The characters in several of the manuscripts
are of modern formation, mixed up most
inconsistently with antique. The parchment
is old, but made to look still older by yellow
ochre, which can easily be rubbed off; the
ink also has been tinctured with a yellow
cast. In some coats of arms, drawn upon the
MS. of Cannynge's Feast, the hand of a
modern herald is clearly traceable. He
remarks, also, upon an unnatural affectation
of antique spelling and obsolete words, side by
side with combinations of words and forms of
phrases, which had no existence at the
pretended date of the poems. In the Battle of
Hastings—said to be translated from the
Saxon—Stonehenge is called a Druidical
temple; while at the period when the poem
might be supposed to be written, no other
notion prevailed concerning this monument
than the supposition that it was erected in
memory of Hengist's massacre. After urging
several similar arguments, Warton concludes
by giving the whole of the poems to Chatterton:
if for no other reason, on the very
probable supposition that the author of the
Execution of Sir C. Baudwin, might easily
be the writer of the rest.

The sad and solemn conclusion of poor
Chatterton's career, leaves us no heart to
dwell upon the feeble waggeries of some
literary mystificators who succeeded him.
Nor, indeed, under any circumstances, are
such frolics worthy of any special notice. It
was more than a score of years after the
publication of the Rowley Poems, before any
deep-meaning and really respectable forgery
was brought to light. With the author of
Vortigern and Rowena is associated no
vulgar mystery. He has told us all about
himself with most touching confidence.

Mr. Ireland's first essay at literary imposture
was unwittingly suggested by his father;
whose estimation of the works of Shakespeare
was without bounds. It was not a mere matter
of literary taste; it was not merely enthusiasm;
but a creed and a faith. The most
minute matters associated in the most distant
manner with his idol, were carefully
treasured. To please his father, young Ireland
hit upon the notion of concocting nothing
less than an autograph of the great poet.
This duly made its appearance in the form
of a mortgage deed, drawn up with a careful
imitation of the legal hand-writing of the
reign of James the First, and the " signature"
of Shakespeare—cramped, eccentric, and
unmistakeably genuine!

Who but the son can properly describe
the father's joy when this precious parchment
was presented to him, as having been found
among some (unspecified) documents in the
(imaginary) library of some château belonging
to some (fictitious) friend. The deed, which
purported to be between Shakespeare and one
Fraser and Elizabeth his wife, was inspected
by crowds of antiquaries, to whom it gave
the greatest satisfaction.

Then, as the novelty of the discovery wore
off, came the increased voracity which follows
the first taste of blood. The old gentleman
became eager and inquiring. There were
probably more Shakespeare papers in the same
place; and it was the duty of his son to make
further researches. In vain did the unfortunate
fabricator resist and return evasive
answers. The antiquaries, and his father at
the head of them, became more exacting. To
save himself from importunities, and perhaps
exposure, Mr. Ireland now penned
Shakespeare's Profession of Faith and a few
letters, all of which passed muster: in many
instances documents produced as two hundred
years old had scarcely been in existence two
hours. Then followed a decisive step. An
original play by Shakespeare was pronounced
to be extant; and to support his assertion,
Ireland, to the great joy of the happiest of
parents, produced the Vortigern and
Rowena, which distinguished critics admitted to
private readings pronounced to be a genuine
work of the poet; and it was ultimately
arranged to bring it out at Drury Lane.

Prior to this, however, some suspicions of
the validity of the production had crept
abroad, and were now made the subject of
controversy in pamphlets and newspapers.
Malone, one of the most distinguished among
the opponents, made a collection of documents
intended to prove the forgery; but he did not
succeed in bringing them out before the
representation of the piece. He issued,
however, a notice to the public, warning them of
the imposture, which he intended to expose.
To this the elder Ireland replied by a hand-
bill, which he caused to be circulated among
the multitude, who, towards the hour of
performance, were choking up the avenues to
the theatre.

Meantime there were enemies within as
well as without Drury Lane; and the
principal of these was a no less important personage
than Kemble the manager. The latter
brought all the force of his wide and weighty
influence against the piece; by which he
called forth a very severe rebuke from
Sheridan, who reminded him that he was
forgetting his duty as a servant of the theatre.
Ireland had also an important opponent in
Mrs. Siddons, who refused to lend her aid in
palming Vortigern upon the public.

The piece however was announced for
representation " positively " on the 2nd of April,
1796. Kemble had, it seems, endeavoured to
fix the previous night for its production, " in
order to pass upon the audience the compliment
of All Fools' Day." Being detected in
this damaging attempt, probably by the
quick perception of Sheridan, the uncompromising
manager succeeded in announcing
My Grandmother as the farce to follow—a
sarcasm obvious enough to a thoroughly
London audience. This was not all;
leagued with Malone, and the rest of the
sworn opponents, and with a real literary