He was instigated to compete for these prizes by his friend, George Pryme Esq., who has since been elected Member of Parliament for the borough of Cambridge. If these epigrams had been followed up by other productions in poetry of similar style and equal merit, his muse would speedily have attained the highest point of estimation and be might have been classed among the first epigrammatists of the day.* But I have never heard that Mr Barker was tempted by this success again to woo the Muse of poetry; content with the more humble medium of prose, he left the University and entered upon a hardworking, • These epigrams were printed separately in a small pamphlet of two leaves; translations of them will be found in this volume the epigrams are as follows. EPIGRAMMATA NUMISMATE ANNUO DIGNATA, ET IN CURIA CANTARBIGIENSI RECITATA, A. D. 1809. AUCTORE E. H. BARKERO, TRIN. COLL. SCHOL. ΑΡΧΗ ΗΜΙΣΥ ΠΑΝΤΟΣ. * Πορφυρέου ποταμοῖο παρ ̓ ὄχθαις, δυσχερὲς ἄθλον Ἦν ὅτε μὲν θρασύτης, ὅτε δ ̓ ᾕρεν νιν δέος ἀργον, * "Puniceus Rubicon." Luc. Pharsal. Luc. lib, i. 213. pains-taking career of drudgery, in which he, unlike most men, displayed more learning than prudence, and by the unceasing industry of his life, if we may judge from its results, made ample compensation for its brevity. Shortly previous to his leaving the University, Mr A. J. Valpy started the Classical Journal, to which Mr Barker was a constant contributor during the twenty years of its publication. His first article appeared in No 3, and nearly every succeeding Number exhibited either his sign manual, or some anonymous article, that carried with it internal evidence of his being the author, from the numerous extracts from writers but little known; and, by a similar test, it is easy to trace his contributions to the British Critic, previous to its change from a monthly to a quarterly periodical, and more recently in the pages of the Monthly Magazine during the editorship of Mr Reynolds. On leaving the University, in 1810, or soon after, Mr B. went to reside with Dr Parr at Hatton, where he re * Δεινὸς ἀνεῤῥίφθω κύβος • τό ἀρχὴ δ' ἥμισυ παντός·) Εσπεθ ̓ ἅμ ̓ οἷ νίκη, θεσπέσιόν τε κράτος. Vide Plut. in Vit. Cæs. STRENUA INERTIA. Jam jam siste procax pedes sciure, mained about five years. I have never been able to learn how his acquaintance with this great scholar first began, or on what footing he lived so many years in his house. I am persuaded, however, that no pecuniary considerations entered into the arrangement, but that it was a purely literary connection on both sides. Mr B. was very likely to imbibe the most ardent admiration for such a leviathan in books: and Dr Parr seems to have been strongly prepossessed towards a young man who seemed likely to turn out as learned in books as himself.* Those who were personally acquainted both with the patron and his protégé, can imagine the mutual satisfaction which arose from their connection. Dr Parr was not backward to employ the services of one who was never loath to act as an amanuensis, and Mr Barker was doubly happy in the enjoyment of the society of that extraordinary character, and in having unlimited access to his large library, so full of all those out-of-the-way books in which both took an especial interest. Like every other inmate of Hatton, Mr Barker soon became devotedly attached to Dr Parr; and after the death of the "curate's curate," as he used to call himself, Mr Barker published two volumes of "Parriana,” * For the information concerning the early part of Mr Barker's life, extending to several pages of this Memoir, the author is indebted to an article in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1839, page 543 &c. written by his friend Mr Burges. a title which induced the public to expect a collection of anecdotes of Dr Parr; and so indeed it was, and not of Dr Parr only, but of almost every body who had in any way been connected with Dr. Parr during thirty or forty years of his life; and thus Mr Barker, from his usual dread of leaving any thing unsaid, contrived to destroy most of the interest which the subject would otherwise have possessed. This unfortunate work was described in the Monthly Review, for November 1828, as a "wretched effusion of ignorance, vanity and absolute imbecility." This criticism is harsh and unjust. Little can be said, it is true, in favour of the plan of Parriana, but the collector of anecdotes will still find a place in his library for those volumes, because they contain many interesting narratives of literary men which cannot be found elsewhere. Mr Barker was about twenty-six years old, when he left Hatton, but, though so entirely addicted to books, he nevertheless was not exempt from the passions which are inherent in human nature. I believe it was at Dr. Parr's, or at all events by the Doctor's introduction or contrivance, that he became acquainted with Miss Manley. A marriage between this lady and himself was the result, and Mr Barker, leaving the roof of his kind friend and patron, removed to Thetford in Norfolk where he spent the greater part of his remaining life. Two daughters were the issue of this marriage, which would have turned out disastrons to all parties, if Miss Manley had not been possessed of a decent competence, settled upon herself, and thus been saved from participating in the difficulties by which her husband was afterwards overwhelmed. At first all went well at Thetford: the property which Mr Barker possessed in his own right, together with that which his wife brought him, enabled the newly-married pair to live comfortably, and to indulge (if done with discretion) in such pursuits as most pleased the fancy of each. Mr Barker fairly set up at once for a literary man, and was in the habit of adding to his name, in the title-pages of pamphlets, the mysterious initials O. T. N. which much puzzled his friends, particularly continental scholars, who supposed those letters denoted an academical degree, whereas their simple meaning was Of Thetford Norfolk! "Just as Mr Barker was entering upon a literary life, the venerable Dr Vincent was quitting it, full of years and honours, having bequeathed to posterity his two learned quartos on the voyage of Nearchus, &c. At that period Mr Barker happened to be immersed in books of travels beginning with Marco Polo and ending with Mungo Park; and no sooner had he devoured the volumes of the Dean of Westminster, than he commenced a correspondence with the author, which was kept up for a time with some spirit, until the hand of the veteran began to flag, and he was compelled to address his juvenile and indefatigable cor |