Richard Farmer, master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge

Richard Farmer (1735-1797) is remembered as the author of An Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare (1767) and as the gregarious Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The fullest extent of his contribution to Shakespeare studies has not, however, been recognized. Arthur Sherbo now brings together the various aspects of Farmer's life and thus restores to proper balance Farmer's long-neglected importance as a Shakespearean. Richard Farmer was friends with, and contributed to the Shakespeare editions of, three of the great Shakespearean scholars of the eighteenth century - George Steevens, Isaac Reed, and Edmond Malone. He was of assistance to Samuel Johnson in the so-called Johnson-Steevens editions of Shakespeare of 1773 and 1778. Indeed, while there is only one recorded meeting between Farmer and Johnson, the two were compatible in many respects. Johnson is reported by Thomas Percy to have been delighted with Farmer's Essay: "He speaks of it with the most unreserved applause, as a most excellent performance; as a compleat and finished piece that leaves nothing to be desired in point of Argument: For That the question is now forever decided." The question was how much Latin - and Greek - Shakspeare knew. Farmer was able to show that in many instances where others had claimed Shakespeare's knowledge of the classics in the original languages there were English translations of these works available to him. Farmer somewhat overstated his case, but he resolved many questions. Farmer's life is of great interest in that his was prototypical of the life of the teacher-scholar in the eighteenth century in one of the two great English universities. He occupied many of the positions of the academic and ecclesiastical worlds, for he was also a Doctor of Divinity. Master of Emmanuel College for many years, he had been Fellow, Tutor, Lecturer in the College, as well as Principal Librarian of the University. He, as did other Masters of Colleges, served as Vice-Chancellor of the University. He was ordained a priest and served in other ecclesiastical capacities culminating in a residentiaryship at St. Paul's in London. He is reported to have refused a bishopric. Above all he was one who loved the good things in life - food, wine, books (he had a remarkable library), and friends. And, as this account makes clear, he was a man of strong principles.