PE thinking of priesthood - advises against Canterbury because of the danger of invasion and the plague of troops - Oxford or Cambridge the only provincial situations which would thoroughly suit PE.
Mr Collins has remarked upon PE's age - HH advises against retaliation. Violent love is neither reasonable nor desirable at PE's time of life - and a calculated marriage is a risk, since the necessary sacrifices are not always compensated for.
PE should 'kiss and be friends,' according to the ancient method of making up quarrels. PE should not have shown HH's letter to X (name unclear - HH does not know which letter) - she might not like to have her name taken in vain by a stranger. HH will never allude to the other business, that of Miss B.
Has not forwarded the name of Thomas Trebeck (see 7 and 29) to the committee established to support the play (see 29), since Bull wrote that he did not know if he was still alive. Pulteney reports that cricket balls are now bowled so violently that players must be padded. On translations of Terence - thinks that new translations should appear every 50 years to reflect changing idiom. Westminster said to be improving under new Head Master (see 29) - hopes that he will keep the best of the old customs, such as fagging (what hardship is it to carry 2 or 3 hats on one's shoulders to Tothill Fields, or to blow on a fire?). On the import of cattle and sheep by railroad from the interior of Germany and its negligible effect on London meat prices, and on the state of the potato harvest. To assist his French a Frenchwoman comes in three times a week to read Molieres to him out loud.
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.
