The Alexandrian School or Alexandrian Age was the school or period of Greek literature and learning that existed at Alexandria in Egypt during the three hundred years that the rule of the Ptolemies lasted, from 323 until 30 BC, and continued under the Roman supremacy. Ptolemy Soter founded the famous Alexandrian Library, and his son, Philadelphus, established a kind of academy of sciences and arts. Many scholars and men of genius were thus attracted to Alexandria, and a period of literary activity set in, which made Alexandria for long the focus and centre of Greek culture and intellectual effort. It must be admitted, however, that originality was not a characteristic of the Alexandrian age, which was stronger in criticism, grammar, and science than in pure literature.
Among the grammarians and critics were Zenodotus, Eratosthenes, Aristophanes, Aristarchus, and Zoilus, proverbial as a captious critic. Their merit is to have collected, edited, and preserved the existing monuments of Greek literature. To the poets belong Apollonius, Lycophron, Aratus, Nicander, Euphorion, Callimachus, Theocritus, Philetas, etc. Among those who pursued mathematics, physics, and astronomy, was Euclid, the father of scientific geometry; Archimedes, great in physics and mechanics; Apollonius of Perga, whose work on conic sections still exists; Nicomachus, the first scientific arithmetician; and under the Romans, the astronomer and geographer Ptolemy. Alexandria also was distinguished in philosophical speculation, and it was here that the New Platonic school was established at the close of the second century by Ammonius of Alexandria about 193 AD, whose disciples were Plotinus and Origen. Being for the most part orientals, formed by the study of Greek learning, the writings of the New Platonists are strikingly characterized - for example, those of Ammonius Saccas, Plotinus, Lamblicus, Porphyrius - by a mixture of Asiatic and European elements. The principal Gnostic systems also had their origin in Alexandria. Research Alexandrian School
Alessandro Tassoni was an Italian poet and critic. He was born in 1565 at Modena and died in 1635. He first received attention for his critical disquisition on Petrarch in which he questioned the accepted authorities in matters of taste. Among his chief poetical works is the mock heroic epic 'La Secchia Rapita' (The Rape of the Bucket'). Research Alessandro Tassoni
Alexander Louis Teixeira de Mattos was a Dutch journalist and translator. He was born in 1865 at Amsterdam and died in 1921. As a child he settled in England in 1874 and was educated at the Kensington Catholic Public School, Beaumont and privately. He worked as a correspondent on several Dutch newspapers and was also an editor and dramatic critic. During the Great War he was head of the intelligence section, war trade intelligence department. Research Alexander Teixeira de Mattos
Alexandre Rodolphe Vinet was a Swiss critic and theologian. He was born in 1797 and died in 1847. He advocated complete religious freedom and in 1845 founded the Swiss Free Church. Research Alexandre Vinet
Anton Bajza was a Hungarian lyric poet, historian, and critic. He was born in 1804 and died in 1858. As contributor and editor of various periodicals he played an important part in the development of modern Hungarian literature and drama. A volume of his poems, of high merit, was published in 1835. He also translated a collection of foreign dramas, and edited a series of historical works. Research Anton Bajza
Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch was a British critic and novelist. He was born in 1863 at Fowey and died in 1944. He wrote Dead Man's Rock. Research Arthur Quiller-Couch
Arthur Bingham Walkley was an English author and journalist. He was born in 1855 and died in 1926. He was dramatic critic at the Times until 1819 when he retired. Research Arthur Walkley
August Senoa was a Croatianwriter. He was born in 1838 at Zagreb, and died in 1881. A novelist, critic, editor, poet, and dramatist, he was instrumental in the modernisation and improvement of Croatian literature leading to its transition from Romanticism to Realism. Research August Senoa
Bjornstjerne Bjornson was a Norwegian novelist, poet, and dramatist. He was born in 1832 and died after 1905. He entered the University of Christiania in 1852, and he speedily became known as a contributor of articles and stories to newspapers and as a dramatic critic. From 1857 to 1859 he was manager of the Bergen theatre, producing during that time his novel Arne, and his tragedy of Halte Hulda.
He was at Christiania part-editor of the Aftenblad in 1860, then lived several years abroad, and in 1866 became editor of the Norsk Folkeblad. From 1869 until 1872 he was co-director of a Copenhagen periodical, and much of his later life was passed abroad. The democratic tendencies to be found in his novels have found a practical outcome in the active part taken by him in political questions bearing upon the Norwegian peasantry and popular representation. Among his tales and novels, a number of which may be had in English, are: Synnoeve Solbakken; Arne; The Fishermaiden; A Happy Boy; Railways and Churchyards. Among his dramatic pieces are: The Newly-married Couple; Mary Stuart in Scotland; A Bankruptcy, etc. He also wrote poems and songs. Research Bjornstjerne Bjornson
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