Books and Bookmen [26]
in the other, its unmutilated condition is contrasted
with that of a copy which has been "cropped." In any case, Mr.
Collier hoped, he says, to complete an imperfect folio he possessed,
with leaves taken from the folio newly acquired for thirty
shillings. But the volumes happened to have the same defects, and
the healing process was impossible. Mr. Collier chanced to be going
into the country, when in packing the folio he had bought of Rudd he
saw it was covered with manuscript corrections in an old hand.
These he was inclined to attribute to one Thomas Perkins, whose name
was written on the fly-leaf, and who might have been a connection of
Richard Perkins, the actor (flor. 1633) The notes contained many
various readings, and very numerous changes in punctuation. Some of
these Mr. Collier published in his 'Notes and Emendations' (1852),
and in an edition of the 'Plays.' There was much discussion, much
doubt, and the folio of the old corrector (who was presumed to have
marked the book in the theatre during early performances) was
exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries. Then Mr. Collier presented
the treasure to the Duke of Devonshire, who again lent it for
examination to the British Museum. Mr. Hamilton published in the
Times (July, 1859) the results of his examination of the old
corrector. It turned out that the old corrector was a modern myth.
He had first made his corrections in pencil and in a modern hand,
and then he had copied them over in ink, and in a forged ancient
hand. The same word sometimes recurred in both handwritings. The
ink, which looked old, was really no English ink at all, not even
Ireland's mixture. It seemed to be sepia, sometimes mixed with a
little Indian ink. Mr. Hamilton made many other sad discoveries.
He pointed out that Mr. Collier had published, from a Dulwich MS., a
letter of Mrs. Alleyne's (the actor's wife), referring to
Shakespeare as "Mr. Shakespeare of the Globe." Now the Dulwich MS.
was mutilated and blank in the very place where this interesting
reference should have occurred. Such is a skeleton history of the
old corrector, his works and ways. It is probable that--thanks to
his assiduities--new Shakespearian documents will in future be
received with extreme scepticism; and this is all the fruit, except
acres of newspaper correspondence, which the world has derived from
Mr. Collier's greasy and imperfect but unique "corrected folio."
The recency and (to a Shakespearian critic) the importance of these
forgeries obscures the humble merit of Surtees, with his ballads of
the 'Slaying of Antony Featherstonhaugh,' and of 'Bartram's Dirge.'
Surtees left clever lacunae in these songs, 'collected from oral
tradition,' and furnished notes so learned that they took in Sir
Walter Scott. There are moments when I half suspect "the Shirra
himsel" (who blamelessly forged so many extracts from 'Old Plays')
of having composed 'Kinmont Willie.' To compare old Scott of
Satchell's account of Kinmont Willie with the ballad is to feel
uncomfortable doubts. But this is a rank impiety. The last ballad
forgery of much note was the set of sham Macedonian epics and
popular songs (all about Alexander the Great, and other heroes)
which a schoolmaster in the Rhodope imposed on M. Verkovitch. The
trick was not badly done, and the imitation of "ballad slang" was
excellent. The 'Oera Linda' book, too, was successful enough to be
translated into English. With this latest effort of the tenth muse,
the crafty muse of Literary Forgery, we may leave a topic which
could not be exhausted in a ponderous volume. We have not room even
for the forged letters of Shelley, to which Mr. Browning, being
taken in thereby, wrote a preface, nor for the forged letters of Mr.
Ruskin, which occasionally hoax all the newspapers.
BIBLIOMANIA IN FRANCE
The love of books for their own sake, for their paper, print,
binding, and for their associations, as distinct from the love of
literature, is a stronger and more universal passion in France than
with that of a copy which has been "cropped." In any case, Mr.
Collier hoped, he says, to complete an imperfect folio he possessed,
with leaves taken from the folio newly acquired for thirty
shillings. But the volumes happened to have the same defects, and
the healing process was impossible. Mr. Collier chanced to be going
into the country, when in packing the folio he had bought of Rudd he
saw it was covered with manuscript corrections in an old hand.
These he was inclined to attribute to one Thomas Perkins, whose name
was written on the fly-leaf, and who might have been a connection of
Richard Perkins, the actor (flor. 1633) The notes contained many
various readings, and very numerous changes in punctuation. Some of
these Mr. Collier published in his 'Notes and Emendations' (1852),
and in an edition of the 'Plays.' There was much discussion, much
doubt, and the folio of the old corrector (who was presumed to have
marked the book in the theatre during early performances) was
exhibited to the Society of Antiquaries. Then Mr. Collier presented
the treasure to the Duke of Devonshire, who again lent it for
examination to the British Museum. Mr. Hamilton published in the
Times (July, 1859) the results of his examination of the old
corrector. It turned out that the old corrector was a modern myth.
He had first made his corrections in pencil and in a modern hand,
and then he had copied them over in ink, and in a forged ancient
hand. The same word sometimes recurred in both handwritings. The
ink, which looked old, was really no English ink at all, not even
Ireland's mixture. It seemed to be sepia, sometimes mixed with a
little Indian ink. Mr. Hamilton made many other sad discoveries.
He pointed out that Mr. Collier had published, from a Dulwich MS., a
letter of Mrs. Alleyne's (the actor's wife), referring to
Shakespeare as "Mr. Shakespeare of the Globe." Now the Dulwich MS.
was mutilated and blank in the very place where this interesting
reference should have occurred. Such is a skeleton history of the
old corrector, his works and ways. It is probable that--thanks to
his assiduities--new Shakespearian documents will in future be
received with extreme scepticism; and this is all the fruit, except
acres of newspaper correspondence, which the world has derived from
Mr. Collier's greasy and imperfect but unique "corrected folio."
The recency and (to a Shakespearian critic) the importance of these
forgeries obscures the humble merit of Surtees, with his ballads of
the 'Slaying of Antony Featherstonhaugh,' and of 'Bartram's Dirge.'
Surtees left clever lacunae in these songs, 'collected from oral
tradition,' and furnished notes so learned that they took in Sir
Walter Scott. There are moments when I half suspect "the Shirra
himsel" (who blamelessly forged so many extracts from 'Old Plays')
of having composed 'Kinmont Willie.' To compare old Scott of
Satchell's account of Kinmont Willie with the ballad is to feel
uncomfortable doubts. But this is a rank impiety. The last ballad
forgery of much note was the set of sham Macedonian epics and
popular songs (all about Alexander the Great, and other heroes)
which a schoolmaster in the Rhodope imposed on M. Verkovitch. The
trick was not badly done, and the imitation of "ballad slang" was
excellent. The 'Oera Linda' book, too, was successful enough to be
translated into English. With this latest effort of the tenth muse,
the crafty muse of Literary Forgery, we may leave a topic which
could not be exhausted in a ponderous volume. We have not room even
for the forged letters of Shelley, to which Mr. Browning, being
taken in thereby, wrote a preface, nor for the forged letters of Mr.
Ruskin, which occasionally hoax all the newspapers.
BIBLIOMANIA IN FRANCE
The love of books for their own sake, for their paper, print,
binding, and for their associations, as distinct from the love of
literature, is a stronger and more universal passion in France than