Life of Edmond Malone

by James Prior

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LIFE OF EDMOND MALONE.

Engraved by J. C. Armytage from a Print by Bartolozzi after a Picture by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Published by Smith, Elder & C^o 65 Cornhill 1860.

LIFE

OF

EDMOND MALONE,

EDITOR OF SHAKSPEARE.

 

WITH SELECTIONS FROM HIS

MANUSCRIPT ANECDOTES.

 

BY

SIR JAMES PRIOR, M.R.I.A., F.S.A., &c,

AUTHOR OF “THE LIFE OF EDMUND BURKE,”
“LIFE OF OLIVER GOLDSMITH,” “THE COUNTRY HOUSE; A POEM.”
ETC. ETC.

 

WITH A PORTRAIT.

 

LONDON:
SMITH, ELDER & CO., 65, CORNHILL.

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M.DCCC.LX.

 

[The right of Translation is reserved.]

TO THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF DERBY, K.G.,

&c. &c. &c.

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My Lord,
Amid the unavoidable contentions of political life, it is to be hoped that an hour may be occasionally spared to notice the pursuits of those who are less excitingly, though not unusefully, employed—I mean the scholar and literary inquirer, such as the subject of the following sketch.

These hours indeed cannot be many. Through life, the position of an English Statesman is peculiar. He must be, if he hopes to retain his standing in the country, pre-eminently a man of labour. Even removal from power ensures little remission from work. In office, he must originate the policy that distinguishes his country. Out of it, he is called upon to examine or to control the measures introduced by others. But in either case, by the conscientious exertion of large powers, he may establish a name that will die only with his country.

That your Lordship, whether in or out of office, may receive the honours fairly earned by fearless support of the integrity of the great institutions of the State, is the sincere wish of,

My Lord,

Your Lordship’s most obedient

And most faithful servant,

JAMES PRIOR.

CONTENTS.

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Preface
CHAPTER I.
1741–1765.
Family of Malone—Trinity College—Ode on the Nuptials of George III.—Journey to England—Entered at the Middle Temple—Rev. Mr. Chetwood—His Letters	1
CHAPTER II.
1766–1769.
Introduction to Dr. Johnson—Letters from Avignon—Promotion of his Father—Called to the Bar—A Love Story—Spa	18
CHAPTER III.
1769—1777.
Law Studies—Irish Duels—Death of his Father—Candidate for the Representation of Trinity College—Edition of Goldsmith—Death of his Uncle—Literature of the Stage—Removes to London—The Shakspeare Mania—Lord Charlemont—George Steevens—Letter from his Brother	37
CHAPTER IV.
1778–1781.
An Attempt to ascertain the Order in which the Plays of Shakspeare were written—Irish Politics—Mr. Denis Daly—Sir Joshua Reynolds—Supplement to the Edition of Shakspeare’s Plays by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens—Hogarth’s Widow—Lord Charlemont—Rowley’s Poems—Jephson’s Count of Narbonne—Epilogue by Malone	58
CHAPTER V.
1781–1783.
Horace Walpole—Literary Club—Dr. Johnson—Lord Charlemont—Shakspeare—Steevens—Rev. Mr. Whalley—Henry Flood	83
CHAPTER VI.
1783–1786.
Correspondence with Flood—Second Appendix to Shakspeare—Prepares to become Editor—Horace Walpole—Bishop Percy—Goldsmith—Steevens—Elevation of his Brother to the Peerage—Boswell—John Kemble—Walpole and Rousseau—Lord Charlemont	108
CHAPTER VII.
1786–1789.
Jephson’s Julia, or the Italian Lover—Prologue by Malone—Lord Charlemont—Horace Walpole—Correspondence with Rev. Mr. Davenport of Stratford—John Kemble—Pope and Warburton—Lady M. Wortley Montague—Visit to Burke	132
CHAPTER VIII.
1789–1791.
Revision of Boswell’s Johnson—Baretti—Visit to Waller’s former mansion—John Kemble—Publication of Shakspeare—Burke—Reynolds—Mrs. Piozzi—Relique of Elizabethan Poetry—Visit to Burke—Abbé Raynal—Burke, in allusion to Hastings’ Trial	157
CHAPTER IX.
1792–1793.
Joseph Warton—Ritson’s Criticisms on Malone—Malone’s Letter to Dr. Farmer—Editors of Shakspeare—Death of Reynolds—Letter of the Poet Mason—Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Pamela—Jephson’s Roman Portraits—Bishop Douglas’s Anecdotes—Davenport, Steevens, Lord Charlemont—Prospectus of a new Edition of Shakspeare	184
CHAPTER X.
1794–1797.
Jephson’s Poem and Letters—Another tender Attachment—Death of Boswell—Aubrey’s Papers—The Irelands Shakspeare Forgeries—Letter of Burke—Lord Charlemont—New Tragedy by Jephson—Lord Orford—Reynolds’ Memoir and Works—Death of Burke	209
CHAPTER XI.
1797–1799.
Correspondence—A Rapt Poet—Excursion to Brighton—Portrait of Malone by Ozias Humphrey—State of Ireland—Earl of Clare—The Union—Prose of Dryden—Letter of Lord Hailes—George Canning and the Literary Club—A Visitor from Stratford	236
CHAPTER XII.
1799–1805.
Dr. Burney—Publication of Life and Prose Works of Dryden—R. Bell’s late Edition of his Poems—Pope—Visit to Ireland in 1801—Andrew Caldwell—Mr. Wraxall and Lord Whitworth—Disappointed in a public appointment—William Gifford—Sale of part of his Books—Letters to his Sister—Notices by Rev. J. Jephson—Letter from Gifford	259
CHAPTER XIII.
1805–1810.
Venus and Adonis (ed. 1593)—Life of Shakspeare—Bishop Percy—Notices of Malone, by Rev. J. Jephson—Letter to his Sister—Pamphlet on the Origin of The Tempest—Parliamentary Logic and Right Hon. W. G. Hamilton—Thomas Moore and Kilkenny Theatricals—Right Hon. W. Windham	283
CHAPTER XIV.
1810–1812.
Proposed Life of Mason—W. Gifford—Notes upon Books—Conversational Memoranda—Illness—Letter to Lady Ailesbury—Letter to a Lady in Ireland—Letter to Lady Sunderlin—His Death—Character—Person and Manners—Collections—Will—Gift of his Brother to the Bodleian Library—Letters and Papers	307
Maloniana	333
Maloniana: Part I
Maloniana: Part II
Ode on the Nuptials of His Majesty George III.
Speech to the Electors of Trinity College, Dublin
Collection of Tracts in 76 Volumes made by Edmond Malone
Notes written to Malone on Windham’s Memoir, 1810
Index