The Life and Letters of John Gibson Lockhart
Chapter 2: 1808-13
John Gibson Lockhart to Elizabeth Lockhart, 3 October 1812
[Postmark, Oxford, Oct. 3] 1812.
“My dearest Mother,—I
would have been unwilling to delay writing to some of you so long, but have put
off day by day in the expectation of letters from you. . . . Our term commences
this day fort-![]()
| 50 | LIFE OF J. G. LOCKHART. | |
![]()
night, and Jenkyns has already made his appearance. I have no pleasure in
the prospect, for excepting one or two friends, for whom I have every reason to
entertain the most sincere affection, few places contain so few desirable to me
as Balliol. At present we have nothing here but electioneering in all its
glories—you are happily spared all such spectacles in the North. A
namesake of ours, a glib lawyer—a silly country gentleman, who is just
about to complete his folly by a hopeless effort—a young noble in the
Marlborough interest, and a worthy Burdettite, summoned hither by the suffrages
of a few blackguards, are the four candidates, and among them they continue at
least to din our ears day and night with drums and fifes, and drunken halloos.
“I was not a little astonished to see advertised, in
the end of the last Edinburgh Review, ‘Documents in favour of the Rev.
D. D., junr., St. Cuthbert’s, as touching the late election for a Hebrew
Professor in Edinburgh.’ Mr.
Murray, who has succeeded, I have long heard mentioned as
absolutely one of the very first Oriental scholars in Europe. Could the
fat descendant of the —— be so presuming
as to stand against such a man on the strength of a little ill-digested Greek
and Latin, and about as much Hebrew, I daresay, as his Aunty
Betty? O vanity! If I might quote Latin to you, Ne sutor, &c. Let Mr. Davy stick to the West Kirk, and the auld
wifies, and the Religious
![]()
![]()
Monitor. But Hebrew professorships, worthy
man! I beg you would, by some means, contrive among you to let me hear a little
more frequently from you; and when you do write, I wish you would give me more
domestic news. I am very sure Lawrence’s marrow bones need not prevent him from finding
abundance of time to write me, at least every fortnight.—Yours most
affectionately,
“J. G. L.”
Richard Jenkyns (1782-1854)
Educated at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was elected master in 1819; he was
vice-chancellor (1824-28) and dean of Wells (1845).
Lawrence Lockhart (1795-1876)
The son of the Rev. John Lockhart and younger brother of John Gibson Lockhart; he was
minister of Inchinnan (1822-60) after which he resided on the family estate at Milton
Lockhart.
Alexander Murray (1775-1813)
Scottish linguist and associate of John Leyden; he was professor of oriental languages in
Edinburgh University (1812).
David Scot (1770 c.-1834)
Scottish clergyman educated at Edinburgh University; he was professor of Hebrew and
Oriental Lanaguages at St. Andrews University and a friend of John Leyden.
