Mr. Ireland's vindication of his conduct, respecting the publication of the supposed Shakespeare mss., being a preface or introd. to a reply to the critical labors of Mr. Malone in his Enquiry into the authenticity of 'certain papers, &c, &c'."" (Still Image)

Mr. Ireland's vindication of his conduct, respecting the publication of the supposed Shakespeare mss., being a preface or introd. to a reply to the critical labors of Mr. Malone in his Enquiry into the authenticity of 'certain papers, &c, &c'.""

Ireland, Samuel, -1800

iv, 48 p. 22 cm

Samuel Ireland (1744 – 1800), British author and engraver, is best remembered today as the chief victim of the Ireland Shakespeare forgeries created by his son, William Henry Ireland.

The Ireland Shakespeare forgeries were a  cause célèbre in 1790s London, when  Ireland announced the discovery of a treasure-trove of Shakespearean manuscripts by his son William Henry Ireland. Among them were the manuscripts of four plays, two of them previously unknown. Such respected literary figures as James Boswell (biographer of Samuel Johnson) and poet-laureate Henry James Pye pronounced them genuine, as did various antiquarian experts. Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the leading theatre manager of his day, agreed to present one of the newly discovered plays with John Kemble in the starring rôle. Excitement over the biographical and literary significance of the find turned to acrimony when it was charged that the documents were forgeries. Edmund Malone, the greatest Shakespeare scholar of his time, showed conclusively that the language, orthography, and handwriting were not those of the times and persons to which they were credited, and William Henry Ireland, the supposed discoverer, confessed to the fraud.

Although his son admitted to the hoax in his Authentic Account (1796), many blamed the father. In this work, A Vindication of His Conduct, Samuel Ireland defends himself from the charges of having willfully deceived the public.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland_Shakespeare_forgeries

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Forgeries

Malone, Edmond, 1741-1812. Inquiry into the authenticity of certain ... papers ... attributed to Shakespeare

b32340989

PR2950 .A4

London, Mr. Faulder and Mr. Robson [etc.] 1796

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