literary Forgeries. By J. A. Ferrer. (Longmans and Co. Si.
6d. net.)—Mr. Ferrer, whom Mr. Lang introduces to the public; in his best style, has written a very readable book. At the head of literary forgers stands George Paalinanazar. His attempt was of colossal magnitude. To imitate the style of a well-known author, to invent a narrative of some incident that is known to have occurred, are but small things in comparison with the inventing of a language, a literature, a whole social fabric. And the man himself was as curious as his undertaking. A. good second, so to speak, may be found in Simonides, the famous dealer in MSS., genuine and "faked." His method was to mingle the sham and the true together, and so to throw dust in the eyes of the expert. He took in more than one distinguished scholar abroad. Here he was not no successful. The story goes that, . having shown some genuine codices to " Bodley " Coxe, these were duly assigned to their proper centuries. "This is.of the tenth century ; this of the twelfth." said C014. "And this. of the nineteenth," he went on when a forgery was put into his hands.. Mr. Farrer seems to -be half inclined to the idea that Simenides forged the Codex Sinaiticus." The arguments which he takes into, account do .not: go for .much either way. What really settles the question is the place which the " codex " has taken by- common consent in textual criticism. Scholars may not be agreed about its -value, but that_ it haa-a place of its own cannot be doubted. The only persons who could. possibly have forged it were Westcott and Hort, whom we mention honoris cause. Mr. Ferrer mentions the "Cons Trimalehionis" as a possible forgery. It bee some strange Latin in %A:vat the forgery theory is, we imagine, generally abandoned. Among the other subjects are the "E ikon Basilike," "Lauder v. Milton," the Marie Antoinette frauds, Ireland's "Immortal Hoax," and some curiosities of false ballads.
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