HARDY POEM FORGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 229, 27 September 1928, Page 25

HARDY POEM FORGED.

FAKE EXPOSED

AMERICAN VICTIM

Forgers are busy with Hardy MSS.!

They are at work in London, and are attempting to exploit the market there and in America.

The first known forgery to be sola in London since Hardy's death is the poem on Keats. The discovery was madt by Mr. T. J. Wise, the well-known collector of first editions.

"As Hardy gave mo the Keats poem' MS." said Mr. Wise to a "Daily Chronifle,, representative, '"and it is still in, my possession, T have the best reason of all for knowing that the other is a forgery.

''The forgery was recently bought by a young American collector and taken to Messrs. Riviere and Son to be bound. At iirst Mr. Calkin, the head of the firm, was impressed with the find, but before binding it up lie shewed it to me.

"I have the original of that forgery," [ said to him, and produced it for his inspection. It was a dramatic moment! MSS. In Duplicate. "On my advice Mr. Calkin sent tbe faked poem to Mr. Sydney Carlyle Cockerell, Hardy's literary executor, who promptly declared it 'an impudent forgery.' ''The owner has been advised to tear up the poem, but he may have it bounu :is a curiosity. At any rate, vrill never have an opportunity of deceiving anybodv again.

"I think tlio genuine Hardy poem would fetch fliiO. but T am not selling it. Tt was given 1o me, years ago, when I was a member of the committee which raised funds to buy Keats' house at llanipstead.

"Hardy was greatly interested in tho scheme and the poem was his contribution to the fund.

"After the premises had been acquired lie made a copy of the manuscript, and presented it to the committee for use ti3 an exhibit. There are thus two manuscripts of the one poem in existence."

Mr. Calkin added that no complaint has been made to the police, and that his young American client is "in midAtlantic on his way lio>ine."