COX

cox, sir george william (1827-1902), english divine and scholar, was born on the 10th of january 1827, at benares, india, and was educated at rugby and trinity college, oxford. in 1850 he was ordained, and in 1860 took a mastership at cheltenham college, which he held for only a year. he had already contributed to the _edinburgh review_, and had published in 1850 _poems, legendary and historical_ (with e. a. freeman), and in 1853 a _life of st boniface_. from 1861 he devoted himself entirely to literary work, chiefly in connexion with history and comparative mythology. many of his works were avowedly popular in character, and the most important, the _history of greece_, has been superseded and is now of little value. his studies in mythology were inspired by max muller, but his treatment of the subjects was his own. he was an extreme supporter of the solar and nebular theory as the explanation of myths. he also edited (with w. t. brande) _a dictionary of science, literature and art_ (1875). sir george cox (who succeeded to the baronetcy in 1877) was a broad churchman, and a prominent supporter of bishop colenso in 1863-1865; and five years after colenso's death he published (1888) his _life_ of the bishop. he was himself nominated to the see of natal, but was refused consecration. in 1881 he was made vicar of scrayingham, york, but resigned the living in 1897. in 1896 he was given a civil list pension. he died at walmer on the 9th of february 1902. works.--_tales from greek mythology_ (1861); _a manual of mythology_ (1867); _latin and teutonic christendom_ (1870); _the mythology of the aryan nations_ (1870, new ed., 1882); _history of greece_ (1874); _general history of greece_ (1876); _history of the establishment of british rule in india_, and _an introduction to the science of comparative mythology_ (1881); _lives of greek statesmen_ (1885); _concise history of england_ (1887).