Edward Valentine Blomfield facts for kids

Edward Valentine Blomfield (born February 14, 1788 – died October 9, 1816) was an English scholar who studied ancient Greek and Roman languages and cultures. He was the brother of Bishop Charles James Blomfield.

Early Life and Education

Edward Blomfield was born in Bury St Edmunds in 1788. He was the second of six children. His father, Charles Blomfield, was a schoolmaster and an important local official.

Edward was known for being very smart and talented. He was good at learning modern languages and drawing. He was also a brilliant scholar, especially in classical studies.

He went to the grammar school in Bury St Edmunds. After that, he continued his studies at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1807.

Achievements at Cambridge

In 1811, Edward earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. He was ranked thirteenth among the "wranglers," which meant he was one of the top students in mathematics at Cambridge.

He also won many awards for his skills in classical languages. He received the Browne medal in 1809 and 1810. He also won the members' prizeman award in 1812. Finally, he was the first person to win the chancellor's classical medal, a very high honor.

After graduating, he became a classical lecturer and a "fellow" at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. A fellowship is a special position that allows scholars to continue their studies and teach. He held this position until he passed away.

Travels and Work

In 1813, Edward traveled to Germany. There, he met some of the most important scholars of that time. When he returned, he wrote an interesting paper for a scholarly magazine called Museum Criticum. This paper was about "The Present State of Classical Literature in Germany."

His most important work was translating a Greek grammar book by a scholar named Matthiae. He finished the translation in 1816. His brother, Charles James, later edited and published it.

Edward also planned to create a new Greek-English dictionary. At the time, the available dictionaries were difficult to use. He published a sample of his dictionary, which was well-received. People thought his plans for the dictionary were very promising.

Later Life and Legacy

Sadly, Edward Blomfield became ill with a fever during a trip to Switzerland in 1816. He managed to return to Cambridge but passed away on October 9, 1816. He was buried in the chapel at Emmanuel College.

His early death was a great loss for Cambridge University. Many believed he would have become one of the most brilliant classical scholars of his time.