The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 08, No. 47, September, 1861 by Various
page 12 of 295 (04%)
page 12 of 295 (04%)
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And see the same pamphlet and Mr. Collier's letters, _passim_.]
But what has been established by the examination of Mr. Collier's folio and the manuscripts which he has brought to light? These very important points:-- The folio contains more than twice, nearly three times, as many marginal readings, including stage-directions and changes of orthography, as are enumerated in Mr. Collier's "List of Every," etc. The margins retain in numerous places the traces of pencil-memorandums.[I] [Footnote I: This is finally admitted even by Mr. Collier's supporters. The Edinburgh Reviewer says,--"But then the mysterious pencil-marks! They are there, most undoubtedly, and in very great numbers too. The natural surprise that they were not earlier detected is somewhat diminished on inspection. Some say they have 'come out' more in the course of years; whether this is possible we know not. But even now they are hard to discover, until the eye has become used to the search. But when it has,--especially with the use of a glass at first,--they become perceptible enough, words, ticks, points, and all."] These pencil-memorandums are in some instances written in a modern cursive hand, to which marginal readings in ink, written in an antique hand, correspond. There are some pencil-memorandums to which no corresponding change in ink has been made; and one of these is in short-hand of a system which did not come into use until 1774.[J] |
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