Cornell Collection
Professor J.G. Cornell, 1904-1991
 James Cornell was
appointed to The University of Adelaide in 1938 as
lecturer-in-charge of French and became in 1944 the University's
first Professor of French Language and Literature, a position he
held until his retirement in 1969. He was decorated by the French
Government in 1955 with the award of the Chevalier de la Légion
d'Honneur for his weekly broadcasts in French throughout the
war to the French-speaking communities in the Pacific, and in 1984
was awarded the Commandeur des Palmes Académiques for his
distinguished contribution to the teaching of French and
dissemination of French culture within South Australia.
This collection reflects Professor Cornell's particular interest
in French language and literature to 1600, with numerous editions
of medieval romances and poetry and of the works of Rabelais,
Montaigne and Villon, but also encompasses later writers, including
some interesting works on the French decadents and symbolists and
publications issued clandestinely in France during the second World
War. Many of the books have been extensively annotated by Professor
Cornell and reflect his wide reading and close textual
analysis.
This collection was selected from Professor Cornell's personal
library by his family and presented together with the bust of
Professor Cornell executed by John Dowie in 1975 as an appropriate
and enduring memorial. Many other works from Professor Cornell's
library have been given to the University and will be found in the
main collection. His papers have been
deposited with Special Collections.
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