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.)
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.
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.
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.
Apologises for not seeing PE in town - everyone's minds in such a state of high fever that he could not think of Greek. PE to Paris - asks for notes on mss. Of Alcestis.
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.
Lobec better than Erfurdt on Ajax. Forwards a letter (?) from Pe to Blomfield. Much more on Barker. Small sale of PE's Acharnians. Buying habits of undergraduates. Publication of Porson's notes (JHM to edit prose authors, Dobree verse). 1st no. of Museum Criticum delayed until the end of March (plus discussion of name - maybe Museum Criticum, maybe Cambridge Classical Researches).
PE has been generous in some way to or about Barker (who has been the author of a forgery, and is preparing an attack on JHM). On PE's advice JHM has not written to the Gentleman's Magazine - but asks PE to do so on his behalf.
