This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861 edition. Excerpt: ...himself to it with more than ordinary diligence. He was then living in Essex Court in the Temple, where he would, on many occasions, shut himself up for two or three days together; but, while he was employed on the Harleian manuscript, he was almost wholly inaccessible even to his most intimate friends. "One ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861 edition. Excerpt: ...himself to it with more than ordinary diligence. He was then living in Essex Court in the Temple, where he would, on many occasions, shut himself up for two or three days together; but, while he was employed on the Harleian manuscript, he was almost wholly inaccessible even to his most intimate friends. "One morning," says Mr. Maltby, " I went to call upon him there; and, having inquired at his barber's close by if Mr. Porson Q was at home, was answered, 'Yes; but he has seen no one for two days.' I, however, proceeded to his chamber, and knocked at the door more than once. He would not open it, and I came downstairs. As I was re-crossing the court, Porson, who had perceived that I was the visitor, opened the window, and stopped me." His remuneration for the collation was fifty pounds, and a large-paper copy. "I thought the payment too small," observes Maltby, "but Burney considered it as sufficient." This collation has been reprinted in the "Classical Journal." A few critical remarks are scattered through it. The passage regarding the final v we have already extracted. He concludes, after making some final corrections, with this paragraph: "Thus I have at last, I hope, left no important error in this collation; that there are no omissions, I will not assert. If any one, however, shall take upon himself to supply my deficiencies, and to correct, at the same time, such mistakes as I have committed, let him be assured that he will do what is acceptable to the republic of letters as well as to myself. Whether he do it tenderly or harshly, will have no effect on me, if he but do it accurately; but it may possibly have a good effect on himself, if he be anxious to show that he undertook the task...
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