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John Corsellis

[00:24] Background. Father was barrister, served in First World War and keen pilot; died flying in 1930. Two older sisters, went to Francis Holland. Brother to Winchester. Corsellis to Westminster. [04:14] Prep School at St. Clare’s, Walmar, Kent. About 40 boys. Taught Latin and Greek. Encouraged to try for Westminster. Timid and nervous. [05:48] Put in for the Challenge a year early and failed, tried again and failed and admitted as Town Boy as a Homeboarder. [07:01] Head boy of St. Clare’s. Reading lesson in Chapel – good training in public speaking. Disciplinary authorities and responsibilities. [08:13] Went from ‘big fish’ at Prep School to ‘lowest of the low’ at Public School. [08:24] Joined Westminster September 1936. [08:38] Two uncles had been to Westminster. In awe of the school. [09:35] Friendly school. Proud of Westminster School. [10:02] Started at Westminster living at the northern end of Baker Street. Walk to school in top hat and tail coat through the parks. Enjoyed the attention. [11:12] Family moved to Brighton. Commuted for a term on a daily basis. [11:44] Didn’t enjoy football or cricket matches at Prep School. Became a scorer – went with first XI to away matches, got to enjoy the food, ‘felt nice and important’. [12:38] Westminster offered fencing instead. ‘Tiny claim to fame at Westminster’ with fencing. Clerihew ‘Corsellis / rhymes with trellis / Hence / Fence’. [15:30] Fencing in Little Dean’s Yard when weather was nice. Fenced over the graves of the monks in the cloisters. Old Gym when the weather was bad. Armory garden, Ashburnham Garden? [17:14] Distinguished French fencing instructor. No electric scoring. Didn’t have to do football, cricket or water for fencing. [18:40] Left-handed. Was made to write right-handed. Disorientates right-handed fencers used to fighting right-fencers. Successful. Made school team. Public Schools Championship – first in foils, second in épée. [20:30] Beginning of first term, new intake congregate in Yard and addressed by master in charge of Corps. Gave patriotic speech. Alternatives – Scouts or gym. [22:15] Influence of brother. ‘Mildly disrespectful of authority’, advised not to do Corps. Opted for Gym. Learning to vault and parallel bars. [23:40] Conscious of war. Pacifist tendencies. Aunt ‘militant pacifist’, role model. [25:25] Westminster ‘evangelical, in the wider sense’. John Christie, Head Master, as ‘striking preacher’. Classics Master as pacifist, left school when the war started, ‘presence not very desirable’. Not characteristic of a normally tolerant Westminster. [27:45] Three contemporaries from College joined Friend’s Ambulance Unit (FAU). William Barnes; nickname ‘Bishop’, strong personality but liked and respected, became head boy. [29:57] Norman John Peppin Brown; became Professor of Philosophy in Canada; Catholic. [31:00] Donald Swann; musical, same election as Corsellis, went to Oxford. [31:38] Left Westminster, entered into articles with a lawyer in Oxford. Apprentice, didn’t need a degree. ‘Paid for the privilege of being a trainee in a lawyer’s firm’. One or two years of part time lectures at university. [33:24] Would meet up with Swann while both in Oxford, in British Restaurant for ‘awful meals, quite cheaply’, or two own sandwiches. Got to know Swann’s father, grew up in Russia until the revolution. [36:58] Advise Swann of FAU. Both ended in the same camp in the Cadbury Estate in Birmingham, six weeks of training. Converted stables for recruits, help to toughen up. [38:52] Both sent to ‘training hospital’ Guy’s Hospital in Orpington. Had been Canadian military hospital in First World War, ‘geriatrics hospital’ between wars. Converted to sector hospital to move patients out of London. Swann, Bill Mann (ended up music critic of the Times), Douglas Harvey. [41:08] Hospital porters, used as ward orderlies.

James Henry Monk to Peter Elmsley

Blomfield a common acquaintance. Thanks PE for the promise of some comments on his Hippolytus. Thanks PE for promising to contribute to the new journal proposed by M and B. Invites PE to dinner the following week. Confesses to being the anonymous author of the article in the Quarterly Review referring to plagiarism - admits to being wrong, both in his then conclusions and in having written thus. Youthful devotion to Porson to blame. (v. 143 & 144, & Horsfall pp455ff on whole matter.)

James Henry Monk to Peter Elmsley

Thanks PE for suggestions for 2nd ed. of Hipp. Ed. of Photius from Porson's copy. Sale price of Porson's Adversaria. Pseudonymous article in Gentleman's Magazine by E H Barker - much abuse of same (plus mention of Valpy and Stephanus). Brevity of reviews in Museum Criticum. May turn to the Alcestis.

James Henry Monk to Peter Elmsley

Warm praise of Heraclidae (1st 7 sheets thereof) - compared to Porson's Hecuba. Porson's books (inc. Brubach, with Milton's notes) purchased by the college (Trinity?) and in JHM's rooms. PE to come to Cambridge and meet JHM for the 1st time. Classical Journal - Valpy has little judgement - Dobree and Tate condemn it - dubious allies, inc. Barker and Parr. Expects the Museum Criticum to make a loss for the 1st year or so. (though Murray will pay all the expenses). JHM will notice PE's Sophocles in the Edinburgh Review, and Blomfield will notice his OT in the Museum Criticum.

James Henry Monk to Peter Elmsley

Distasteful review of Hippolytus in the Gentleman's Magazine. Only knows of Hermann's two plays (Supplices and HF) belonging to Dobree - has borrowed them and is sending them to PE (Supplices reviewed by PE in Classical Journal of March/June 1814). Wants to get the second number of the Mus Crit ready in the next four weeks before he leaves Cambridge until October. Will insert by instalments Bentley's mss notes from the British Museum collection (Monk subsequently wrote a life of Bentley). PE has a volume containing letters of David Ruhnken - asks for loan of it. Some comments on typos in 2nd ed of Hippolytus. More on Barker.

James Henry Monk to Peter Elmsley

PE has promised an Annotation on each of Porson's plays - could PE instead insert in the 6th No. of Mus.Crit. that on the Hecuba? If so, JHM will propose the play as one of the subjects for next October for his 'young men.' Many members of university absent (see next letter).Also seeks a book review of anything.

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