COURTHOPE, WILLIAM JOHN (842-1g17), English writer and historian of poetry, whose father was rector of South Malling, Essex, was born on July 17, 1842, and died on April 1o, 1917. From Harrow school he went to New College, Oxford, where he gained many honours. His most important works were the continuation of the edition of Pope's works, begun by Whit well Elwin (1816-190o), which appeared in ten volumes from 1871-89, and his elaborate History of English Poetry (6 vols., 1895-1910) which arose out of his tenure of the chair of poetry at Oxford 0895-1901). He was a civil service commissioner from 1887 onwards. In 1911 he was Warton lecturer on poetry.