The sexagenarian; or, the recollections of a literary life (Volume 1 of 2)Beloe, William
General
The sexagenarian; or, the recollections of a literary life (Volume 1 of 2)
Beloe, William
Authors, English; Beloe, William, 1756-1817; English literature -- Anecdotes
In the former period of his early residence in the metropolis, the
absence of sleep hardly seemed to annoy him. The first evening which he
spent with Horne Tooke, he never thought of retiring till the harbinger
of day gave warning to depart. Horne Tooke, on another occasion,
contrived to find out the opportunity of requesting his company, when he
knew that he had been sitting up the whole of the night before. This,
however, made no difference; Porson sate up the second night also till
the hour of sun-rise.
What shall we call it—waywardness, inconsiderateness, or ungraciousness?
but it is a well known fact, that he spent the day of his marriage with
a very learned friend, now a Judge, without either communicating the
circumstance of his change of condition, or without attempting to stir
till the hour prescribed by the family, obliged him to depart.
The following anecdote he would often relate himself, with the greatest
good humour. It is sufficiently notorious, that our friend was not
remarkably attentive to the decoration of his person; indeed, he was
at times disagreeably negligent. On one occasion, he went to visit the
above-mentioned learned friend, where a gentleman, who did not know
Porson, was waiting in anxious and impatient expectation of the barber.
On Porson’s entering the library where the gentleman was sitting, he
started up, and hastily said to Porson, “Are you the barber?” “No, Sir,”
replied Porson, “but I am a cunning shaver, much at your service.”
When there was considerable fermentation in the literary world on the
subject of the supposed Shakspeare Manuscripts, and many of the most
distinguished individuals had visited Mr. Ireland’s house to inspect
them, Porson, accompanied by a friend, went also. Many persons had been
so imposed upon as to be induced to subscribe their names to a form,
previously drawn up, avowing their belief in the authenticity of the
papers exhibited. Porson was called upon to do so likewise. “No,” replied
the Professor, “I am always very reluctant in subscribing my name, and
more particularly to articles of faith.”
The story of his pertinacity in twice transcribing the perplexed and
intricate manuscript of the Lexicon of Photius, has been well detailed in
the Athenæum, and is perfectly true.
An intimate friend of the Professor had a favourite old dog, whose death
he exceedingly regretted, and asked Porson to give him an inscription,
for the place in the garden where he was buried. After a time, Porson
brought him the following, which was afterwards neatly cut in the antique
manner, without stops, on a white marble stone, and remained for many
years where it was first deposited.
ΤΗΝΤΡΙΒΟΝΟϹΠΑΡΑΓΕΙϹΗΝΠΩϹΤΟΔΕϹΗΜΑΝΟΗϹΕΙS
ΜΗΔΕΟΜΑΙΓΕΛΑϹΗϹΕΙΚΥΝΟϹΕϹΤΙΤΑΦΟϹ
ΕΚΛΑΥϹΘΗΝΧΕΙΡΕϹΔΕΚΟΝΙΝϹΥΝΕΘΗΚΑΝΑΝΑΚΤΟϹ
ΟϹΜΟΥΚΑΙϹΤΗΛΗΤΟΝΔΕΧΑΡΑΞΕΛΟΓΟΝ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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