| Description | He takes the liberty of writing to Herschel without a previous introduction, having been interested in the announcement of Herschel's translation of 'The Iliad'. He cannot purchase many books, but he is anxious to have Herschel's Homer. His late friend Dr [Edward Craven] Hawtrey told him that Herschel was accomplished at what Lord Derby has called the heresy of the English hexameter. Hawtrey gave him the volume of translations from the German edited, he thinks, by Dr [William] Whewell. Hooper has long taken an interest in Homer, as the editor of George Chapman's translations. He ventures to beg for a copy of Herschel's book. If Herschel does not have them, it would give him pleasure to send five volumes of Chapman. He wishes to write a critique on the translations of Homer, taking Herschel's as his text. |