John Earle (1824–1903) was an influential British philologist and scholar of the Anglo-Saxon language. Over the course of his distinguished academic career, he made significant contributions to the study of early English literature and historical linguistics. Most notably, he served two separate tenures as the Rawlinsonian Professor of Anglo-Saxon at the University of Oxford, a prestigious position that cemented his status as a leading authority on Old English texts during the nineteenth century.\n\nThroughout his career, Earle authored more than a dozen books dedicated to the preservation, translation, and analysis of early English writings. Among his most celebrated publications is Two Saxon Chronicles Parallel, first published in 1865, which remains a foundational resource for scholars studying the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. This work was later edited and revised by Charles Plummer in 1892, who produced a revised text complete with notes, appendices, and a glossary. Earle also published Anglo-Saxon Literature in 1884, which offered a comprehensive overview of the period's literary achievements and helped popularize the academic study of Old English. Through these works, Earle bridged the gap between historical linguistics and literary appreciation, leaving a lasting legacy in Victorian medieval studies.
