Richard Porson

Richard Porson

Richard Porson (December 25, 1759 – September 25, 1808) was an English classical scholar.

Quotes

• To a gentleman, who, at the close of a fierce dispute with Porson, exclaimed, "My opinion of you is most contemptible, Sir"; he retorted, "I never knew an opinion of yours that was not contemptible."
  • John Selby Watson, The Life of Richard Porson, M.A. (1861), p. 385.

English Epigrams

Reported in William Davenport Adams (ed.) English Epigrams (London, [1878])

• When Billy found he scarce could stand,
  "Help, help!" he cried, and stretch'd his hand,
       To faithful Henry calling:
  Quoth Hal, "My friend, I'm sorry for't;
  'Tis not my practice to support
       A minister that's falling."
  • "On Pitt's Drinking Habits"
  • ["Henry" is Dundas, afterwards Viscount Melville, who was Pitt's confidential friend and colleague. The above is one out of a hundred epigrams said to have been written by Porson in one night.]

• "Who's up ?" inquired Burke of a friend at the door,
  "Oh, no one," says Paddy, "tho' Pitt's on the floor."
  • "On the Same"
  • [Another of the epigrammatic century referred to. Here is a third:—

    "How well our friends," saith Hal, "have stood their ground!"
    "Have they?" quoth Will; " I thought they all turned round."]

• A little garden little Jowett made,
  And fenced it with a little palisade;
  A little taste hath little Dr. Jowett;
  This little garden doth a little show it.
  • "On Dr. Jowett, Fellow of St. John's, Cambridge"
  • [There is a longer version of this jeu d'esprit:—

    A little garden little Jowett made,
    And fenced it with a little palisade;
    Because this garden made a little talk,
    He changed it to a little gravel walk:
    And now, if more you 'd know of little Jowett,
    A little time, it will a little show it.

  • See the Life of Richard Porson, by J. Selby Watson (1861)]

• Here lies a Doctor of Divinity,
  Who was a Fellow too of Trinity;
  He knew as much about Divinity
  As other Fellows do of Trinity.
  • "On a Fellow of Trinity College"

• I went to Frankfort and got drunk
  With that most learn'd Professor Brunck:
  I went to Wortz and got more drunken
  With that more learn'd Professor Ruhnken.
  • "On German Drinking"
  • [This epigram is wholly imaginary, for Porson was never out of England. The lines are from Facetiae Canitabrigienses (1825)]