Arthur Quiller-Couch

Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch (1863–1944) was a prolific English writer, critic, and anthologist. Born in Bodmin, Cornwall, he was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Oxford, where he later became King Edward VII Professor of English Literature. He published novels under the pseudonym 'Q,' but his enduring legacy lies in his editorial work and literary criticism. He compiled the landmark Oxford Book of English Verse (1900), which shaped public taste for generations. His lectures at Cambridge, collected in works such as On the Art of Reading and On the Art of Writing, offered practical, humane guidance on literary craft and appreciation. Quiller-Couch championed clarity, rhythm, and tradition, influencing later critics and writers. Knighted in 1910, he remains a key figure in early 20th-century literary education.