Hall, J. Lesslie

John Lesslie Hall, born on March 2, 1856, in Richmond, Virginia, was a distinguished American literary scholar and poet. He earned his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and served as a professor of English history and literature at the College of William & Mary from 1888 to 1928, eventually becoming head of the English department and dean of the faculty. Hall is renowned for his 1892 verse translation of Beowulf, which closely follows the original text and employs alliteration to capture the essence of the Old English epic.In addition to Beowulf, Hall translated other Anglo-Saxon works, including Judith and Phoenix, and authored original poems in the style of Old English verse. His scholarly contributions extended to the history of Virginia, where he frequently spoke at Jamestown, drawing parallels between its early charters and the Magna Charta. Hall's dedication to literature and history left a lasting impact on the academic community until his passing on February 23, 1928.