The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-05-12

a gentleman who is known As the author
OF several Picturesque Tours, and some
illustrations Of Hogarth-a man OF con-
siderable taste, and an ardent admirer Of
Shak He had been articled to an
attorney, and having daily opportunities Of
inspecting ancient deeds and writings, he
seems to have occupied his leisure, 6rst in
deciphering, and afterwards in copying and
initiating them. Possessed OF this danger
Gus talent his fathers reverence for the
great English dramatist, and his own am
bition for distinction, suggested to his mind
the daring scheme of imposture BY which
he has rendered himself remarkable.
From an attentive examination Of the
authentic signatures Of Shakespeare. be soon
learned to initiate the character Of his hand
writing with facility; and from time to time
presented his father with scraps OF manu-
script, 10 account for the possession Of
which he invented most romantic and i'm
probable story. One Of the earliest of
these forgeries was "ShaksPesre's Profess
sion of Faith;" document intended 10
prove that the great dramatist was Pro-
testant. The papers were soon shown to
many learned individuals. Among others.
they were inspected by DR.. Pan, and
young Ireland could hardly repress his
feelings Of exultation when he heard that
great man say to his father, in his presence,
"Mr. Ireland, we have many fine things in
our Church service. and our Litany
abounds with beauties, but here is a man
has distanced US ALL
For lorg time Ireland made almost
daily additions to bis pretended discoveries.
Was it possible that his father had no sus-
picion Of their origin, and was he entirely
deceived by the monstrous assertions Of
his clever, but unprincipled sonl The ap-
pearance OF the manuscripts went far to
prove their commences. The color Of the
ink-the water marks in the paper. de-
ceived the eye Of the most practiced anti
Iquaries. The precious relics were regard
ed with reverence and almost superstitious
awe.
Mr.. Boaden, gentleman of great dra-
matte taste, in pamphlet written at sub
sequent period to expose the fraud, was not
ASHAMED to confess that 'he first beheld
the papers with tremor Of the purest de-
light, touched the invaluable relics with
reyerential respect, and deemed even ex-
istence dearer, as it gave him so refined q
satisfaction" A number Of literary gen
tlemen and patrons of literature met at MIR.
Ireland's house, and voluntarily subscribed
their names to the following document
l"We, whose names are hereunto subscIib-
ed, have. in the presence and by the favor
Of Mr.. Ireland, inspected the Shakespeare
papers, and are convinced OF their anthem
ticity." Amongst the signatures are those
of DIR. Par, Herbert, Croft, DIR. Valpy
Henry James Pye, poetlaureate.) and Jas.
Boswell, the biographer Of Johnson. lti:
further stated that Mr.. Boswell, previou:
+ to signing his name, fell upon his knees,
and, il tone Of enthusiasm and exullation,
thanked God that he had lived to witness
the discovery, and exclaimed that he could
now die in peace.
One Of the ablest critics Of the day, how
ever, remained unconvinced. This wa:
Mr.. Malone, the ingenious and indelati
, gable editor Of Shakespeare, who professet
from the first contemptuous disbelief in
the so-called discoveries" but intimatec
that he would not deign to notice them til
; they had been made public. He kept his
|, word. When the famous documents were
|, published, he addressed letter to Lore
Charlemont, in which he satisfactorily
proved and exposed the fraud. 1t is rather
amusing to find the great English advocate
Erskine, devote admirer and dilligeni
reader OF Shakespeare. and whose course Of
study and practice at the bar must have
made him thoroughly conversant with all
the rules Of evidence, thus expressing him
self with regard to these papers, and Mr..
Malone's incredibly: al went to-day &c
lreland's from curiosity. and having heard
+ from several quarters that the new Shaks.
Peare was a forgery, and having seen an
advertisement from Malone on the subject,
all | can say is, / am glad / am not the
man who has undertaken to prove Mr.. Ma
lone's proposition; for think never saw
such body Of evidence in my life to sup
port the authenticity Of any matter which
rests upon high authority. | am quite sure
a man would be laughed out OF an English
court Of justice who attempted to maintain
Malone's opinion in the teeth Of every rule
Of probability acknowledged for ages as the
standard for investigating truth"
1 Believing himself possessed Of a most
invaluable tTeasure-in spite Of the pro-
testations Of his son, who dreaded and fore
saw the exposure OF the lraud-Mr. Sam'l.
Ireland determined on publishing the sdis-
coveries, and in the year 1896 printed a
large proportion of them in fine folio vol
ume, under the title Of Miscellaneous pa
Pers and legal instruments under hand and
seal Of William Shakespeare, including the
tragedy Of King Lear, &C., in the posses
sion Of Samuel Ireland" A very slight
examination Of this volume would, il has
been thought, have shown the transparency
Of the fraud. The photography adopted
by Ireland was ludicrously Inaccurate
The redundancy Of consonants in nearly
every word had very grotesque appear
ance, and was by TO means characteristic
of the age of Shakespeare. Thus for zone
gentleman" the orthography is "owne
gennetellemanne." Although Shakespeare
had "litte Latin" ne would never have
committed the blundsr Of 'Glosterre exitte,
Qor EXIT The concluding lines Of Lear's
denunciaton Of his daughter
| THAT she may feel
How sharper than serpent's tooth tits
Il A. II