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.)
Begs PE for visit to Cambridge the following weekend (Commencement). Sorry that PE has suggested some excuses for Barker (who claims that Blomfield and PE had praised him - M knows one of these claims to be false, and hopes the other is too). Two years ago Barker had tried (via an undergraduate) to have Cic De Amicitia included as one of the college lecture subjects...so he could increase the sales of one of his books. Thanks PE for 2 articles for the 2nd number of the Mus Crit. 'Professor' more normally prefixed to the name of the holder in Cambridge than in Oxford.
The long holiday has so relaxed him that he cannot settle down to Greek. Has revised one sheet of Maltby's Thesaurus. At the meeting in London PE had said he might write an article on Fox and Wakefield's correspondence (published June 1813).
PE has given him leave to address him in the language of familiarity ('My dear Elmsley')('My dear Sir'). Hurt that PE prefers to write for the Classical Journal than for the Museum Criticum. A question of circulation and therefore publicity - but the Class Journal cannot be found in Cambridge bookshops because half of it is written by Barker - only Dobree has a copy. Burney's Phrynichus, and news of college appointments.
A slight falling-out between JHM and PE, about which JHM is distressed - maybe to do with Murray 1) Murray has withdrawn any objection to PE making free use of his articles and 2) JHM cannot see that any displeasure of PE with Murray could operate against the Mus.Crit. News of sales of 1st ed. of Mus.Crit.
Mus.Crit. superior to Class.Journ. Desperate for PE's notes on Soph. to be included in the 3rd No. Hopes to see Soph. edited by PE. Looks forward to PE's ms. of Alcestis. Blomfield has lost a child in its tooth-cutting - the same thing which deprived him of his 1st child. Batchelors have few pleasures, but are free from this sort of thing. Barker has been to Cambridge to complain to the Master about JHM - 1) JHM has not made Barker's Cicero a lecture book ('though Barker produced a 2nd ed. before the 1st was sold, with this in mind) 2) JHM has not referred to him at all in the 2nd ed. of the Hipp. 3) JHM has set up the Mus.Crit. in opposition to Barker.
Double letter (brought by a friend). Notes/conjectures on the Alcestis - wants PE's views (and especially wants to properly attribute the ideas of others). Has read PE's notes on HF in the most recent Class.Journ. - some rude remarks on Gilbert Wakefield.
Thanks PE for his remarks on the Alc. Has been held up by indolence, the examination for the new Pitt University Scholarship and suspense until the allies are at Paris and Bonaparte killed. 3rd No. of Mus.Crit waiting upon an article by PE, either on Alc. or on Oed.Col. PE thinking of a book expedition to the continent. More on Barker, who has turned to the Monthly Revie as a vehicle to attack the Mus.Crit. and promote his own editions. Barker has followed Dr. Parr on an unwelcome visit to Dr. Butler at Shrewsbury. Blomfield's wife has been dangerously ill.
