Nautical metaphor re B's inferiority to PE as critic. Some remarks on errata in Heraclidae. Plans for a Callimachus, to be dedicated to Earl Spencer. Prosiness of Eur. Helen. 'Mourning Bride' (Congreve) translated in Dictionnaire Historique as 'L'Epouse de Matin.' (Samuel) Butler to translate a poem by Lucien Buonaparte (sic) (Charlemagne, or The Church Delivered, publ. 1815). B's Callimachus progressing - Elegies his forte, Hymns s'sad stuff.' Inferior quality of 2/3 surviving Greek poetry - critics gain credit for sorting out the texts, but do not thereby improve the world.
Loss of only child. Possible reconciliation with Butler? B's review of PE in Quarterly Review. Printing errors in Museum Criticum. Books from continent held up by weather. Persae ready apart from collation of one ms. Barker mounting a campaign against Monk.
Year determined by 1816-02-21. Encloses 3 of Hermann's Opuscula, to be returned to Mawman's booksellers when finished with. 'in haste, for the trout await.'
Re a cousin of PE who wishes to go to Cambridge (for first degree and then a fellowship). B believes Trinity is the only college to offer fellowships to Scotchmen. Has applied a little too late, and may be better advised to go up in October 1822.
Museum Criticum No 7 on point of publication - more than enough material. Review of PE's Bacchae - may be sent to Giffoerd at the Quarterly, or may be given to Monk. Response to Burgess' charges of plagiarism against B. Writer of review of B's Agamemnon in the last Quarterly identified. Too busy to get to Althorp this winter. Doing less Classics and being more of a cleric. Asks for notes on the Knights, as they are proceeding with Museum Criticum No 8.
Will send printing corrections of an edition by PE, but admits carelessness in such matters. Comments on virtues, faults and relationships between some 16th century editions of Eur. Coldness of Bodleian, Porson as book collector.
Luke-warm on question of reprinting Tyrwhitt's minor works - many of his conjectures have found their way into other editions, though it is true that many have not. On his own edition of Minor Poets. On PE's Heracleidae - criticises Wyttenbach. On Samuel Musgrave's collations - not at the Clarendon or in the Bodleian - perhaps in the margins of a book in his library (sold at auction in 1780). Loss of a Euripides ms. in Paris.
