Porson was born at Earl Ruston, in Norfolk, on Christmas day, 1759. His father was parish-clerk to Mr. H. who was also Minister of B. Mr. H. was a most amiable and truly benevolent man; and beyond all doubt was the first encourager of Porson’s early disposition to learning, and the individual also, to whose exertions he owed the opportunities he afterwards enjoyed, and so well improved. Porson had certainly, when quite a child, the practice of making letters on any sandy or moist surface, upon which they could be conspicuously formed. His relations were wont to draw inferences very favourable to his intellect, from this circumstance; but after all, this is a very common practice, indeed much too frequent to be considered as any indication of a prodigy. Mr. W. who was mentioned in the preceding chapter, noticed in him very soon an extraordinary quickness with regard to figures—this was much more to the purpose—and this he ever retained. Porson’s father and mother were both totally destitute of any education, except so far as being able to read and write. The father was a man of exceedingly strong sense, very silent and very thoughtful, and was accustomed with great regularity, to exercise Porson’s memory. To what an extraordinary degree of perfection, exercise finally brought this faculty in the Professor, must be in the recollection of many; yet, strange to say, he who wrote this sketch of his friend, has repeatedly heard him assert, that he had not naturally a good memory, but that what he had obtained in this respect, was the effect of discipline only. His recollection was really wonderful. He has been known to challenge any one to repeat a line or phrase from any of the Greek dramatic writers, and would instantly go on with the context. The Letters of Junius, the Mayor of Garratt, and many favourite compositions, he would repeat _usque ad fastidium_. But, to return; the solidity and seriousness of Porson’s father, seem to have been well relieved by the cheerful and sprightly temper of his mother, who was very lively and very light-hearted. She had also a taste for poetry, very seldom met with in the wife of a cottager; she was familiar with the writings of Shakspeare, and could repeat many of his favourite and popular passages. It is stated by the writer in the Athenæum, who calls himself Hellenophilus, that Mr. Summers, to whom afterwards Porson went to school, was a plain man, who professed nothing beyond English and the common rudiments of Latin. This is not quite correct. Mr. Summers was, and it is presumed is, a very respectable scholar. He was living when this was first written, and was master of the Free School at Happesburg, in Norfolk.