the Sixteen Madrigals in four and the Seventeen in twice four parts,’ a statement which has led Dr. Rimbault to the conclusion that a second set were at least composed (Biographical Notices prefixed to the Musical Antiquarian Society's edition of The Whole Book of Psalms, 1844). It will be evident, however, that ‘the Seventeen’ stands for ‘the seventeenth,’ and that the set is that above described. Farmer's best-known composition is the madrigal ‘Faire Nimphs, I heard one telling,’ contributed to ‘The Triumphs of Oriana’ in 1601 [see East, Thomas]. The Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge contains two madrigals, not included in the collection of 1599, in Immyns's handwriting, ‘You pretty flowers,’ and ‘Thyrsis, thy absence,’ both for four voices, besides copies of some of the other compositions. The British Museum has a complete set of the madrigals of 1599, and a manuscript score of the sixteen madrigals in four parts (Addit. MS. 29996), in the last of which, ‘Take time while time doth last,’ occurs an amusing direction for singing the tenor part, which ‘is made only to Fright & dismaye the singer; By driving od Chrotchets (sic) through sembrifes, brifes, and longs,’ &c. A cantus part of two of the madrigals is contained in Addit. MS. 29382, and the Music School and Christ Church collections at Oxford contain compositions by him.
[Grove's Dict. i. 507; Burney's Hist. iii. 234; Hawkins's Hist. (1853), p. 515; Mus. Antiq. Soc. publications, 1844; Cat. of Fitzwilliam Museum; compositions by Farmer above mentioned.]
FARMER, RICHARD, D.D. (1735–1797), master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, the descendant of a family long seated at Ratcliffe Culey, a hamlet in the parish of Sheepy, Leicestershire, was born at Leicester on 28 Aug. 1735. He was the second son of Richard Farmer, a rich maltster, by his wife Hannah, daughter of John Knibb. He was educated under the Rev. Gerrard Andrewes, in the free grammar school at Leicester, and about 1753 entered as a pensioner at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1757, and was a ‘senior optime.’ He successfully contested with Wanley Sawbridge for the silver cup given at Emmanuel College to the best graduate of that year. In 1760 he commenced M.A., and succeeded the Rev. Mr. Bickham as classical tutor of his college. For many years, while tutor, he served the curacy of Swavesey, a village about eight miles from Cambridge. Gunning relates that Farmer used to ride over to Swavesey on Sundays, and as soon as the services had been performed galloped back to college about six o'clock. After tea he put a night-cap on his head and dozed until it was time to attend the evening meeting in the parlour, where, under the soothing influence of a pipe, many an hour was whiled away in university or literary talk. At this time he formed an intimacy with Sir Thomas Hatton, bart., of Long Stanton, Cambridgeshire, and for some time aspired to the hand of his eldest daughter. The marriage was postponed on account of Farmer's want of means, and when after many years this objection was removed, he found on mature reflection that his habits of life were too deeply rooted to be changed with any chance of perfect happiness to either party. Such is George Dyer's version of the story; but Cole says: ‘Dr. Coleman told me, 3 May 1782, that he had it from sufficient authority, that Sir Thomas Hatton had refused his eldest daughter to Dr. Farmer, but upon what foundation he knew not. The lady is 27 or 28, and Dr. Farmer about 47 or 48. It will probably be a great mortification to both, as to every one it seemed that their regard for each other was reciprocal. Dr. Farmer's preferment is equal to 800l. per annum; and I guess the lady's fortune, there being six daughters and two sons, not very great’ (Addit. MS. 5869, f. 87 b).
On 19 May 1763 Farmer was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1765 he was junior proctor of the university. He had already formed an extensive library and had acquired by his intimate acquaintance with English literature, especially the early dramatists, a considerable reputation as a scholar and an antiquary. When Dr. Johnson visited Cambridge in 1765 he had a ‘joyous meeting’ with Farmer at Emmanuel. A graphic account of the interview written by an eye-witness, B. N. Turner, of Denton, Lincolnshire, will be found in the ‘New Monthly Magazine’ for December 1818 (x. 388). The two scholars afterwards maintained a friendly correspondence on literary topics. Thus on one occasion Johnson requested Farmer to help Steevens in forming a catalogue of translations which Shakespeare might have seen, and on another he himself asked for information from the university registers respecting several Cambridge graduates noticed in the ‘Lives of the Poets.’
On 15 May 1766 Farmer issued from the university press proposals for printing the history of Leicester, written by Thomas Staveley, barrister-at-law, formerly of Peterhouse, Cambridge. He eventually abandoned this design, and returned the money which had been received from the subscribers to the projected work. Staveley's collections,
