Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 16.djvu/310

* PORSON. 260 PORTAGE. being on Schutz's .^ischylus, and his finest on Brunclv's Aristopliaiios. He also opened a cor- respondence with Professor Eulinken. In 1787 lie contributed to the Genllem/in's Magazine three sarcastic letters on Hawkins's Life of Johnson. For the same perio<lical he also wrote his far more famous and trenchant Letters to Travis on the Three Wit nessrx (1788-89). The question con- cerned the disputed text I. John v. 7, and was occasioned by a pretentious defense of the pas- sage by Archdeacon Travis against the scornful attack" of Gibbon. Porson naturally incurred great odium on account of the side he took in tliis controversy. One old lady who had him in her will for a legacy of £300 cut it dowTi to £30 when she heard that he had written a book against Christianity. Porson's fellowship being vacated by his refusal to take orders, his friends now procured for him an annuity of £100. He w-as also appointed to the regius professorship of Greek in the University of Cam- bridge, an office worth £40 a year. The only tiling he ever did in connection with his Greek professorship was to deliver a Latin prelection on Euripides, written, it is said, in two days. In 1705 he edited the plays of .-Eschylus for the Foulis Press at Glasgow; and between 1707 and 1801 four of Euripides, the Hecnha, the Orestes, the /'/KTHisiu", and the Medea. He also collated the Harleian manuscript of the Odj/.^xscfi for the 'Grenville' Homer. In 1800 be was appointed librarian of the London Institution with a salary of £200, but neglected his duties. By this time Porson had weakened in mind and body. Ever since the loss of his fellowship he had lived mostly in London, occupying rooms at Essex Court in the Temple. There he would confine himself to work for days; and for years he had been at times a hard drinker. He died of apo- plexy, September 25, 1808. and was buried in the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge. Porson was famed for his wit and learning, and. unfortniiately, for the negligence with which he treated persons to whom he owed courtesy. His burlesque of Hawkins has been compared wdth Thackeray at his best. He certainly was a master of irony. His contributions to the knowl- edge of Greek syntax and metres are solid and permanent. To the emendation of texts he brought Tare keenness and a marvelous memory. Though more scientific methods now prevail, especially in textual collation, it is generally agreed that Porson opened the way to the new era. After his death, several works left in manuscript were published: Rieardi Porsoni Adversaria (1812), Tracts and Miscellaneous Criticisms (1815), Paiisaniaji (1820), Lexicon of Photius (1822), yotes on Suid^ls (1834). and Correspon- dence, edited by Luard (Cambridge, 1867). Con- sult the Life by Watson (London. 1801) ; Table Tall; of Hamuel Rogers (ib. 185G) ; and Luard, Cainhridge Essai/s (ib., 1857). PORT (of uncertain etymology). (1) A naval term to denote the left side of a vessel to an observer looking forward. See Helm. (2) In architecture the term port is used as an equiv- alent of portal (q.v. ). POR'TA, Carlo (1776-1821). An Italian poet, born in ^[ilnn. He was employed in the Bureau of Finance in Venice, and afterwards in Milan. Manzoni, Grossi. and others of the Ro- mantic School in Milan were his intimate friends. His poems are mostly in the Milanese dialect. They are remarkable for their satirical wit and vivacity, and are exact descriptions of local man- ners. The best known of them is Le disgrazi di Giovanni liongee. His works were published by his friend Grossi in 1821. PORTA, Gi.C0M0 DELL,v (1542-1604). An Italian architect, born at Milan. He was the pupil of Vignola and Michelangelo, and com- pleted various w'orks left unfinished by both his masters. The most important of these was the cupola of Saint Peter's in Rome, which he slightly altered from the original designs, and was work- ing over in 1504. Other'building work of his in Rome includes the completion of the Church of II Gcsu, begun by Vignola ; the Farnese Palace, begun by Michelangelo; the Greek Church, in the Via Babuino; the Church of the Madonna dei Monti ; the facade of the Church of San Luigi de' Francesi; and the palaces Paluzzi, Chigi, Serlupi, and d'Este. He also built in Rome some fine fountains, in which his taste fur the deeofative in architecture showed itself. Of these, an es- pecially noted one is the Fontana delle Tarta- rughe. Other works by Porta are the Chapel of Saint John the Baptist in the cathedral at Genoa, and the Villa Aldobrandini, near Frascati. PORTA, GlAMBATTI.STA DELLA (1543-1615). An Italian savant, born at Naples. He traveled widely in Spain, France, and Italy, and founded an association known as / segreti, for the purpose of carrying on scientific investigations. Accused of practicing magic, the society was dissolved by the Pope. Porta studied optics successfully and invented the camera obscura. He wrote widely on scientific topics with much learning and mucli blundering. His most important works are De Humana Physiognomia (1586). Magis Natti- ralis 1580), Ars Reminiseendi (1602), De Aijris Transmu I a t ionihii s ( 1609 ) . PORT ADELAIDE, ild'cdad. The port of tlie city of Adelaide (q.v.), South Australia. PORT'ADOWN'. A town of Ireland in County Armagh, situated on the Great Northern Railroad 5 miles south of Lough Neagh (Map: Ireland, E 2). It has manufactures of linen and cotton goods and trade in agricultural products. Population, in 1001, 10,046. PORTAELS, por-tals', Jean Francois (1818- 95). A Belgian historical and portrait painter, born at Vilvorde, near Brussels. He studied in the Academy of Brussels, and in Paris under Paul Delaroche, and in 1842 he took the Prix de Rome. After extensive travels in the Orient, in 1847 he was appointed director of the Academy of Ghent. Later, after further travels, he became director of the Academ.v of Brussels. Among his best known w-orks are "A Funeral in the Desert of Suez," and "A Caravan in Syria Overtaken by a Simoom." At an exhibition of paintings in Sydenham Palace in 187.3, he received a special goM medal for the finest picture, "A Drought in Eg}-pt." His works are rather good in composi- tion, but are painted in the smooth manner of the school of Delaroche. POR'TAGE. A city and the county-seat of Colundiia County, Wis!, 90 miles west by north of Milwaukee ; on the Government ship canal be- tween the Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and on the Wisconsin Central and the Chicago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul railroads (Map: Wisconsin, D 5).