Copy of a letter to PE (from Monk), re plagiarism. PE had written an anonymous review of Blomfield's Prometheus for the Church of England Quarterly Review, and suggested a few emendations of Athenaeus. Porson (died 1808) during his lifetime had claimed these as his own - therefore plagiarism. Monk (in an anonymous and subsequent review of the same in the CEQR) had alluded to the matter, and PE had written to Gifford (ed. CEQR) asking him to convey to the anonymous Monk that the emendations had occurred to him separately. Here Monk, full of admiration, praise and apology, say that he only wanted to convey Porson's own belief. PE had thought the anon. reviewer was Dobree - Monk concludes that Dobree is absent in Spain, and therefore cannot be the culprit.
Copy of a letter from PE to Monk. He had indeed thought Dobree was the anon. author - and had only wanted a clear statement of what precise emendations were in question. Concludes with a wish for a personal correspondence. (v. Horsfall pp455ff on whole matter.)
Jeffrey (founder CEQR) can't include PE's review of Blomfield's Prometheus in the current number - it is nearly complete, and there is already a long article full of Greek. It will appear in July - meanwhile he returns the paper and encloses
R Finch from Naples (about to go to Florence, and to go to Greece the following year) to PE in Milan (just left Florence, and about to return to England). Apologises for writing on Bath paper. PE has not acknowledged a 'collation' from Miss Thomson. Amati has acquired portraits of Louis XVI. Has met Baron Niebuhr, who criticises Amati and Francesco del Furio as collators, but does not think this criticism should be printed. Has heard nothing about Sir Humphry Davy's invention, and has not delivered PE's message to Bunsen - Mrs B is slatternly, and they are all very queer (v. Horsfall pp473ff).
Rome. Letters not getting to England, because a dishonest clerk has been pocketing the postage. Arrived in Rome 14/11 - account of letters which might have gone astray (inc. one concerning a guitar being ordered from Naples for Miss Bigge [qv]). Now pretty much done with sightseeing in Rome. Spends some hours (9.00 till 1.00ish) in Vatican Library (mss of Eur.) - exactly 30 mins walk from lodgings in Via de Due Macelli (four doors from Piazza di Spagna); then a stroll in St Peter's to warm up, and home to write up his notes. A stroll at about 4.00, usually on the Pincian hill. until dinner. Then tea- or ice- or scandal-parties. Attended a poetry meeting of the Accademia Tiberina - the Italians adopt literature as a substitute for politics; the meeting was preceded by a prose essay on the historical, moral and logical aspects of Carnival. Carnival nominally lasts from Boxing Day until Shrove Tuesday, but is concentrated on the last 10 or so days; on Saturday 10 days before there is a public guillotining, as a reminder of what may happen if the bounds of licentiousness are transgressed. Comments on the mild weather - fine weather is a large part of happiness. Dislikes his lodgings. Roman water is excellent, as are the vegetables - half the ground within the city walls is occupied by kitchen gardens. Looks forward to Naples, which at first he had not intended to visit - but a shame not to, especially since he knows so many people there (inc. the Duchess of Devonshire and her son and daughter, who has left her husband, an act more conducive to peace and tranquillity than to reputation). Asks his sister-in-law to look out for a place for his envisaged return in September, about the same distance from London as is her place in Ealing.
