The Life of Richard Porson, M. A.: Professor of Greek in the University of ... - John Selby Watson - Google Books

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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

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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

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.

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

Publication of the Orestes.

Allusions to Wakefield in the Notes; to

Invernizius, Ammon, and Reiske. Some Remarks on a Passage in

-

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

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

"Hymn by a New-made Peer." "Miseries

of Kingship."-"On the Duties of Gentlemen-soldiers." -A Hundred

Epigrams written by Porson in one Night

Morning Chronicle."

-

-

-

CONTENTS.

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

-

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. — Severe

Exposure of Hermann. Other Notes. - Copy sent to Villoison.-

Villoison's Letter of Thanks

-

xiii

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.

sented by Eichstädt with his "Diodorus Siculus" and "Lucretius ;"

Eichstädt's Letters to Porson

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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

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

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. "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

--

Porson's aversion to Assumption and Pretence. - His Dislike of Parr.

Causes of it. Literary Character of Parr. - Porson's Repartees on

the "Origin of Evil" and on Metaphysics. Lines on Parr's Preface

to Bellendenus. - Porson and Jacob Bryant. - Porson's Estimate of

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,

- Letter from Kidd to Porson .

Kidd, Malone, Dr. Raine.

―――

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.

Prize" and "Porson Scholarship."- His Library. His Papers. -

Adversaria. Aristophanica. Photius. - Lectiones Platonicæ.

Emendations of Suidas

-

CONTENTS.

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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

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XV

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Porson's moral and critical Honesty. His Head and Heart. Wake-

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

-

Porson's Independence of Spirit. His Dislike to be exhibited. His

Intolerance of Admonition; Conduct to Sir George Baker. Sometimes

wayward and capricious. Not easily provoked. Porson and Mr.

Isaac Disraeli. — A Letter describing what Porson was in the latter

Part of his Life.-Conclusion.

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

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Porson's Greek Verses

ERRATA.

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."

191, for "1798" in head line, read "1794."

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