Anderson, Melville Best, 1851-1933

American literary scholar, primarily of Dante.

Head of English Dept. at Stanford University and Dante scholar.

Biography

Melville Best Anderson was born in Kalamazoo Michigan in 1851, the son of Helen Best Anderson and Edward Coffin Anderson. His father's career as a teacher and minister caused the family to move several times during Melville's childhood. At eighteen he entered Cornell University, where he began life-long friendships with other young scholars, including David Starr Jordan. In 1872 Anderson began his career as a literary scholar, and in the next decades he taught at Butler University, Knox College, Purdue University and the University of Iowa. In 1891 Anderson came to Stanford at the request of David Starr Jordan to serve as head of the English Department. Professor Anderson remained at Stanford until 1910, when he retired emeritus to devote himself to Dante scholarship. His most celebrated literary achievement was his translation of the Divina Comedia (final edition, Oxford University Press: 1932). Anderson died on June 22, 1933 at his brother's home in La Jolla, California.

Biographical Note

Family of Scottish-English origins which came to the United States in the middle of the nineteenth century. The family settled on the East Coast, later moving West; the Andersons contributed to society in the fields of theology, education and literature. Melville Best Anderson was an author, translator and teacher whose particular interest was the work of Dante. From 1891-1910, he taught in the English Department at Stanford University, serving as first chairman of the department.