EXTRAORDINARY LITERARY FORGERIES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2470, 28 February 1893, Page 1

EXTRAORDINARY LITERARY FORGERIES.

No small excitement lias been created in Edinburgh by a local evening paper, The Despatch, having brought to light the fact that for some years there has • been going on " a most systematic and wholesale forgery of letters purporting to be written by Scott and Burns." These letters have been sold by public auction and thrjugli the booksellers, and have thus passed iuto the hands of a good many collectors, including the Earl of ltosebery. Some of them' have been examined by Mr M. Thompson, of the British Museum, and been pronounced by him to be "palpable forgeries." As the result of inquiries, The Despatch charged a copying clerk, named A. 11. Smith, residing in Brunswick street, Edinburgh, with being 1 the forger of these docuttud he has since been arrested. That being so you will understand why at present I do not say much on, the subject. But from all appearances his trial is likely to prove one of the moat interesting events of the kind -thai has ever taken place. Smith vi'aa at one time a law clerk in the employment of the late Mr Iforrier. "W. 8., and from his habit of iyiquently offering oil docu:nent.s other lor sale was dub.h>« by his friends " Antique Smith." Among the MSS. which are connect with this bnsiness are letters (besides those stated to be Scott and Burns) professing to be the handwriting of Oliver Cromwell, and Hogg, and other more or less well-known personages, a " permit" from Prince Charlie, and a reputed copy of the " Solemn League and Covenant." — Correspondent Otago Daily Times.