Artemidorus Rigaltii, Par. 1603. 4to.
The subjoined are specimens of Porson’s familiar Letters. The person to whom they were addressed negotiated, at Porson’s desire, with the bookseller, for the publication of the Letters to Travis. It is correctly stated in the Athenæum that the prize given was thirty pounds. That the publisher lost money by it can hardly be conceived. The book is now out of print and numbered among the scarcer books.
Dear ⸺
Settle the matter of publication for me in any way that you think reasonable, or that would be satisfactory to yourself. If you agree upon the terms that you mention in your letter, inform me when they would wish to begin. For, as the Preface will of course be printed last, I could send them a copy of the Letters in the Magazine, properly corrected, within a few days. With respect to the Lay Fellowship, I thank you for the information, but if it is already vacant, you need not doubt of its being given away. If you see the Rev. Mr. W. tell him the same from me, which will be equivalent to an acknowledgement of his letter, and tell him besides that Mr. Goodall is extremely flattered by the attention of a person so much his superior in dignity: συγκαθημενων, I would render the women who live with him. The literal sense is, without doubt, “who sit together;” but this expression refers to what was generally the case, not what was the case in this particular instance, for we are informed that it was quite the contrary. See Dorville on Chariton, which I have not by me here.
I am, with compliments to ⸺
Your’s,
R. PORSON.
Eton, 17 Sept. 1789.
The Clergyman alluded to in the above Letter, was the Rev. Dr. Wingfield, for a time head master of Westminster School, and since that period, Prebendary of Worcester, with whom Porson subsequently spent a great deal of his time. Mr. Goodall is the present worthy Provost of Eton College.