Page:Observations on an autograph of Shakespeare, and the orthography of his name.djvu/11

 OBSERVATIONS,

&c. &c.

British Museum, Jan. 11, 1837.

it will not be deemed foreign to the pursuits of the Society of Antiquaries, to receive some particulars respecting the autograph of an individual, the magic of whose name must best plead as my apology for abstracting them from their graver subjects of inquiry. The individual I allude to is no less a personage than our immortal dramatic poet,, to mention whom, and to excite curiosity and interest, I may, I believe, in any society of educated persons, assume to be inseparable. By the assistance of my friend, Charles Frederick Barnwell, Esq., of the British Museum, I am enabled to lay before the Society an accurate fac-simile of the signature of this great man, written on the fly-leaf of a volume which, there is every reason to believe, once formed a part of his library, and which has hitherto, strange to say, been hidden from the knowledge and indefatigable researches of the whole host of Shaksperian commentators, collectors, and illustrators. Already, on the mere announcement of the fact, one might fancy, with no