The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-25
BURNS MANUSCRIPT FeRGERIEs.
Twenty Thousand Dollar Collection
Presented to Lenox Library.

(Kansas City Times.)
Collectors Of rare manuscripts ard IL
brarians throughout the country have
cry that a presumably valuable collec-
ton of manuscripts and autograph let
tiers of Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott,
and other eminent writers in the Lenox
library of New York are forgeTies.
From this discovery it is presumed
that hundreds of other spurious manu-
scripts n letters are held by collect
ors and Librarians in this country.
That the collection in the. Lenox Ii
brary is spurious, is frankly admitted
by the officials of the institution, and
Mr.. II. r. c. Simon OF the library staff
has given the details of the ease TO the
New York Herald. The collection was
presented to the library by one of its
trustees n patrons, who purchased it
in Scotland from James Stilie, of Edin-
Durgh, at a cost of over $40, 000. The
papers were passed upon by the lead
ing experts of Scotland, who pronounc-
ed them genuine, lit then they were
duly presented to The library. This
was several years ago., and no question
Of their authenticity was raised until
wholesale ~forgeries Of manuscripts
were accidentally brought to light in
Edinburgh.
This created a doubt an6 the col:ec-
ton vas sent to the experts OF the Brit
ish museum, who promptly pronounced
the papers a worthless lot of ~forseries.
The donor of the collection brought
suit against Mr.. Stillie, who was an
eminent expert on manuscripts, but ne
died before the case was brought 10
trial, and the matter was dropped. The
Lenox library trustee had made a SINH
lar presentation to the city of Ed.n-
burgh, and these also turned out to lie
spurious.
The forgeries We're discovered in 1899,
at which time Edinburgh was flooded
with manuscripts and letters of Burns
and Scott, autograph letters of Mary,
Queen of Scots, and Jacobite CORES
pondence. A newspaper man made an
investigation, which resulted in the dis
covery Of a regular manuscript mill"
in a small hut behind Hope Crescent,
Leith Walk, Edinburgh. The mill
was conducted by William H. Smith,
otherwise known as antique" Smith.
This mar had been chief clerk to
the late Mr.. Ferrier, the surviving rep
resentative of the old law firm which
has had connections with many Of the
leading families of Scotland. One day
he was told to clear out some boxes
filed with old documents, and mons
the latter he discovered some valuable
manuscripts ana papers which he ap-
propriated. These formed the founda-
ton for his subsequent forgeries. He
disposed of many of the originals and
thus gained the confidence of the col
~lectors. Then he started on a career
of wholesale forgery. His skill was
were duped by him.
In 1892, however, attention was at
tracted to a letter which was pub
lished in a Scottish newspaper. pur-
porting to be an original from Bobby
Burns. 1t was alleged to have been
written at about the date of the poets
marriage. and was addressed to John
Hill, weaver, Cummock. This is the
letter:
Mauchline, June, II.
Dear Sir: 1t is, indeed impossible for
me to speak upon such a subject as the
loss 0 have suffered. Allow me, how
ever, to send you this expression of
sympathy and sorrow at the loss of a
friend. 1t is another part Of ourselves
gone when we lose q friend. Cod keep
those we have left, as few are worthy
praying for, and ourselves probably
least of all. 1 was much pleased at
your expression in our intimation to
me, as [ am now aware that you I'M
derstoOd my meaning and character,
and that, although our last meeting
noisy, I hope you took no umbrage
at anything spoken by Mr.. Nichol,
whose character is somewhat noisy in
its expression. Believe me. that 1 did
not intend to go beyond anything that
was unfriendly, and you commUnica-
ton has shown me that. l am waiting
to see you. Believe me to be, yours
must affectionately,
ROBERT BURNS.
The letter brought out a spirited cor
Tespondence in the Edinburgh newspa-
pers, and its g%enuineness was CUES
toned. Finally il was submitted to
pronounced it a forgery. The letter
was III the collection OF Mr.. James Mac
kenzie. who had many other Burns
manuscripts. Among them was a poem
entitled The Poor Mans Prayer" ad-
dressed to Gilbert" by his brother
Robert. Here are two stanzas of the
nineteen composing the poem:
Amidst the more important tolls of state,
The ~counsels laboring in the patriotic
Though Europe from thy voice expect
Ana thy keen glance extend from pole
to pole.
o. Chatham, nursed in ancient virtues
lore.
To these sad strains incline a favored
Think on the Cod whom thou and I adore,
Nor turn IMPLYING from the poor mans
prayer.
antique Smiths" versatility was ex-
-traordinary. He kept in touch with
the fads Of collectors and turned out
whatever was in most demand in any
quantities. III the list of his most not
able forgeries are: 4 variety of old
documents relating to the Jacobite pc
Rod. letters and autographs Of Burns,
Scott, Oliver Cromwell, Carlyle,
Thackeray, John Bright, Gladstone.
Salisbury, Lord Nelson, Mary Queen of
James VI, Prince Charlie. John
Knox. Rob Roy and many more.
Smith was arrested and tried in the
courts at Edinburgh. but escaped with
a sentence of only one years imDrison-
nent.