Page "Richard Porson" Paragraph 12

In 1792 his fellowship was no longer tenable by a layman ; and Porson decided not to take holy orders.

The Master, Thomas Postlethwaite, who had the nomination to one of the two permanent lay fellowships, used his privilege to nominate John Heys, his nephew.

So Porson was without means of support.

A subscription was, however, got up among his friends to provide an annuity ; Cracherode, Cleaver Banks, Burney and Samuel Parr took the lead, and enough was collected to produce about £ 100 a year.

He accepted it on the condition that he should receive the interest during his lifetime, and that the principal should be returned to the donors at his death.

When this occurred, with part of the sum the Porson prize was founded in 1816 at Cambridge, and remainder was devoted to the foundation of the Porson scholarship, first awarded in 1855.