New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-08-13
A FRAUD EXPOSED.

Among the literary items Of the day not the least
interesting is the recent showing up of the Collier
folio humbug, with the history Of which most of
our readers are doubtless familiar but to which we
will refer in brief It will be remembered that some
halfadozen or less years SINCE Mr. Collier, an emf
nent English scholar, discovered among some old
book rubbish copy Of the second folio edition OF
Shakespeare, that Of 1882 the margins Of which were
beautifully covered with manuscript notes, emenda
tions and corrections, among which was much that
was explanatory, in some sort of way, of those
knotty points of the text that had always greatly
exercised the literary virtuosi keeping all of that
kidney in very deplorable state OF puzzement and
even of mental Distress These annotations pur-
ported to be from the quill Of less authority than
the illustrous bard himself and great feeling Of
thankulness came upon the literati, who voted the
discovery of the precious folio the most notable event
Of the century.
Some pig-headed fellows Of them there were,
though, who strenuousy resisted conviction and re-
manned determined infdels as to the authenticity of
the claims Of the folio their incredulity being sus.
tanned by the internal evidence in its support that
they pretended to discover in the marginal contents
Of the book, which undoubtedly presented many APP
pearances Of antiquity but frequently exhibited fea.
lures Of phraseoogy which they commended pertaned
rather to the nineteenth than to the seventeenth
century. OF these incongrnities were certain stage
directions of decidedly modern character that they
would have had no meaning had they been written,
II they could have been by any less than prophet,
in that age when the science of practical dramatcs
was in SO crude condition.
But the donbters were few, and new edition Of
Shakespeare, embodying the new light shed by the
Collier folio, was generally acceptedas the only correct
issue OF the works of the great dramatist It has
been for years in the market and has cut off the
sale Of former and presumably incorrect editions.
Not long since, however, the celebrated folio was
sent to the British Museum and Immediately had to
undergo the ordeal of scrutiny to which the experts
in photography and chemistry of that institution
subjected so famous curiosity. It did not stand the
test. The discovery was made that the seemingly
old and faded ink in which the marginal notes were
written was kind of paint, which could be washed
off the paper. It was found also that most of the
notes had been first made in penciling and in modern
characters, some of which were imperfecly erased
ana the others painted over, more ancient form be-
ing given to the callgraphy by the forging artist,
most dexterous fellow, whoever he was.
Ihese proofs Of the imposture were revealed by
washing of the brown paint OVERLAPPING the pencil.
Ing and by analysis with the microscope and it was
also found that chemical preparation had been
used Ia obliteratng ink marks. mass Of such tes-
nmony was revealed, and the humbug is exposed,
but the clever scamp who got it up is not. Mr..
Collier is exonerated, he having been imposed upon
as badly as anybody else, and, indeed worse, being
made the agency Of the presentation Of the fraud to
the world and so far responsible for the currency It
gained as SO distinguished endorser might be. The
doubters are jublant for their lack of faith is vim.
l dicated.