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Transcribes Lear. Determines on forging a whole Play. — Many
deceived by the appearance of the Papers; Sir Frederick Eden; James
Boswell; Dr. Parr; Dr. Joseph Warton. Shakspeare's pretended
Will.-Names attached to Parr's Certificate of Genuineness. - Notice
of the Papers in the "Bibliotheca Parriana." Mr. E. H. Barker's
attempted Defence of Parr. - Sheridan's Opinion of Shakspeare. —
"Vortigern and Rowena" brought on the Stage. Catastrophe. -
Young Ireland's Profits. Malone's Criticism. - George Chalmers's
"Apology for the Believers." - Conclusion of the Affair. Page 133
-
CHAP. XIII.
Porson publishes the Hecuba without his Name. - Nature of the Anno-
tations. Gilbert Wakefield's Wrath against the Editor.— Wake-
field's "Diatribe Extemporalis."- His Reasons for his Displeasure.
His Vanity and Presumption.-Critical Niceties.-Notice of Wake-
field and Porson in the "Monthly Review." - Wakefield's awkward
attempts at Emendation, and other Errors
---
CHAP. XIV.
--
154
Hermann, in ignorance of Porson's strength, publishes a rival Edition of
the "Hecuba." His Remarks on Porson and Wakefield. His
Notions about the admissibility of Anapæsts into Tragic Trimeter
Iambics. Elmsley's Remark on the Subject. — Porson's "Pause.".
Hermann attempts to account for the Necessity of it. Elmsley agrees
with Hermann. — Hermann's Reasons apparently fanciful. Porson
displeased at Hermann's disrespectful Strictures. How they after-
wards regarded each other.—Remarks on Hermann in the "Quarterly
Review."- Hermann's contemptuous mention of Heath and Bentley.
- Letters to Porson from Hermann and Heyne
167
Allusions to Wakefield in the Notes; to
Reiske. Some Remarks on a Passage in
184
CHAP. XVI.
Porson's Contributions to the "Morning Chronicle." — Remarks in the
"Pursuits of Literature." - Humorous Translations of Three Odes of
Horace, in reference to the Politics of the Day. - Some additional
Observations
191
CHAP. XVII.
Occasion of the Publication of the "Orgies of Bacchus."- Frend's Pam-
phlet published at Cambridge. Frend accused of attacking the
Church. Is tried in the Vice-Chancellor's Court, Dr. Kipling
being Prosecutor. Frend's Disingenuousness. Character of Dr.
Kipling as a Scholar. His Publication of the "Codex Beza."
Verses on his bad Latin. Event of Frend's Trial. - Extracts from
the "
Orgies of Bacchus."-Other Contributions of Porson to the
"Morning Chronicle.". "Hymn by a New-made Peer." "Miseries
of Kingship."—"On the Duties of Gentlemen-soldiers."
Epigrams written by Porson in one Night
CHAP. XVIII.
Publication of the Phoenissa.-Observations on the Notes to the Play. -
Review of Pybus's "Sovereign" in the "Monthly Review." - Rhymes
on Pybus and others. - Greek Translation of a Nursery Rhyme.
Porson receives a Letter and some Books from Gail. A Second
Letter intimating that the first has not been acknowledged
218
CHAP. XIX.
Porson collates a Manuscript for the Grenville Homer.
His Assiduity.
- Letters from Villoison requesting a Copy of the Homer, and acknow-
ledging the Receipt of it. Publication of the Medea. · Porson's
Opinions on Greek Accentuation. - Wakefield's Hostility to Accents.
--Brunck's and Elmsley's Notions respecting them. — Porson's Long
Note on Verses 139, 140, of the Medea.-His Criticisms in it.
Exposure of Hermann. Other Notes. Copy sent to Villoison.-
Villoison's Letter of Thanks
Severe
225
CHAP. XX.
Letter to Dr. Davy. - New Edition of the Hecuba; Supplement to the
Preface. Wakefield noticed in the Annotations. Remarks on
Wakefield's Literary Career. - His School Days.
His College Dis-
tinctions. Is elected to a Fellowship. His "Silva Critica."-His
Rage for Emendation. One Instance in a Letter to Fox.-Other
Examples. - Review of his Lucretius in the "British Critic," partly
the Work of Porson.- Wakefield's political Follies. — Porson pre-
sented by Eichstädt with his "Diodorus Siculus" and "Lucretius;"
Eichstädt's Letters to Porson
CHAP. XXI.
Porson supposed to have prepared an Edition of the Hippolytus. - Why
he discontinued Euripides. - His Letter to the "Monthly Review"
signed J. N. Dawes.- Porson's Inscription for a Fragment of a Statue
of Ceres. His Labours on the Rosetta Stone. - Letter of Porson to
Dalzel. -Sent to the "Museum Criticum," with Remarks, by Tate.
- Dalzel replies to Porson. -Question as to the Authorship of the
"Six More Letters to Granville Sharp."— Object of the Letters.
Porson receives an Epistle from Tittmann of Leipsic
Page 254
CHAP. XXII.
Porson's Habits. Lord Byron's Account of him at College. - Porson
in London Society. — A Letter of his to Surgeon Joy. — His Dress and
Appearance. Various Anecdotes. His Visit to the Assembly
Rooms at Bath. -- His favourite Beverages. His capacity for Drink-
ing and Sitting up at Night. Encounter with Horne Tooke.
Anecdote of Tooke and Boswell. Porson's Potation at Hoppner the
Painter's. His Unwillingness to retire at Night from his Friends'
Houses. Fond of Smoking. - Could observe Abstinence
271
CHAP. XXIII.
Porson's wonderful Memory. Its Stores always ready for Use.
Display of it at a Friend's House in the Country.- Instance of it
given by Coxe. His Repetition of Pope's "Eloisa." — Whether he
was the Author of "Eloisa in Dishabille."- His own Remarks on
the Question. 66 Epistle from Queen Oberea to Sir Joseph Banks."
- Porson able to repeat the whole of "Roderick Random."— His
Recollection of the Names in a Novel. Other Proofs of his
Memory. His Vauxhall Songs at an Evening Party.-Was not vain
of his Powers. Wished for the Art of forgetting
286
CHAP. XXIV.
His Dislike of Parr.
- Porson's Repartees on
-Lines on Parr's Preface
Porson's Estimate of
Porson's aversion to Assumption and Pretence.
Causes of it. Literary Character of Parr.
the "Origin of Evil" and on Metaphysics.
to Bellendenus. - Porson and Jacob Bryant.
Bishop Burgess. - His Feelings towards Paley and Mackintosh. - His
Detestation of Bishop Tomline. - His Remark on Southey's Poetry.
His Contempt for Wilkes. His Esteem for Dr. Davy; Letter to
him. His Estimation of Horne Tooke, Tyrwhitt, Pearson, Coray,
Kidd, Malone, Dr. Raine. - Letter from Kidd to Porson.
299
CHAP. XXV.
Establishment of the London Institution. - Porson chosen Librarian. —
His failing Health. Ready to communicate Information in the
Library, but negligent in his Attendance. — Becomes unfitted for all
regular Study. His Weakness; he faints in the Strand. - Is
brought Home. His Meeting with Dr. Adam Clarke. Dr. Clarke's
Account of his Illness.- Conversation about a Stone from Eleusis..
Porson's Sufferings from Paralysis. His Difficulty in Speaking. —
Continued Suffering. Mr. Noris's Account of his Condition. - Dr.
Babington and Mr. Upton visit him. - His Death.-His Body opened;
Report of its State. - His Funeral at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Inscription on the Coffin. - Tributes to his Memory. — The "Porson
Prize" and "Porson Scholarship."— His Library. — His Papers.·
Adversaria. - Aristophanica.
Lectiones Platonicæ.
Emendations of Suidas
Photius.
Page 315
CHAP. XXVI.
Porson's Reading. - His favourite Authors, in Greek and in Latin.
His Estimate of Modern Greek and Latin Poetry. - His Reading in
French. His liking for Swift, Junius, Milton. — Criticisms. —His
Notions of Johnson's Treatment of Milton. His Love of Shakspeare
and Pope. Emendations of Shakspeare. - Favourite Passages. -
Extract from Barrow. - Thomas Gordon's Tracts. Their possible
Influence on his Style. Specimen of them
340
CHAP. XXVII.
Wake-
Porson's moral and critical Honesty. His Head and Heart.
field's Character of him. How much Regard to be paid to it.
His willingness to communicate Information. His fondness for Beauty
of Penmanship. — His Conduct towards his Relatives. His Aversion
to Writing. Little Imagination or Power of Production. - The
better qualified for Criticism. — His Judgment, Sagacity, and Caution.
-His excellent Emendations.-Compared with Bentley's.-Examples.
-Style of his Notes. Bentley less trustworthy as a Corrector than
Porson.-Feelings of each with regard to Authorship. - Porson's
Services to Learning. - Value of Classical Studies.
356
CHAP. XXVIII.
Porson's Independence of Spirit. - His Dislike to be exhibited. - IIis
Intolerance of Admonition; Conduct to Sir George Baker. Sometimes
wayward and capricious.
Not easily provoked. - Porson and Mr.
- A Letter describing what Porson was in the latter
Isaac Disraeli.
Part of his Life. - Conclusion.
Page 378
APPENDIX.
Porson's Family. — Oration on the Character of Charles II. Porson's
Charades. Catechism for the Use of the Swinish Multitude. The
Salt-box.-Lines on Dr. Jowett. Porson in the Stage-coach. — Di,
do, dum. — A mathematical Proposition. An Equation.— Additional
Anecdotes
389
Page 99, 1st column, 11th line from bottom, for "Sir John H. Aubyn," read “ Sir John
St. Aubyn."
2nd column, 9th line from bottom, for "C. S. Foss," read “E. S. Foss."
100, 2nd column, 3rd line from top, for "Lutmore," read" Luxmoor."