I'ORSON, Ricizaan, a celebrated Greek scholar, was born at East Ruston, in Norfolk, on the 25th Dec. 1759. He was the son of Mr. Huggin Porson, the parish clerk, who taught him arithmetic, reading, and writing. He learned the alphabet by tracing the letters upon sand, or upon a board ; and he acquired his arithmetic without the aid of a book or slate.
In the ninth year of his age, he was sent along with his brother Thomas, to the village school, kept by Mr. Sum mers, under whom he continued three years. The Rcv. Mr. Hewitt, having heard of his uncommon proficiency in arithmetic and other elementary studies, undertook to instruct Richard in classical knowledge; and Mr. Norris, a neighbouring country gentleman, was at the expense of sending him to Eton in 1772. By the death of Mr. Nor ris, he was thrown upon the liberality of sonic friends, particularly Sir George Baker, who took him into his house during the vacation, and, by receiving small sub scriptions, purchased an annuity of 80/. per annum, for a few years, so as to enable him to remain at Eton. At this seminary, he was distinguished for his diligence and clas sical attainments, but particularly by his extraordinary memory, which enabled him to bring forward all that he had read. The receipt of a copy of Tours Longinus, given him as a reward for a good exercise, is said to have first given hint a decided turn for critical inquiries.
Towards the end of the year 1777, he was sent to Trini ty College, where he obtained the classical prize medal, and the university scholarship. In 1781, lie obtained a fellowship in Trinity College, and in 1785 lie took his de gree of master of arts. He declined, however, to sign the Thirty-nine Articles; and being thus unable to take or ders, lie was necessarily deprived of his fellowship in 1791. By means of a subscription, an annuity of 100/.
during his life, was purchased for him, and the addition of 40/. per annum was made to his income, by his appoint ment to the professorship of Greek, at Cambridge. Ile wash arried in the year 1795, but losing his wife in 1797, his own health was observed to decline. A spasmodic asthma, increased by irregularity in his mode of life, in terrupted in a serious manner the laborious studies which he had been in the habit of pursuing.
Upon the establishment of the London institution, be was appointed principal librarian, with a salary of 200/. per annum ; but he did not long enjoy this comfortable sine cure. His former complaint renewed its attacks, and weakened his frame ; and in consequence of an apoplectic stroke, lie expired on the 25th September, 1808, in the forty-ninth year of his age. llis body was removed to Cambridge, where it was received by the Bishop of Bris tol with every mark of respect, and interred in the chapel of Trinity College, near the remains of Bentley.
The principal writings of I'orson are, his letters to Mr. Archdeacon Travis, in answer to his Defence of the Three Heavenly Witnesses ; his MSS. of Photius's Lexicon, which appeared at Cambridge in 1822, and his four plays of Euripides, with the prefaces, via. Hecuba, which ap peared at London in 1797 : Orestes, Lond. 1798, 1811 ; Jticdca, Cambridge, 1801, Lond. 1812. The whole to gether appeared at London in 1822.
The rest of Porson's works, which are numerous, con sist chiefly of criticisms on celebrated passages of ancient authors. See Weston's Account of the late Mr. Richard Parson, Lond. 1808, 8vo.; and Kidd's Imperfect Outline, L'fc.