbott}}
*{{IMDb name|2366947}}
*{{iblist name|id=359|name=Edwin Abbott Abbott}}
*{{ibdof name|id=497|name=Edwin Abbott Abbott}}
*{{ISFDB name|id=Edwin_A._Abbott|name=Edwin Abbott Abbott}}
*[http://www.listentogenius.com/author.php/405 Free audiobook narration of Flatland]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040822085318/http://www.eldritchpress.org/eaa/FL.HTM Online text of Flatland]
*[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.03.0080 Full text of A Shakespearian Grammar on the Tufts University Perseus Digital Library]
*[http://josiah.brown.edu/record=b5776042~S7 Thomas Banchoff collection of materials relating to Edwin Abbott Abbott] at the [[Brown University]] [[John Hay Library]]

{{Flatland}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Edwin Abbott}}
[[Category:1838 births]]
[[Category:1926 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Schoolteachers from London]]
[[Category:English science fiction writers]]
[[Category:19th-century English Christian theologians]]
[[Category:20th-century English theologians]]
[[Category:English Anglican theologians]]
[[Category:Headmasters of the City of London School]]
[[Category:People educated at the City of London School]]
[[Category:Linguists of English]]
[[Category:19th-century English novelists]]
[[Category:English male novelists]]
[[Category:19th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:Fellows of the British Academy]]
[[Category:20th-century English male writers]]
[[Category:19th-century Anglican theologians]]
[[Category:20th-century Anglican theologians]]
[[Category:Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:19th-century English Anglican priests]]
[[Category:20th-century English Anglican priests]]
[[Category:Clergy from London]]
[[Category:People from Marylebone]]
[[Category:Writers from the City of Westminster]]
[[Category:Mathematics popularizers]]