FARMER, Richard, D. D. a scholar and critic of considerable eminence, was the son of a hosier at Leicester, at which place he was born in the year 1735. Here he
Farmer received the rudiments of his education, and afterwards became a student at Cambridge, and pensioner of Emanuel College. He was considered as a young man well acquainted with books, much esteemed among his friends, and looked upon as possessed of lively parts, even before he had acquired any extraordinary reputation as a scholar. He was made bachelor of arts in 1757, and master of arts in 1760. Several years after this period, having been for some time a curate, he took the degree of bachelor in divinity, and became a preacher at Whitehall. Besides the attention he paid to the Greek and Roman authors, he prosecuted the study of books in his own language, printed in black letter, and thus laid the foundation of a work which added more to his literary reputation than any other performance. This was an Essay on the Learning of Shakespeare, which he published in 1766. Men of letters had long turned their attention to the learning of Shakespeare, in order to ascertain its real extent. It could not be questioned that he was acquainted with the history and mythology of the ancients, but it was still a matter of dispute from what sources that acquaintance had been derived. To obviate this difficulty, Mr Farmer's knowledge of books enabled him to demonstrate, that translations of the far greater part of the classical authors were to be met with in the time of our distinguished dramatist; and as he showed that Shakespeare had even copied the blunders and errors of these translations, he made it manifest beyond the possibility of a rational doubt, that he was wholly incapable of consulting the originals. This essay passed through three editions in a very short time, and was much admired for the sprightliness of its composition, whilst the readers of it were in general persuaded that he had fully established his point.
This performance brought him into notice, and became extremely favourable to his professional advancement. By the influence of Bishop Hurd, he procured the chancellorship and a prebend in the cathedral of Lichfield; and in 1775 he was elected master of Emanuel College, and took the degree of doctor in divinity. He was soon afterwards appointed principal librarian to the university, and served in turn the office of vice-chancellor. He was made prebendary of Canterbury by Lord North, at that time prime minister, and Mr Pitt twice offered him a bishopric; but the constraints and solemnity of the episcopal character were not congenial to his natural temper, on which account he declined the offer, and having resigned his office as prebendary, he accepted of a residentiaryship of St Paul's. This obliged him to reside three months annually in London, which he spent with equal pleasure and advantage in the society of literary men. From nature he inherited a fund of good humour, and was of such an obliging turn, that he buried party spirit in the satisfaction which he found in the performance of beneficent actions. Though in general an enemy to reforms of every kind, and anxious to preserve things as they were, both in church and state, he was nevertheless instrumental in amending the police of Cambridge, especially as it related to the paving and lighting of the streets. At his instigation also, monumental sculpture was admitted into the cathedral of St Paul's, and will continue to exhibit a striking proof of national gratitude, as well as serve to cover the nakedness of the walls.
It was at one time the intention of Dr Farmer to publish a history of the town and antiquities of Leicester; but either his independent circumstances, or a degree of native indolence, made him relinquish the design, and the few materials which he had collected were therefore given to Mr John Nichols, at that time engaged in an elaborate work on the same subject. After a painful illness of some length, Dr Farmer died at Emanuel College in the month
of September 1797, in the sixty-second year of his age. Farrer Dr Farr wrote an epitaph for his tombstone, in which we find the following testimony to his worth: Vir facetus et dulcis, festique sermonis, Grace et Latine doctus, in explicanda veterum Anglorum poesi subtilis et elegans.