13 



an inquiry whether lie really had been a 'merry man' in his life-time, 

 or whether it was merely his widow's affectionate partiality that in- 

 duced her so to report him. He had likewise proved, that by altering 

 the received mode of punctuation, any one of Shakespeare's plays 

 could be made quite different, and the sense completely changed; it is 

 needless to say, therefore, that he was a great critic, and a very pro- 

 found and original thinker." 



Having been long engrossed by a passion for the study of Shakes- 

 peare, I was of course aware of the existence of this tract. Many 

 years' fruitless search for it had, however, long since left me in despair 

 of ever finding a copy. The author, whose modesty was equal to his 

 merit, hud printed but few copies, and those only for private circula- 

 tion. Consequently it never found its way into any of the great 

 repositories of literature. Although Mr. Dickens refers to it, he does 

 not say that he ever saw it. He may have derived his information 

 respecting it from Mr. Crummies, or from same member of his theatrical 

 company. I had made most thorough researches and inquiries among 

 the descendants of the Crummies family, and among the descendants 

 of nearly every prominent member of that company, but in vain. My 

 nearest approach to success was when I was informed by a grandson 

 of Mrs. Henrietta Petowker Lillivick, that he had heard his grand- 

 mother say that she had once possessed a copy, but not esteeming it of 

 much value had given it my informant's father when an infant to play 

 with. I abandoned the search some years ago, but rec?ntly stumbled 

 on a perfect copy of this inestimable treasure by merest accident. In 

 the year 1869, I discovered it in the cabinet of curiosities belonging to 

 the late Mr. Nathaniel Hawthorne (formerly customs-officer at Salem, 

 Massachusetts), an account of which may be found in that gentleman's 

 sketch, entitled "A Virtuoso's Collection," and which, at the date of 

 that sketch, was the property of the Wandering Jew, by which desig- 

 nation Mr. Hawthorne was understood to intend the author of 

 " Lothair." By the courtesy of the family of Mr. II., I was permitted 

 to inspect this singular collection at my leisure. This precious 

 volume lay between Alexander's copy of the " Iliad," and " the Mor- 

 mon Bible in Joe Smith's authentic autograph." 



My delight at the discovery was greatly enhanced by observing 

 that this copy (Xo. 6 of 25 copies taken off on large paper, none on 

 small) seems to have been presented by the author to the great anti- 

 quary, and bears on its fly-leaf this inscription : " To Jona. Oldbuck, 

 Esqr., from his obdt. servt. and co-labourer, Cream Curdle." 



By the permission of Mr. Hawthorne's family I am enabled to pre- 

 sent to the literary world an outline of the argument of this masterly 



