PROFESSOR PORSON.
This eminent scholar and acute critic was born at East Ruston, in the county of Norfolk, on the25thof December, 1759. At a very early period he displayed talents which gave promise of future excellence, and some gentlemen who admired his acquirements in learning, sent him to Eton, from whence he was afterwards entered of Trinity College, Cambridge. The following account of Mr. Porson, when an Eton boy, is extracted from the evidence of Dr. Goodall, the present Provost of Eton, given before the Education Committee of the House of Commons.
Dr. Goodall being asked if he was acquainted with what happened to the late Professor Porson to prevent his election to King’s College, replied as follows:—
“Every account that I have read about him, in relation to that circumstance is incorrect. When he came to the school he was placed rather higher by the reputation of his abilities, than perhaps he ought to have been, in consequence of his actual attainments; and I can only say that many of the statements in the life of Porson are not founded in truth. With respect to prosody, he knew but little, and as to Greek he had made comparatively but little progress when he came to Eton. The very ingeniousand learned editor of one account of him, has been misinformed in most particulars; and many of the incidents which he relates, I can venture from my own knowledge to assert, are distorted or exaggerated. Even Person’s compositions, at an early period, though eminently correct, fell far short of excellence; still we all looked up to him in consequence of his great abilities and variety of information, though much of that information was confined to the knowledge of his schoolfellows, and could not easily fall under the notice of his instructors. He always undervalued school exercises, and generally wrote his exercises fair at once, without study. I should be sorry to detract from the merit of an individual whom I loved, esteemed, and admired; but I speak of him when he had only given the promise of his future excellence; and in point of school exercises, I think he was very inferior to more than one of his contemporaries; I would name the present Marquis Wellesley as infinitely superior to him in composition.
“On being asked whether he wrote the same beautiful hand as he did afterwards, Dr. Goodall replied he did, nor was there any doubt of his general scholarship.
“To a question whether he made great progress during the time he was at Eton, or after he left? Dr. Goodall said he was advanced as far as he could be with propriety, but there were certainlysome there who would not have been afraid to challenge Porson as a school-boy, though they would have shunned all idea of competition with him at Cambridge. The first book that Porson ever studied, as he often told me, was Chambers’s Cyclopædia; he read the whole of that dictionary through, and in a great degree made himself master of the algebraic part of that work entirely by the force of his understanding.
“Dr. Goodall was then asked if he considered there was any ground for complaint on the part of Porson, in not having been sent to Cambridge, to which he answered no; he was placed as high in the school as he well could be; as a proof however of his merits, when he left Eton, contributions were readily supplied by Etonians in aid of Sir George Baker’s proposal, to secure the funds for his maintenance at the university.â€
In the year 1793, Mr. Porson was elected professor of Greek in the University of Cambridge, that office being then vacant by the death of professor Cooke. The following letter relating to this election from Mr. Porson to theRev.Dr. Postlethwayte, master of Trinity College, is now first printed:—
“Essex Court, Temple,6thOctober, 1792.
“Sir,—When I first received the favour of your letter I must own that I felt rather vexation and chagrin than hope and satisfaction. I had looked upon myself so completely in the lightof an outcast from Alma Mater, that I had made up my mind to have no farther connection with the place. The prospect you held out to me gave me more uneasiness than pleasure. When I was younger than I now am, and my disposition more sanguine than it is at present, I was in daily expectation of Mr. Cooke’s resignation, and I flattered myself with the hope of succeeding to the honour he was going to quit. As hope and ambition are great castle-builders, I had laid a scheme, partly as I was willing to think, for the joint credit, partly for the mutual advantage, of myself and the university. I had projected a plan of reading lectures, and I persuaded myself that I should easily obtain a grace, permitting me to exact a certain sum from every person who attended. But seven years’ waiting will tire out the most patient temper, and all my ambition of this sort was long ago laid asleep. The sudden news of the vacant professorship put me in mind of poor Jacob, who having served seven years in hopes of being rewarded with Rachel, awoke, and behold it was Leah.
“Such, sir, I confess were the first ideas that took possession of my mind. But after a little reflection, I resolved to refer a matter of this importance to my friends. This circumstance has caused the delay, for which I ought before now to have apologized. My friends unanimously exhorted me to embrace the good fortune which they conceived to be within my grasp. Theiradvice, therefore, joined to the expectation I had entertained of doing some small good by my exertions in the employment, together with the pardonable vanity which the honour annexed to the office inspired, determined me; and I was on the point of troubling you, sir, and the other electors with notice of my intentions to profess myself a candidate, when an objection which had escaped me in the hurry of my thoughts, now occurred to my recollection.
“The same reason which hindered me from keeping my fellowship by the method you obligingly pointed out to me, would, I am greatly afraid, prevent me from being Greek professor. Whatever concern this may give me for myself, it gives me none for the public. I trust there are at least twenty or thirty in the university, equally able and willing to undertake the office; possessed, many of talents superior to mine, and all of a more complying conscience. This I speak upon the supposition that the next Greek professor will be compelled to read lectures; but if the place remains a sinecure, the number of qualified persons will be greatly increased. And though it was even granted that my industry and attention might possibly produce some benefit to the interests of learning and the credit of the university, that trifling gain would be as much exceeded by keeping the professorship a sinecure, and bestowing it on a sound believer, as temporal considerations are outweighed byspiritual. Having only a strong persuasion, not an absolute certainty, that such a subscription is required of the professor elect; if I am mistaken, I hereby offer myself as a candidate, but if I am right in my opinion, I shall beg of you to order my name to be erased from the boards, and I shall esteem it a favour conferred on, Sir,
Your obliged humble servant,
R. PORSON.â€
Letter from theRev.Joseph Goodall,D. D.Upper Master (now Provost) of Eton College, to Mr. Porson.
“Eton, Nov. 16th, 1806.
“Dear Porson,—The bishop of Rochester [Dr. Dampier] has written to me requesting my assistance on the following subject. ‘On summing up matters the Oxford people find no account of the EtonMSof Strabo, of which use has been made, and want one for their preface.’ Now the said bishop, urged by his brother of Oxford [Dr. Randolph] at the same time he hints that you have examined the MS in question, and advises me to enter upon the subject with you, which I most gladly do, praying for such information as you may be disposed to give me, being fully persuaded that you are not likely to forget what you have once seen.
“I write to the bishop by this post to acknowledge my incompetence. How glad should Mrs. Goodall and myself be, if you would takethe trouble of once more inspecting the MS and dating your kind communication from the Eton library. Should you be a prisoner in——street will you suffer me to bring theMSto town about the middle of December, and then give me your opinion of its value, age, &c. The master of the Charter-House, [Dr. Raine] whom I hope soon to greet by some other title, will I am sure, have the goodness to forward this petition to you.
“Charles Hayes, who, with his wife is now on a visit to us, desires his kindest remembrance. Mrs. Goodall is fatigued to death with nursing a sick nephew and niece, and I am sorry to add that I am on the invalid list myself, but we hope to be all well in the course of a few days. She unites in every good wish with
Dear Porson,
Yours most faithfully,
J. GOODALL.â€
From Mr. William Laing of Edinburgh to Mr. Porson.
“Edinburgh, 3d of Jan. 1807.
“Sir,—The edition of Herodotus being now compleated after the plan you proceeded on, I have taken the liberty of dedicating to you, which I hope will meet your approbation. Mr. Dunbar who has succeeded poor Mr. Dalzel has paid the utmost attention to it. I shall order Cuthell to forward a copy for your use. Aselection has been made of the best notes from Wesseling; which with his Index Rerum, will make it very compleat. I return you my best thanks for the trouble you voluntarily undertook in promoting this speculation. I hope soon to see you in town, and shall personally repeat my obligations.
“I am about to print a new and elegant edition of Pindar in two volumes from Heyne’s—You see there is still some spirit for enterprize existing here.
“I hope all my little editions will possess beauty and correctness. I believe you have still a volume of Herodotus which belongs to a person here who wants it. Please deliver it to my son who will call for it.
I remain with the highest respect,
Sir, your very obedient servant,
WILLIAM LAING.â€
From Dr. Charles Burney to Mr. Porson.
“Greenwich, June20th, 1808.
“My dear Porson,—My friends at Cambridge direct me to request you will go down as speedily as may be, to vote, and collect votes, for a degree ofM. A.to be conferred on me. Now though I know your objections to expeditions of such a nature, yet I cannot help intreating you, if you have not sound reasons against it to go down and aid my cause.
“Kaye tells me that no time is to be lost. So if you can, pack up a small portion of wardrobe and visitalma mater, so will you greatly oblige and favor
C. BURNEY.â€
From Dr. Davy, Master of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, to Mr. Porson.
“Caius Coll. Tuesday 21st June, 1808.
“My dear Porson—I take the liberty of telling you, in case it should affect any of your movements, that Dr. Burney’s mandamus will be voted for on Friday next, at 2 o’clock precisely. Every thing seems in his favour.
Your’s most truly,
M. DAVY.â€
From Thomas Tyrwhitt,Esq.to Mr. James Perry, Morning Chronicle office, Strand.
“Carlton House, Feb. 12th, 1805.
“Dear Sir,—Do pray at your convenience inform me of the address of Mr. Porson, as some papers have been found in the collection of the late Sir William Hamilton respecting the Papiri, which are very interesting; and several MSS so clearly written out, as to be ready for the opinion of Mr. Porson, the only person in my opinion fit to inspect them in the whole kingdom.
Your very faithful and obedient servant,
THOMAS TYRWHITT.â€