Abuse of Classical Journal. Proposal for a new journal (for the moment to be kept secret, and to be called The Cambridge Literary Journal)) to be run by Monk, Kaye, Kennel, Blomfield and brother. Asks for support and contributions.
Thanks PE for Heraclidae. Monk not the author of some 'silly' letters in the Gentleman's Magazine. Seeking another volume of Classical Recreations (by Barker, dedicated to Parr, printed by Valpy, publ. 1812).
Breaking of relations with Edinburgh Review (who have published an article he tried to recall), on religious grounds. Review of PE's Heraclidae to appear in the Quarterly (Review?). News from Berlin, via B's brother - Wolf (some views on English scholars, inc. Porson), Bekker, Bothe; lack of books blamed on rapacity of English booksellers.
Various textual observations. Jokes re low cost of foreign Greek books. Hermann's views on Porson - he has sent B some books; B hopes that Hermann doesn't know that B wrote a review of his Photius in the Edinburgh Review.
Congratulations on PE's various preferments. Museum Criticum No 8 about to be printed, inc. a review by B of PE's Bacchae (intended for last no.). Will add a review of Hermann's Bacchae. Has glanced at PE's OC. He only does Greek in the summer vacations in the country.
Letters from Thomas Gaisford to Dr Emsley
Inadequacy of own work. Sorry to hear of PE's change of plan re Sophocles. Praise for first sheet of OT (sent by Collingwood). PE should assert claim to emendations etc. which have been forestalled in Erdfurt's edition - should also publish Aj. Or OC, neither of which Erdfurt has yet done. G. has just been ordained.
Canvassing PE's support for the father-in-law of a friend, Mr Carstairs, in his candidacy for a directorship of the East India Company. Bekker's Theognis - not sure of genuineness of 159 additional verses from the Modena ms., but will print them anyway as an appendix to vol. 1 of Poetae Minores. Vol. 2 to be ready by Christmas - printers busy with index - asks PE for his observations on Archilochus.
Hermann's Trachiniae disagrees with PE's views. Niebuhr and the intransigence of Mai. OUP and other Oxford news.
Asks PE to inspect a house he is thinking of buying in Bedford Place, London.