Page:Observations on an autograph of Shakespeare, and the orthography of his name.djvu/25



Since the preceding letter was printed as a portion of the Archæologia, I have been favored with a letter from the Rev. Joseph Hunter, in which he suggests, that the passage in Montaigne was taken by Shakspere from the work while yet circulated in MS. some years previous to the first edition of 1603. But admitting the fact, (which will probably be considered more at large in Mr. Hunter's forthcoming work, intitled, "New Illustrations of the Life, Studies, and Writings of Shakspere,") it does not at all affect the proprietorship of the volume, or the authenticity of the signature. In reference also to the poem printed by Mr. Collier, and supposed to be signed "W. Sh.," Mr. Hunter clearly proves that we should read "W. Sk.," and that the author is not William Shakspere, but Sir William Skipwith, specimens of whose verses may be found in Nichols's Leicestershire, vol. ii. p. 367, and MS. Lansdowne, 207, F. I have only to add, in conclusion, that the volume which belonged to Mr. Fisher, supposed to contain Shakspere's autograph, was sold at Evans's, 1st June, 1837; and as I then had an opportunity of examining it, my previous conviction of its falsity was confirmed by ocular evidence.

F. M.

11th April, 1838.